40 Tools, Tips and Scripts for Finding More Listings
It's a tough time for finding listings -- but we probably don't have to tell you that. What we do want to tell you about, however, are the strategies and tools that can help you unearth more homes for sale. That's why, over the month of August, RE Technology has been running a series of articles every Tuesday to help you do just that. It's part of our "Tips and Tricks Tuesday" series. This month, our theme has been "How to Find More Homes to List." Below is an overview of the topics we covered — and you can download our free eBook to read these articles compiled in one convenient place. Embracing Technology and Direct Mail: Solutions to Ease the Inventory Issue - Learn about a high-tech way to implement direct mail outreach to homeowners. Lead Gen Meets Next Gen with RealtyCandy's New AI-powered Home Valuation Widget - Find out how to use a new home valuation tool to attract seller leads. Why Is Housing Inventory So Low? Tips for Overcoming Market Challenges - Real estate coaches Johnny Pfeiffer and Brandon Doyle discuss today's inventory issues, the causes, and how agents can thrive despite these challenges. Looking for Better Leads? Remine Pro Could Be Your Best Solution - Real estate data can help you find new prospects — and Remine Pro is just the tool for the job. Try This Expired Listing Script to Win More Appointments - Expired listings want to sell, but getting them to list again can be tricky. Get a script to convert these leads into clients. Plunk Unlocks Confident Investing in Real Estate - Learn about a new tool that gives real estate investors, advisors and analysts access to real-time property valuation data and analysis. 8 Campaign Ideas for Finding More Listings - Your MLS's property data/public records tool is a powerful tool for finding leads. Here are eight campaign ideas you can execute with the help of that tool. How to Win Over Tough FSBOs (and a Script to Help) - FSBOs can be a prickly bunch who are reluctant to use an agent to sell their home. Learn how to approach FSBOs and what to say to counter their objections and concerns. Why Absentee Owners May Be a Gold Mine for Seller Leads in Today's Market - Most would-be sellers today don't want to give up their existing low interest mortgage to jump into today's expensive real estate market. But there's one set of property owners who are less likely to have these concerns — absentee owners. Find out how to tap into this niche. We hope these articles were helpful to our readers. However, you should know that great advice about finding seller leads isn't something we share just one month per year — we do it year-round! To help round out our listing-focused month, today we want to share more resources that we've published over the years. Let's dive in… Where are all the leads? So you want to grow the listing side of your business. First things first: where should you look for leads? If you're looking for motivated sellers, try these three sources. Want to turn your sphere of influence into a lean, mean, lead-generating machine? Check out our article, 65 Sources of Real Estate Referrals You May Have Overlooked. Finding and converting seller leads is a process. Learn how to make that process work for you in 5 Strategies to Generate Seller Leads and Build Better Relationships. Tap into the power of online marketing We don't call ourselves RE Technology for nothing. Helping real estate professionals use technology to better their business, including finding more homes for sale, is part of our raison d'etre. Here's a sampling of advice we've published on various online marketing methods: Google Ads Facebook boosted posts Hyperlocal blogging Email marketing Landing pages Social media is another key way to stay top-of-mind with your sphere of influence. It's a highly visual medium, however. Fortunately, if you aren't graphically inclined, you can lean on pre-made templates like the ones highlighted in the articles below: How to Create Instagram Posts for Your Real Estate Business with Canva Free Templates to Help You Create Social Media Market Updates Use scripts for easier outreach and follow-up Sometimes the toughest part of reaching out to leads or following up is knowing what to say. If that's a struggle for you, jumpstart your communication with these handy scripts: Real Estate Prospecting Letter Examples and Tips 4 Real Estate Emails that Convert Like Crazy (+Templates!) 3 Free Drip Marketing Emails to Send to Home Seller Leads Get a Smarter Door Knocking Script from an Outreach Expert The Ultimate Script for Reconnecting with Past Real Estate Clients Ultimate Real Estate Scripts to Keep in Touch and Get More Business Real Estate Scripts and How to Use Them 4 Lead Generating Scripts for Listing Agents Scripts and Templates to Turn Expired Listing Leads Into Clients Strategies for converting leads So you've got a great lead. How do you get them to convert? Try the tips and strategies outlined below. (And, bonus, there are a few more scripts tucked away in these articles.) What's in Your WOW Package? 5 Agents and Brokers Share Top Strategies How to Create a Conversion Engine for Your Online Seller Leads The Only Follow-Up Plan You Need for Seller Leads How to Turn Your Real Estate Buyers into Seller Leads 3 Tips You Need to Convert Every Seller Lead (No Matter Their Objection) How to Market to Expireds the Right Way The Ultimate Guide to Geographic Farming Don't forget referrals! Some of the best, most transaction-ready leads are referrals. Learn how to encourage more referrals and how to handle the ones that come your way: 10 Things to Do When you Receive a Referral How to Ask Your Clients for a Referral The Real Estate Referral Machine for Lifelong Business Remember all the things you do for your clients Finally, we want to wrap up on a positive note — and give you ammo to counter any objections from sellers who ask, "Why should I hire an agent?" (We're especially looking at you, FSBOs.) Ready? Next time anyone questions the value of using an agent, refer to this list of 184 Things You Do for Real Estate Clients (and they don't even know it). Happy selling! To explore helpful lead generation solutions, check out our Product Directory. And don't forget to download our ebook of this month's Tips and Tricks Tuesday articles!

How to Win Over Tough FSBOs (and a Script to Help)
Welcome back to another edition in our Tips and Tricks Tuesday series on "Finding More Homes for Sale." Last week, we highlighted a script for talking to expired listing leads. While those leads can be challenging, FSBOs are often a harder nut to crack -- and sometimes outright hostile to real estate agents. But with the right approach (and a thick skin), they can be a solid source of new listings. In fact, Realtor Chris Molenaar began his real estate journey by cold-calling For Sale By Owner properties to find potential listings. It took a year and a half, but finally Molenaar's efforts began to pay off when he listed three FSBOs in a single day. His secret? Establishing rapport and trust with FSBOs and using a script to build credibility and handle the inevitable objections. In the video above, Molenaar shares his strategy for turning tough leads into promising clients. Watch the video to learn: The questions to ask to engage FSBOs in a productive conversation Approaches for handling FSBOs' previous negative experiences with agents How to highlight the challenges in a slow market Tips for managing resistance and skepticism How to make FSBOs feel important and validated How to win over FSBOs And more! Related Reading Converting FSBOs to Clients: 4 Tips Are You Unknowingly Encouraging Sellers to List as FSBOs? True Confessions of a FSBO 184 Things You Do for Real Estate Clients (and they don't even know it)

Try This Expired Listing Script to Win More Appointments
Expired listings can be a prickly source of real estate leads. On one hand, the owner clearly wants to sell, otherwise they wouldn't have listed their home in the first place. On the other hand, something went wrong during the for-sale period, and you don't know what. Was the previous agent bad at their job? Was the seller difficult, or insistent on a price that was too high for the market? Whatever the case, the seller may not be feeling too great about the process of putting up their home for sale again. In our latest "Tips & Tricks Tuesday" article, we want to highlight just how to handle expired listings. When approached with empathy and curiosity, expireds can be a profitable lead source. Watch the video above to learn how Realtor Brandon Mulrenin approaches expired listings. He role plays a conversation between agent and homeowner, demonstrating the script he uses to convert expired listing leads. Watch the video to learn how to: Initiate a conversation with the owner of an expired listing Establish rapport with the homeowner Pique the homeowner's curiosity to keep the conversation flowing Unearth why the home didn't sell previously Close the call and get the seller to agree to meet with you And more! Related Reading How to Market to Expireds the Right Way Scripts and Templates to Turn Expired Listing Leads Into Clients What's the Best Way to Contact Expired Listings without Being Intrusive and Rude? 6 Easy Questions to Ask an Expired Listing

Embracing Technology and Direct Mail: Solutions to Ease the Inventory Issue
Welcome to a new month of our "Tips and Tricks Tuesday" series, which highlights articles around a theme. August's theme is "Finding more homes for sale." Read on for tips and tricks for finding business even in challenging market: The real estate market has always been dynamic, with fluctuating inventory levels a common challenge for real estate agents. As the demand for properties continues to surge, many markets face an inventory issue, leading to fierce competition among agents to secure listings. In such a scenario, leveraging technology and direct mail strategies can prove instrumental in generating more listings and winning coveted listing appointments. This educational article will explore the best tips for real estate agents to tackle the inventory issue and thrive in a competitive landscape. Harnessing Technology for Listing Leads In the digital age, technology plays a crucial role in connecting agents with potential sellers. Use the following tech-savvy strategies to boost your chances of acquiring more listings: 1. Online Lead Generation: Leverage various online platforms like social media, real estate websites, and paid advertising to reach a broader audience. Create engaging content and lead magnets to attract potential sellers and encourage them to provide their contact information. 2. Real Estate CRM: Adopt a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to manage leads efficiently. A CRM helps track prospects, automate follow-ups, and nurture relationships over time, increasing the likelihood of conversion. 3. Virtual Tours: With the ongoing advancements in virtual reality and 3D technology, offer virtual property tours to potential sellers. This not only saves time but also showcases your commitment to embracing innovative marketing methods. 4. Targeted Email Campaigns: Utilize email marketing to stay in touch with your database of potential sellers. Segment your lists and personalize messages to create meaningful connections with prospects. The Power of Direct Mail Marketing Amidst the digital age, direct mail remains an effective and tangible marketing strategy. It can add a personal touch to your outreach efforts and create lasting impressions. Here are some tips for incorporating direct mail into your listing generation strategy: 1. Targeted Prospect Lists: Work with a reliable data provider to build a targeted mailing list. Consider factors such as homeownership duration, neighborhood demographics, and property age to identify potential sellers more accurately. 2. Compelling Content: Craft eye-catching and persuasive direct mail pieces. Include engaging visuals, success stories, and personalized messages that resonate with the recipient's specific needs and aspirations. 3. Consistency: Consistency is key in direct mail marketing. Create a well-thought-out campaign with multiple touchpoints to reinforce your brand and increase your chances of eliciting a response. 4. Track and Measure: Implement tracking mechanisms in your direct mail campaigns to monitor response rates. Use unique URLs or QR codes to gauge the effectiveness of each campaign and adjust your approach accordingly. Nurturing Relationships with a Personal Touch In a competitive market, the value of personal connections cannot be overstated. Building trust and rapport with potential sellers can set you apart from other agents. Here are some ways to foster meaningful relationships: 1. Neighborhood Involvement: Become an active member of the communities you serve. Attend local events, sponsor neighborhood activities, and engage with residents on social media. This involvement will position you as a local expert and build trust with potential sellers. 2. Handwritten Notes: In the digital age, a handwritten note can make a significant impact. Send personalized notes to homeowners expressing your interest in selling their property and explaining how you can help them achieve their goals. 3. Thought Leadership Content: Establish yourself as an industry expert by creating thought-provoking content. Publish blog posts, host webinars, or create video content that addresses common seller concerns and offers valuable insights. The inventory issue in real estate markets demands innovative strategies from agents looking to generate more listings and secure listing appointments. By embracing technology, harnessing the power of direct mail, and nurturing personal relationships, real estate professionals can overcome the challenges posed by low inventory and thrive in a competitive landscape. By combining digital efficiency with genuine human connection, agents can position themselves as trusted advisors, ultimately attracting more sellers and achieving long-term success in the real estate market.

The Art of Hosting Real Estate Webinars: Engaging a Virtual Audience
In today's fast-paced world, real estate professionals are increasingly turning to webinars as an effective tool for engaging with a virtual audience. In this post, we will explore the art of hosting real estate webinars and provide you with practical tips to captivate and engage your virtual audience. Choose a Captivating Topic To kickstart your webinar journey, start by selecting a compelling topic that resonates with your target audience. Whether it's an overview of the local real estate market, tips for first-time homebuyers, or insights into investment properties, ensure that your topic is relevant, timely, and valuable. Research your audience's interests and pain points to tailor your content accordingly. Craft an Engaging Presentation Start your webinar journey off right by deciding on a topic that appeals to your target audience. Whether it's an overview of the local real estate market, tips for first-time homebuyers, or insights into investment properties, ensure that your topic is relevant, timely, and valuable. Research your audience's interests and pain points to tailor your content accordingly. Master the Art of Storytelling When you have a topic in mind, it's time to put together an engaging presentation. Remember, your slides should enhance your message, not distract from it. Make effective use of high-quality charts, graphs, and images to support your arguments. Keep your text concise, and use bullet points to highlight key information. Incorporate a consistent color scheme and font style to maintain a professional and cohesive look. Engage in Interactive Polling and Q&A Sessions Make your webinars interactive by incorporating live polling and Q&A sessions. Polls promote active participation by enabling participants to instantly share their perspectives and offer feedback. In addition to keeping your audience interested, this offers insightful data that can be used to customize your content. A Q&A session should be scheduled specifically so that any queries or worries your audience may have can be addressed. Leverage Multimedia Content Diversify your webinar content by incorporating multimedia elements. Your presentation can gain interest and depth by incorporating video clips, animations, and virtual property tours. Your audience will be captivated and impressed by stunning property images or before-and-after renovation projects, which will also highlight your knowledge. Utilize Engaging Platforms and Tools Select a reputable webinar platform with tools to raise viewer engagement. Look for platforms that offer interactive whiteboards, live chat, and hand-raising features. During the webinar, your audience can interact and work together using these tools. To ensure a seamless experience, make sure you are familiar with the platform beforehand. Promote Your Webinar Effectively If you don't have a viewership, even the most captivating webinar will fall short. Through a variety of platforms, including your website, social media sites, email newsletters, and pertinent online communities, advertise your webinar. Create persuasive marketing materials that emphasize the importance and advantages of attending your webinar. To increase your reach, think about collaborating with influential people or companies in related industries. Follow Up and Seek Feedback After your webinar, follow up with attendees to thank them for their participation and provide any additional resources or information promised during the session. Request feedback to gain insights into what worked well and areas for improvement. This feedback will help you refine your webinar hosting skills and deliver even more engaging sessions in the future. Hosting real estate webinars is an art that requires a delicate balance of engaging content, interactive features, and effective promotion. By choosing captivating topics, crafting compelling presentations, and leveraging interactive tools, you can create a virtual experience that captivates your audience and sets you apart from the competition. Embrace the power of technology, unleash your creativity, and master the art of hosting real estate webinars to engage, educate, and inspire your virtual audience! To view the original article, visit the Transactly blog.

5 Easy Ways to Get More Agent-to-Agent Referrals
Referrals from past clients, friends, and family are great — but you know what can be even more lucrative? Referrals from other agents! Not only are these leads ready to transact, they're often already pre-qualified by the referring agent. However, to be the Realtor who is top-of-mind when another agent wants to make a referral, you need to cultivate your agent network. Fortunately, real estate leader Jimmy Burgess wants to show you how to do just that. Watch the video above to learn: Why "I love referral fees" should be your new mantra How to use social media to cultivate a referral network The importance of following up to keep the referrals flowing long-term How to "farm" for other agents by strategically targeting and connecting with them And more! Related Reading 65 Sources of Real Estate Referrals You May Have Overlooked 5 Professionals Outside of Your Network to Get Referrals How Referrals Can Help Take Your Business to the Next Level

Building a Homebuyer Pipeline Through the Residential Rental Market
As a new real estate professional, building a client base can be a daunting task. One effective strategy is to use the residential rental market as a way to build your homebuyer pipeline. By establishing relationships with renters early on, you can position yourself as a trusted source of knowledge and advice to potentially help renters buy a home down the line. Establishing Relationships with Renters The first step is to establish relationships with renters. This can be done by reaching out to property management companies, offering your services at universities/colleges, and utilizing online rental platforms such as Rental Beast. Once you form a connection with a renter, it's important to provide them with your expertise in the housing market so they see you as a trusted source of knowledge, and with excellent customer service so you leave a good impression. This will leave a mark in their mind so that when they are ready to make the jump from renter to buyer, they think of you first. Converting Renters into Homebuyers While your primary goal may be to help renters find a great rental property, it is important to consider the long-term potential of converting them into homebuyers. As you establish relationships, make sure to keep in touch and provide them with valuable information about the home-buying process. Keep them up to date on new mortgage rates, first-time homebuyer options, and more. When the time is right, suggest the idea of homeownership and offer your services as a real estate professional. Leveraging Referrals Another benefit of working with rentals is the possibility of referrals. Renters may have friends or family members who are also in the market for a home (to rent or buy), and by successfully working with them, you increase the likelihood of receiving referrals. Make sure to follow up with your clients after the rental process and continue to stay in touch via email or text, especially as they approach the end of their lease term. By building a solid network of satisfied clients, you can continue to grow your pipeline. To view the original article, visit the Rental Beast blog.

Secrets for Streamlining Your Cold Emailing Strategy
Fierce competition and dynamism have made it mandatory for every brand to connect with quality prospects and motivate them to become warm leads. Cold emails have historically been one of the most popular lead generation tactics. It gives you an opportunity to connect with targeted prospects quickly. Why an Email Marketing Strategy Is a Crucial Business Asset

How to Turn SEO into a Major Source of Lead Generation
Every real estate agent's goal is to have a steady flow of leads without making hundreds of cold calls. Lead generation is vital for real estate business success. As a professional in the industry, to achieve long-term goals, it is essential to have an effective, up-to-date strategy and tools to help you generate consistent organic leads. Today, we are going to talk about how you can use SEO as a major source for generating real estate leads. Why Is SEO Important for Real Estate Websites? Like everything else, people search for homes online before getting in touch with a professional. You want your real estate website to rank among the top sites that show up in the search results during these searches. ​​Having a high-performing website, making sure you are visible in local searches, and listing your business on major real estate platforms is the way to go. A solid online presence establishes credibility for your business while attracting more leads. If you're not visible online, your business will be missing big time on potential clients or new leads. That is why effective SEO should be a part of your overall marketing strategy. Without this, clients might find it challenging to locate your website, hence low conversion rates. SEO for Real Estate Lead Generation Your real estate brand's visibility on Google and other search engines is highly dependent on how your website is optimized. Real estate agents should learn how to use SEO to engage prospects through organic search results and how real estate websites can boost their SEO and improve their visibility across the web. So, without further ado, let's discuss how real estate agents can leverage search engine optimization as a major lead generation source. Claim Your Google My Business Listing A Google My Business listing helps target users in your local area. This means that when potential clients search terms related to your business, your website will be among those that show up on the local area business map. This is one of the first steps to ensure that your business appears on the knowledge panel of Google search, Google SERPs, and the Google 3-Pack. Now, how do you claim your Google My Business listing? Head over to Google My Business and create a real estate business profile. Next, list all other details about your business, such as your business name, address, and business phone number. Always make sure that these three details are consistent across all your other social network accounts. When your GMB account is verified, you can also create citation accounts on Yelp, Facebook, Yellow Pages, etc. This ensures that when users search for real estate listings or agents on any of these platforms instead of Google, you still appear in the results. Blogging Leverage your website's blog and create city/area-specific content. Organized and informative city-specific content can be beneficial to your marketing funnel. For example, you can create blogs detailing important information about neighborhoods, cost of living, security, and other amenities in your city to properly guide your users around your sales funnel to make a better decision. If you provide useful information to people during their research stage, chances are that they are likely to come back to you and trust you when they are in the decision stage. Keywords Competition and volume play an essential role in attracting more leads. So if you are not sure about what to write in your blogs, make sure to research niche-specific keywords and other keywords related to your line of business to attract more organic traffic. Schema Markups This is a more technical SEO practice. These are snippets of code that indicate to Google how you want your website pages displayed on SERPs. There are several types of codes applicable to this technique. By using schema markups for local real estate businesses, you are helping Google's crawlers know what type of business you are, your work hours, reviews, and more. Pages that use schema markups have higher click-through rates—and as a real estate professional, this is essential for lead generation. Final Thoughts With the high level of competition in the real estate industry, professionals have to get more creative with their lead generation strategies. A real estate SEO plan that incorporates these tactics will yield the best results. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

The 4 Types of People You Encounter When Cold Calling
So you're cold calling. Sure, you may have the name and address of the prospect on the other end of the line, but you don't really know who you're dealing with. Are they impatient? Chatty? Quick to hang up or easy to talk to? Understanding the personality answering your call helps you better engage with them, and is more likely to lead to a successful conversation. In the video above, Realtor Loida Velasquez breaks down the four major personality types. Watch to learn the communication styles of each, how they make decisions, how to build rapport, and more. More Insight For a deeper dive into different personality types, check out this series below: 4 Tips for Marketing to Clients by Personality: Part 1 - Bulls 4 Tips for Marketing to Clients by Personality: Part 2 - Owls 4 Tips for Marketing to Clients by Personality: Part 3 - Lambs 4 Tips for Marketing to Clients by Personality: Part 4 - Tigers

Discover the Power of Data-Driven Real Estate Sales Funnels
Are you ready to maximize your marketing impact? Utilizing real estate sales funnel data can be the key to reaching your niche and driving growth in your business. What's a sales funnel? A real estate sales funnel is a process used by real estate agents and brokers to convert leads into clients. It involves a series of steps that help agents identify, qualify and nurture leads, eventually converting them into buyers and sellers. The funnel comprises various stages: generating leads, nurturing leads, setting an initial meeting, closing a deal, and even post-transaction follow-up. At the start of the funnel, leads are generated through various methods such as advertising, social media, networking, referrals, and cold calling. After leads are identified, they're nurtured by providing information and resources to help them make informed decisions and build trust. The next step is setting an initial meeting, usually a face-to-face meeting, to determine their needs and discuss the options. How to set up a real estate sales funnel Setting up a sales funnel for your real estate business can seem daunting, but with the right steps, it doesn't have to be. Let's walk through the steps to set up a sales funnel for SEO-based campaigns, social media, video and other marketing outreach: Define Your Target Audience: Start by pinpointing who your target audience is. Ask yourself questions like, "What type of clients do I like working with most?" and "What are their interests?" Once you've identified your target audience, you can tailor your sales funnel to meet their needs. Choose and Optimize Your Platforms: Once you know your target audience, decide on the platforms you'll use to reach them. Will you be using SEO? Email? Social media? Video Marketing? Choose the platforms you think will work best for your audience and then optimize those platforms for maximum visibility and engagement. Create Content: Content is king and especially important for sales funnels. Create content that your target audience will find valuable and shareable. Tailor the content to the platforms you're using. For example, if you're using social media, you may want to focus on visuals and short snippets of content. If you're using SEO, then focus on keywords and long-form content. Lead Magnet: Lead magnets are attractive offers that entice prospects to visit your site and provide their contact information in exchange for something of value. Examples of lead magnets include e-books, webinars, white papers, market reports, a "What's my home worth?" landing page and more. BONUS: RPR Market Activity reports are a powerful lead magnet. Consider offering a Market Activity report to prospects with data-driven market insights about the local real estate market. These reports contain invaluable information about the current market, including listing and sales activity and pricing trends that can help potential buyers and sellers determine whether the time is right for them to enter the market. Be sure to have a clear call to action, such as, "Provide me with your address and I'll send you a Market Activity Report based on your area," or something to that effect. Design Your Funnel: Once your content and lead magnet are ready, it's time to design your funnel. Often this involves a landing page. It should be eye-catching and provide clear messaging and a call to action. From there, create a form to capture user information and set up automation to follow up on those leads. Automating your follow-up process allows you to reach out to potential customers quickly and easily and ensures no leads slip through the cracks. Track and measure: driving maximum impact with your sales funnels If you're serious about your sales funnel strategy, don't stop short of tracking your results. Pay attention to the metrics that can give you the most useful insight into your campaigns' performance and areas that need improvement (social media engagement, website visits, click-through rates, conversion rate, cost per lead and more). Then based on those metrics, craft messages that will really connect with your niche audience! Use trends from your existing campaigns – emails, mailers, social media and more – to identify what's working and areas for refinement. With this data to guide you, create targeted messages and campaigns that resonate. And use the same data to focus in on the best messaging for maximum impact. Unlock the power of data to get the results you want! Unlock your inner marketer: create an engaging sales funnel Embrace the power of sales funnels and use the tools you now possess to craft a powerful funnel that resonates with your target audience. With the right combination of content and analytics, you can see the tangible results of your efforts and confidently optimize your marketing plan. Take the plunge and make your mark — the success is yours for the taking! Good luck! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Top Features to Look for in Your Lead Generation Software
With the real estate market slowing down, more real estate professionals need creative ways to build their sphere of interested buyers and sellers. The housing market can be a bit of a jumble with so much conflicting information. Messaging ranges from "buy now before the market crashes" to "wait to sell your home because prices are about to take a considerable dip." As a real estate agent, you need to find a way to put your clients at ease, provide them with reliable market information, and think of innovative ways to find a reliable flow of incoming leads. This is where lead generation technology comes in. Lead generation has become the agent's #1 most reliable source of new business. Without lead gen tech in this market, finding a source of leads would mean dropping into people's DMs, spending hours of your free time trying to navigate the world of digital marketing, or finding ways to interact with the public in-person during an ongoing pandemic. While these options may work for some agents, having a lead source that provides an ongoing stream of new leads can far outweigh the alternative lead gen options. But with so many options out there right now, how do you choose the option that's right for your business? Today, we'll dive into what you should be looking for in the best real estate lead generation technology: Flat rate pricing Budgeting is much easier when you know exactly how much your expenses are. So why would you invest in a product when the pricing fluctuates month to month? Lead generation software that charges by the lead or a percentage of your commission often leads to surprises when the bill comes. Invest in lead generation software that allows you to realize your expenses up front, with no surprise charges included. Automated follow-up Real estate professionals know that the best time to follow up with a new lead is as soon as possible. But in your busy schedule, following up with every lead is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Lead generation technology that provides you with a system to follow up with leads for you will inevitably be worth the cost. After all, think of all the leads you may have missed out on by trying to contact each one manually. An automated lead follow-up system will help you save time and bring in new clients. Tested and proven landing pages Landing pages play a big part in a successful digital marketing campaign. A quality landing page needs to include some essential features to convert a high percentage of leads including: Visually appealing design Customized agent/broker brand information A comprehensive lead form A strong headline and click-through action If a lead generation company does not provide these features, you may want to look elsewhere. Optimized digital ads Do you know the best places to display your advertising so it will be seen by the right audience? Or how to optimize ads to avoid ad fatigue and get the most value out of your ad spend? If your experience with running ads on multiple platforms is limited, you should consider letting a professional do it for you. The best lead generation software displays your ads on multiple platforms to increase your ad visibility. You need a lead generation company that provides ads that fit your brand criteria and is consistently A/B tested to make sure your ads are getting the best possible delivery including cost per click and the highest possible lead volume. If you're in the market for more leads (who isn't?), there are some great options out there. But most of the software that's available doesn't offer all of the characteristics we've listed above at an affordable price. If you're looking for the best features and the most leads, we recommend BoldLeads for a comprehensive real estate lead generation platform that will help you find workable buyer and seller leads to fill your sales funnels. To view the original article, visit the Lone Wolf blog. Next Steps Explore more Lead Generation solutions in our Product Directory Read articles about Lead Generation

[Podcast] Decoding Real Estate: Video as a Lead Generating Machine with Karin Carr
Today we welcome a special guest, Karin Carr, the Amazon bestselling author of YouTube for Real Estate Agents, and founder of the Video Boss Agent Academy. With over 15 years of experience as a REALTOR®, Karin has become a sought-after speaker on video marketing, and she's here to share her expertise with us. In this episode, we'll explore video as a lead-generating machine and how Karin fell into the YouTube video niche. We'll learn about the competitive advantage of using video, the difference between leads generated through video versus traditional lead generation sites, and how agents can cut through the excuses and get started with video marketing. Karin will also share her thoughts on the key elements of creating a successful sales funnel with video, including calls to action, landing pages, lead magnets and auto-responses. We'll discuss the importance of increasing visibility and building meaningful consumer relationships, as well as the biggest mistakes agents make when incorporating video into their marketing plans. Finally, we'll dive into Karin's popular Market Update LIVE! and discuss the value of hyper-local market update videos. If you're looking to expand your business with video, Karin's book, YouTube for Real Estate Agents, might be a great place to start. So sit back, relax, and join us as we decode the power of video marketing with Karin Carr. Decoding Real Estate is hosted by Reggie Nicolay and Genie Willett. Subscribe/Follow And be sure to check out these helpful and relevant links: Karin Carr YouTube Page YouTube for Real Estate Agents Realtors Property Resource RPR's Market Trends Listen on: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Stitcher To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

How to Turn Your Real Estate Buyers into Seller Leads
Successful real estate vets tend to work off of mostly referral business. They've been in the game for a while and have an extensive sphere of influence. To successfully transition your buyers into seller leads and repeat clients, you need to play the long game. And it takes patience and strategy to win! What is the long game exactly? Think of it as the ability to transition first-time clients into repeat real estate customers. If you put your process in place now, your pipeline will reap the benefits for years down the road. In order to build a bulletproof seller lead strategy, combine tactics to create more immediate demand for seller leads with this personalized approach for longer term seller leads. Understanding Your Repeat Client Before you craft a longer term seller lead strategy, you need to know your audience. Your clients may differe in everything other than the fact they made a real estate transaction one time with you, however, there are still a few national trends to consider. For example, when you're writing follow-up plans to keep the conversation going after a closing, the likelihood of a client purchasing a larger home after first purchasing a condo is much higher due to getting married, growing a family, wanting more space, relocation, etc. Simple stuff! So, don't assume you can market to your repeat clients in the same way you marketed to them the first time around. After your lead becomes a client, and this client closes on a home, the transaction may be complete. But their buying cycle is only beginning. It is your job to follow along with this cycle and be there when they round the circle and are ready to sell, or buy, again. Give White Glove Service (Even After Closing Day) If you hope to have your clients return the second transaction around, then your business needs to live and breathe memorable moments. These are the moments and memorabilia your clients will remember you by and hopefully down the road, will nudge them towards the phone when they want to sell. "Your customers are only satisfied because their expectations are so low and because no one else is doing better. Just having satisfied customers isn't good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans." – Ken Blanchard Closing gifts are the perfect opportunity to kick-off a lasting relationship with your client. You should have the go-to gift for everyone, but it really shows when you take the time to gift an item, experience or gift card specific to that person. Take into account if your buyer(s) are tech savvy, eco-friendly, families, just starting out, vacation homebuyers, etc. Keep Your Clients Engaged Between Real Estate Transactions The easiest route to keeping up communication between transactions is email. Consider these transaction follow-up campaigns to be your "Loyalty Program." And every good loyalty program retains consistent communication over time. To make it easy, we've compiled a list of emails and email ideas below to help jump start your follow-up process. These can be coupled with a newsletter or done on their own. Example of a Homebuyer Follow-Up Campaign 1 Day After Closing: "The Congratulations Email" This communication should congratulate the buyer, confirm they received their closing gift, reaffirm how much you loved working with them, ask for a review, and state the upcoming to-dos after purchasing a home. 30 Days After Closing: "Reminders Email" Remind the recent buyer of upcoming deadlines such as the one for permanent residency tax applications. Go the extra mile and mention you will call them closer to the deadline to make sure they have turned their important documents in. In this email, you need to continue to reaffirm their decision to buy and remind them of discounts for new homeowners at local or chain stores. 60 Days After Closing: "Reference List Email" It has now been two months since closing and the reality of owning a property has set in. At this point, it may be helpful to send a "check-in" email including a list of local references you would use including plumbers, landscaping companies, electricians, dog sitters, contractors, pest control services, home alarm businesses, etc. 6 Months After Closing: "Bi-Annual Check-In" At the six month mark, you should begin sending emails with value and service all packaged into one. These should be market updates displaying localized information on the housing market. The new property owner sheen is still fresh, but after six months owners will be curious to see whether or not their investment is gaining value and what else is happening on the market. 1 Year After Closing: "Closing Anniversary Email" Congratulate your client(s) for owning their property for a year! Reaffirm what a fantastic decision they made and keep the lines of communication open in case they need anything. Communication After One Year: These emails needs to be consistent and engaging. Continue to send e-cards for birthdays, annual "homeowner anniversary" emails, and newsletters. Newsletters: Organizing a quarterly newsletter is an excellent outlet for post-transaction communication. You don't want to overload your clients, but it's important to reach out and maintain a relationship. These newsletters should include local events (preferably those you are involved with), charitable opportunities in the area, holiday homeowner updates (Black Friday sales particular to homeowners!) and, mostly important, home value market updates. And remember, the golden rule for email follow-up is to not send emails unto others as you would have them sent unto you. So, if you wouldn't derive value from an email, then why would they? Ask yourself this before you hit send every time. Listings Come to Those Who Wait (and Follow-Up) The constant grind of generating leads and following up is not for the faint of heart. But like any career, you gain experience by doing. Through systematically automating your process with a CRM, you can cut out half the time you would spend manually customizing emails. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

The Only Follow-Up Plan You Need for Seller Leads
Perhaps you have the right plan in place for your buyer leads, but you're struggling to engage and nurture your seller leads, or maybe you just need some fresh ideas. Either way, here's a solid plan to create more conversations and land more listings. And did I mention this plan includes eleven weeks of touches? Best Practices for Following up with Seller Leads Don't forget the tried and true best practices for following up with anyone: Apeed to lead. Respond as quickly as possible to new leads. Every minute counts. Provide value: Give them what they need before they even know they need it with helpful, relevant information. Include a variety of follow-up methods in your nurture plan: calls, emails, texts, social media, etc. And remember, once you've gotten the response, pull that lead off of your campaign and communicate based on that lead's specific communication preferences and needs. Okay, here we go! Week 1 Seller Lead Strategy This is the most intense part of the campaign, with a communication plan for each day. Since you know there is interest in their home's worth, now is the time for a full court press. Day 1: Since the leads are registering through your home valuation page, they should automatically receive their home valuation and market report upon registration, and you should receive a notification in your CRM. This lead is H.O.T. so call them ASAP. No answer? Here's a sample voicemail: Hi, this is <Your Name> with <Your Company>. You should be receiving your home value report shortly, but I am also putting together a custom report with some interesting comps from your neighborhood. I'd love to deliver this version to you and answer any questions. Then follow up with an email: Subject: Your Home Value Report for <address> Hi <prospect name>, I left you a voicemail, but figured I'd send you an email in case it's easier for you to respond this way. Thank you for your home value request on <company website>. I'm working up a custom report for you and was wondering if you had any questions I could help with in the meantime. I would love to deliver a copy to your home today if you're available. Thanks! Taking the time to deliver the report shows off your level of service and if they take you up on the meeting, it's a great way to get face-to-face, run through the report, answer any questions, and start taking the relationship to the next level. Day 2: Shoot the lead a text message. Sometimes this is the best communication method for people and they prefer to talk via text rather than over the phone. (It also eliminates the possibility of your email drowning in an overly-crowded inbox! Day 3: Try to call your prospect again, mail the customized value report to their address (with a note). Voicemail: Hi <prospect name>, this is < your name> with <company name>. Just wanted to follow up and make sure you received the home value report I delivered, and to see if you have any questions I may be able to help with. I actually have some questions for you that would help me with estimating you home's worth even better, so please give me a call or send me a quick email. Hand-written note: Hi <prospect name> Thank you so much for reaching out to learn more about your home's value. I hope you had an opportunity to look over the value estimate and report I delivered, but in case you didn't receive it, here's another copy for you to look through. Please let me know if I can answer any questions. All the best, <your name> <company name> *include a business card too! Day 4: Set your prospect up to receive automatic updates (e-Alerts) on similar listings and market activity. Day 5: Email some similar active listings: Subject: Check out these comparable listings Hi <prospect name>, Here are some homes that are for sale that are similar to your own. Feel free to check out <company website> for more information and properties! Day 6: Send an email with your customized value report attached. Subject: Your customized report Hi <prospect name>, I hope you enjoyed your valuation report. While they can be helpful in getting a better idea of your home's worth, they are generated from third party data, so I made a few tweaks based on my knowledge of market activity in your area. I dropped this by your home, but thought it might be helpful to have a digital version as well. I'd love to discuss any questions or issues you may have! Day 7: Make a phone call and follow up with a brief text. Voicemail: Hi <prospect name>, this is <your name>. I just wanted to follow up and make sure you your were satisfied with the requested property report and value range of your home. I know the range may seem a bit broad, but we can adjust and narrow that down if I could get you to answer a few questions for me about your home. Even if you're just curious about the market, I'd be happy to provide any advice that might be helpful. Feel free to call me any time or shoot me an email. Thanks and have a great day! 10-Week Drip Campaign for Seller Leads If you still don't have a response after your week-long effort, it's time to approach your lead with the "low and slow" method. This next phase involves an email drip campaign that delivers one message per week for the next 10 weeks. Week 2 Seller Lead Strategy This email is just checking back in and trying to gain some information around the prospect's timeline and intentions. Subject: Is your home worth more than you think? Hi <prospect name>, I wanted to check in with you about your home valuation report and see what you thought about the provided price range. Too high or too low? I know it's a broad estimate, but things like past remodels and updates could impact the value nicely. Are you considering selling or simply interested in your home's current value? I'd be happy to help either way. All the best, <your name> Week 3 Seller Lead Strategy This next touch is taking a new tack to trying to get a response: asking a very specific question. (If you are right, or wrong, in assuming they may be relocating, you have a high chance of getting a reply!) Subject: Are you relocating? Hi, Since you were curious about the current value of your home, I was wondering if you may be planning to move or relocate. Is this the case for you? If you're planning to move somewhere nearby or relocating further away, I'd be happy to help. Nearby: Just tell me which neighborhoods you're interested in and I'll make sure you receive the freshest listing information and a market report so you can get a good feel for pricing in that market. Relocating: I'm happy to tap into my network to connect you with a trustworthy agent to help you look for homes in your desired area. Just let me know what's most helpful! Week 4 Seller Lead Strategy Here's a check in on the e-Alerts they're receiving and if they are the right type of parameters. If they're enjoying the alerts then they might tell you as much, and if they're a little off, this is the chance for them to let you know. Subject: Staying on top of the market Hi, I hope you've been enjoying learning a bit more about the market activity around your home and receiving similar properties that have been listed. I can make these alerts even more customized if you'd like to limit the search for only homes in your neighborhood, with the same square footage, etc. Also, if you're moving, it's never too early to research the market you'd like to move to! Let me know what you're looking for in your next home and I'll send you some homes to check out! Week 5 Seller Lead Strategy Remember, to be of value for your clients, it's your job to share your expertise. That means taking the market information and translating it into terms they can understand, and relating it to their own situation. Or, as Steve Harney would say, "connecting the dots." Subject: The right time to sell? Hi, Our area is enjoying a market where home values are on the rise. When homes are priced correctly and marketed effectively, there are frequently multiple offers for a property within a few days of listing. Here's a helpful link to see current stats for your zip code <insert link>. Most of my clients find this really useful! Let me know if you have any questions, I am happy to help! Week 6 Seller Lead Strategy Make another call! Check in and ask things like "What's your timeline?" "What did you think of the home value range?" etc. Subject: Your home is worth how much?! Hi, To get top dollar for your home, we'll want to determine what a buyer will pay in the current market. Determining the market value of your home is complex and you should use a local expert to help you determine that price. Some key factors include: Location Lot size Square footage Special enhancements and features of your home If you are a little ways out from selling, we can work together now on a few minor and inexpensive changes so you can draw in higher offers when you decide to put it on the market. Call me on my cell <insert number> so we can find a time to discuss. Or send me your number and I'll call you. Week 7 Seller Lead Strategy Now is a great time to make sure your listing presentation game is strong. Offer an explanation of what you can do to market their home and show how many buyer leads you have at the ready! Subject: A marketing plan for <insert address> Hi, What's the difference between listings and marketing your home? Listing is just getting it on the market, but marketing is what is done to drawing buyers in and getting top dollar for your home. That's where I come in! As a successful listing agent in the area, creating a strategic marketing plan with the homeowner before we list has been crucial to getting my sellers the best price for their home. Let's set up a time where we can discuss a marketing strategy for your home. Before we meet, feel free to send over any thoughts you have: 1. Who do you think will be the perfect buyer of your home? (A large family, a couple downsizing,etc.)2. What are your favorite features of your home? Why? Looking forward to hearing from you! Week 8 Seller Lead Strategy If you're creating fresh content for your website, blog, or social media accounts (and you should be!), share something that might be useful to a potential seller. Want a little treat? Here is some tweetable advice you can share with seller leads. Subject: Top 5 Ways to Boost Your Curb Appeal Hi, Did you know that doing just a few simple, inexpensive things to your home before you put it on the market can increase your home selling potential up to 10%? Here's a link to my blog post, "The top 5 ways to improve your home's first impression." My past client found this very helpful when we were selling their home and I hope you will too. Let me know if you'd like to chat about the selling process! Thanks, and looking forward to hearing from you! Week 9 Seller Lead Strategy It may be worth offering some giveaway to pique the interest of the potential seller. The below email details the opportunity for a staging consult, but you could also offer a free appraisal as well. Subject: Free home staging Hey, I just wanted to drop you a quick note about a special offer for a free home staging consultation with my favorite local home stager (they help make your house look pretty when we show your property). These guys are awesome and this is a service I highly recommend. The deal is good for the rest of this month. Let me know if you're interested! Week 10 Seller Lead Strategy Testimonial time! Demonstrate the success you've had in a similar area selling homes, or showcase what similar homes you have sold. Now is a great time to pull in testimonials from past clients and brag a little bit (humbly of course!) about any big wins with multiple offers, time to sale, etc. Subject: Sold: 3 homes just like yours Hi, Just wanted to let you know that these homes, similar to your own, were all sold in under one month (and one even went above asking price!). Here are some things my clients have to say: *Insert testimonial* *Insert testimonial* I would love to be able to offer you the same experience they all enjoyed. Would you have some time today to chat about this market and what your timeline is like? I look forward to hearing from you! Week 11 Seller Lead Strategy If you still haven't had any bites after all these touches, it's a good idea to make sure they haven't been put off by anything, and put the ball back in their court. Subject: Did I drop the ball? Hi <prospect name> I have yet to hear back from you, so I want to make sure I didn't drop the ball. When you initially reached out to me you were interested in the value of your home. Are you just looking to refinance or do you want to potentially sell sometime down the road? I don't want to bug you, so here's how you can contact me: <insert name><insert phone number><insert email> I would love to help you with any of your real estate questions or needs. Warm regards, <your name> Nurturing Non-Responsive Seller Leads Continue sending your seller leads automatic e-Alerts and market updates to stay top of mind and keep adding value. Even if they are a ways out from selling their home, or unresponsive, it's certainly worth keeping them involved in your digital marketing efforts. That way, when the time does come when they're ready for help, you'll be the person they turn to. With the right technology, and automated processes, nurturing seller leads can be a breeze. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Outperform Your Competition with These 10 Prospecting Essentials
It's no secret, prospecting is a critical factor in determining how successful you will be in the real estate industry. This article will identify prospecting strategies to help you stand out from the competition and increase your real estate success. From knowing your niche to utilizing digital marketing to its fullest potential, these strategies will help you make the most of your time, acquire more leads, and close more deals. 1. Know Your Niche Identify your competitive advantage and focus your efforts on the areas where you excel. Also, consider the type of clients you want to work with and the services you can offer to meet their needs. 2. Leverage Behavioral Targeting to Connect with Your Ideal Prospects With your niche selected, use behavioral targeting to identify key characteristics of your prospects and then craft a message that speaks directly to them. 3. Create a Localized Website with SEO Optimization This is your home base for showcasing your listings, marketing your services, and providing resources for buyers, sellers, and investors. Consider including a blog to discuss local real estate news and showcase local resources such as schools, restaurants, and attractions. 4. Embrace Video in Your Marketing Video has the potential to reach a large audience and gives potential prospects a chance to get to know you — building your trust and credibility. Your tips and market insights will help to position you as a local market expert. Video marketing also helps you stay top-of-mind with past clients. 5. Leverage Social Media to Connect with Prospects Social media is a terrific way to build relationships with prospects and create content that adds value to their lives. Share helpful advice and tips about the area, the real estate market, and the home buying/selling process. Connect with local businesses and organizations to increase your presence in the community and become a trusted resource. 6. Host Events to Network with Prospects Host open houses or educational seminars that allow potential prospects to meet and learn more about you. Consider participating in, or organizing, local community events to meet new locals and build connections. 7. Develop an Effective Follow-Up Process It's important to follow up with prospects after initial contact to stay top of mind. Take the time to craft a personalized message tailored to the prospect. Ask questions that will give you insight into their needs and wants. And don't rush the process! Be patient and take the time to build trust and rapport. 8. Providing Exceptional Customer Service Always strive to provide the highest level of customer service to ensure prospects will remember you and reach out for future business. That starts with listening intently, following through on promises, providing timely answers, and going above and beyond when needed. 9. Leverage Referrals from Past Clients Word-of-mouth referrals from happy past clients are invaluable for real estate prospecting. Sending thank you notes is a great way to thank past clients for their business and remind them to refer their friends and family. 10. Develop an Effective Lead-Nurturing Strategy It's important to identify and prioritize leads based on their level of engagement and interest, so you can focus your efforts on the most promising leads. This is why it's important to have a lead-nurturing strategy that includes targeted content, automated emails and follow-up calls to keep prospects interested and engaged. Prospective clients are out there… we'll help you find them What's just as important as your current client? Your next one! Proven prospecting methods like the ones above will help fill your pipeline and start some conversations. Use this top ten list of prospecting strategies and tactics to stand out from the pack and get noticed. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Google Sheets + Your CRM = Open House Dream Team
Did you know you can use Google Sheets for lead capture? It's true—rather than paying for open house apps or building lead capture pages, you can simply use this free tool as an easy way to capture leads. That's not the only use for Google Sheets, either. Use the new year as an excuse to reach out to your database and ask them to update or verify their contact info. Simply text or email them the link to a Google Sheets form, et voilà! (It's also a good excuse to reach out to old contacts.) In the video above, Gabe from API Nation shows you how to set up a Google Sheets spreadsheet for lead capture. He'll also show you how to connect it to your CRM—and that's where the magic truly starts to happen... Syncing Sheets with your CRM So you've got a lead's contact information on a Google Sheets. What's the easiest way to get it into your CRM? Sync it! If your CRM doesn't offer direct integration with Google products, you can create an integration of your own via API Nation, a service that connects technology platforms to each other. That way, information entered into your Google Sheet will automatically be sent to your CRM—no manual input, exporting or importing required. API Nation can connect Google Sheets to most major real estate CRMs, including: kvCORE MoxiWorks BoomTown Follow Up Boss Chime LionDesk and more To learn more about connecting your CRM with Google Sheets Sync, watch the video above or visit this page. Happy lead capture!

10 Ways Real Estate Agents Can Get More Listings
As a real estate agent, one of the most important aspects of your job is to secure listings. The more listings you have, the more successful you will be. However, we all know that getting more listings can be a challenging task. However, we've got you covered! In this post, we will discuss 10 ways real estate agents can get more listings and increase their chances of building a successful career in the industry. Whether you're a new agent or a seasoned pro, read on to learn how you can boost your listings and take your real estate career to the next level. 1. Networking Since networking enables real estate brokers to establish connections with other businesspeople in the field, it is a crucial method for obtaining more listings. Through recommendations and partnerships, these connections may result in new listings. For instance, if a real estate agent and mortgage broker have a solid working connection, the mortgage broker may recommend the agent to potential clients who are looking to purchase or sell a home. Furthermore, connecting with other local agents might result in listing collaborations where brokers can split the workload of marketing and showing a property to prospective purchasers. This can help the property get more publicity and boost the likelihood that it will sell. Furthermore, networking with other professionals in the industry, such as home inspectors, can provide real estate agents with valuable information and resources that can help them to better serve their clients and win more listings. 2. Cold calling Cold calling allows real estate professionals to speak with potential clients who may not be actively looking for an agent, meaning it can help them get more listings. Cold calling entails getting in touch with local property owners and informing them that you are a real estate agent willing to assist them in selling their home. Agents that want to boost their clientele and the number of listings they have for sale may find this to be a useful tactic. 3. Open houses Due to the fact that they give agents the chance to exhibit their listings and personally interact with potential clients, open houses can help real estate professionals acquire more listings. A wonderful approach to increase attention and draw potential buyers is holding open houses for your own listings. Additionally, hosting open houses for other agents' listings will enable you to meet possible clients who may be in the market to buy or sell a property. 4. Marketing By expanding their visibility and audience as well as by producing leads, marketing can assist real estate agents in obtaining more listings. The use of direct mail or internet advertising in targeted marketing initiatives can help you reach a larger audience and create new leads. For instance, agents can employ demographically specialized web advertising to connect with prospective buyers and sellers in particular neighborhoods. By doing this, you may have a better chance of connecting with folks who are looking to purchase or sell a home right now. 5. Referral program The establishment of a referral program can assist real estate agents in obtaining a greater number of listings. A system in which agents reward previous customers, friends, and family for referring new customers is known as a referral program. When friends, family, and previous clients recommend an agent to a new client, they are essentially praising the agent's expertise and quality of service, which can increase the likelihood that the new client will work with the agent. Referral programs can be a powerful way for real estate agents to generate new business due to the fact that people are more likely to trust and work with someone who has been referred to them by someone they know and trust. 6. Online presence By making it simpler for potential clients to find and get in touch with them, having an online presence can help real estate agents get more listings. Agents can reach a larger audience and generate new leads by having a professional website, active social media accounts, and presence on online real estate platforms. 7. Attend local events Through increasing their visibility and establishing relationships with potential clients and other professionals in the industry, attending local events can assist real estate agents in obtaining more listings. Agents can meet and connect with people in the community at events like local fairs, festivals, charity events, and networking events. Agents can become a local authority and generate leads by being present in the community and being active. 8. Use data By providing them with useful data about the local real estate market and potential clients, data can assist real estate agents in obtaining more listings. Agents can gain a deeper understanding of the local real estate market and use this information to inform their marketing and sales strategies by analyzing data on things like property prices, sales volume, demographic information, and market trends. 9. Build your personal brand By distinguishing them from their competitors and establishing them as experts in their field, building a personal brand can assist real estate agents in obtaining more listings. The way an agent presents themselves to the general public—including their image, reputation, and the message they convey—is their personal brand. Agents can attract more clients, generate leads, and increase their chances of getting more listings by developing a strong personal brand. 10. Follow up Keeping their name in the minds of potential clients and developing relationships with them, following up with clients can help real estate agents get more listings. Agents are able to keep in touch with current clients, leads, and potential clients and maintain relationships by communicating with them on a regular basis. Clients are more likely to work with an agent with whom they have a relationship, so this can help you get more listings. In conclusion Being a real estate agent is a competitive field. The more listings you have, the more successful you will be. By using these 10 methods, you can increase your chances of getting more listings and building a successful career in real estate. To view the original article, visit the Transactly blog.

How to Create High-converting Landing Pages
If you could increase your return on investment (ROI) in your real estate business today, what marketing strategy would you use? Our best guess is to use landing pages. A landing page has a high chance of converting visitors into leads or potential clients. It gets even better when your website attracts massive traffic. While many people often confuse landing pages for home pages, landing pages are much more specific and have a single goal that is often highly targeted. Therefore, a high-converting landing page is one that automatically compels visitors to click the CTA (call to action) button, resulting in leads. Below are a few tips on creating a high-converting landing page for your real estate website. Target Audience For your landing page to be high-converting, you need to target your audience. Always start with the end goal in mind. Landing pages aren't meant for a general audience, but serve as a final destination for your internet users who click on your ads. Ensure that your landing page caters to the needs and questions of your audience, making them more likely to contact you for your services. Write a Compelling Headline Your landing page headline should captivate the visitor's attention. Headlines are the first thing visitors see when they get on your landing page. So the headline should clearly state your ad's value. If your landing page ticks this box, your chances of converting a visitor to a lead will increase. Keep It Concise and Simple A lot of users quickly get bored reading through chunky content. Ensure that your landing page content is concise and simple to avoid confusing the visitor with long paragraphs of endless information. It will be more difficult to seal a deal with a lead that needs clarification about your offer. So get to the point with information about the value of your product or service. Lean on Social Proof Although it may seem straightforward to exchange contact information for helpful content, as there is no financial cost to your audience, individuals are understandably guarded about their email and personal information. Trust is a crucial component of a successful landing page, just like in every real estate marketing effort. Therefore, Realtors should include reviews and other forms of social proof, such as certifications, awards or even earned badges, to show potential clients that their business is legit and trustworthy. Use Images and Video Efficiency is essential for landing pages. For example, a striking image or video can often be more effective than short headlines. So real estate professionals should use high-quality images to draw visitors' attention and show them how much value your brand offers. Additionally, the quality of your images or videos clearly reflects your brand, what it has to offer, and its value to others. That's why it's important that the media quality adds value to your brand's image rather than taking from it. Like every other component in your real estate marketing engine, landing pages need a complex web of interlocking methods to work in harmony to bring in new clients and listings. So as you narrow down on your target group and branch out to new targets, don't hesitate to explore fresh communication techniques and new approaches. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog. Further Reading 3 Keys to Creating Effective Real Estate Landing Pages Landing Pages: Your Secret Lead Conversion Weapon Landing Pages for Real Estate Seller Lead Generation

[Best of 2022] Is Cold Calling Still Effective in Real Estate?
We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published in February and is #4 in our countdown. See #5 here. Over the past several months, the debate between those who believe cold calling is dead and those who swear by it intensified. To be honest, we all know how intimidating cold calling can be. When it comes to calling strangers on the phone, some rookie real estate agents are hesitant. And others may be concerned about receiving negative reactions or not having a positive return of investment (ROI). Of course, each side has reasoning behind their choice. But before we delve into the nitty-gritty of cold calling, let's look at what it is all about. Meaning of Cold Calling in Real Estate Cold calling is one of the real estate industry's most traditional marketing strategies. It entails contacting a prospective consumer who has not previously interacted with you or expressed any interest in the product or service you provide in an attempt to gain their business. Cold calling aims not to analyze, make a pitch, complete a deal, or engage in a discussion. Instead, the goal of cold calling is to transition from an interruption to a scheduled appointment when you gain the prospect's full attention. However, we found that there are many opinions regarding this topic, backed by very little information. But here is what you need to know about cold calling. Cold Calling Statistics How Many Cold Calls Do Real Estate Agents Make? According to this Keller Research Center Report, which specifically targets the B2C market, real estate agents made about 6,264 cold calls and discovered that just 28 percent of the calls were answered. The agents scheduled 19 appointments with prospective customers and received 11 referrals from this 28 percent. This implies that an agent will secure only one appointment or referral for every 209 calls made. Therefore, the overall time commitment required per agent to finish all 209 calls was roughly 7.5 hours. (Some ended up in conversations while others did not.) Of course, the closing ratio in the real estate industry will, at this point, assess the effectiveness of a marketing strategy. It is not that cold calling won't produce any results, but rather that the cost of the lead and the sale may be achieved more efficiently through alternative techniques. The goal is to measure your performance and rely on analytics to get informed. How Well Does Cold Calling Work? Implisit, a firm that Salesforce recently acquired, studied the CRM data of organizations around the world. They discovered that the leads that created the best conversions originated from employee and customer recommendations. Leads generated through social media came in second place. According to a study by Leap Job, only 2 percent of cold calls resulted in an appointment. Similarly, Ovation Sales Group discovered that it takes an average agent 6.25 hours to schedule one meeting with a prospect. If we apply Implisit's analysis, suppose that these appointments are now regarded as opportunities. Only 6 percent of these appointments are likely to result in sales. When you examine the data, you can't say cold calling doesn't work. However, its effectiveness is fast becoming questionable. This finding is supported by a HubSpot study (The State of Inbound), which discovered that cold calling is 60 percent more expensive per lead than other strategies. This discussion, as you can see, is not a debate about whether or not cold calling works. At some level, it works. However, the essential question is: how well does it work? Is the ROI on this endeavor improving or deteriorating? Is the number of calls necessary to produce a qualifying lead increasing or decreasing? Real estate agents must develop new approaches to reach decision makers. If you don't rely on verifiable facts like this, you're probably losing out on trends that might predict a storm coming your way. How to Warm Up Cold Calls No one can dispute the digital revolution engulfing real estate. As technology improves, brokers are using new tools to locate the appropriate consumers and close more deals. This is the main reason why there is a debate regarding the effectiveness of cold calling. From the data discussed above, we agree that there is massive room for improvement in our outreach efforts, especially regarding cold calling. Here are two top tips on how to warm up cold calls for better lead generation. Sophisticated prospecting The days of painstakingly combing through property records and portfolio information for possible leads are long gone. What was once a time-consuming process of identifying potential listing, clients, and purchase and refinancing options is now as simple as clicking a button. In addition, real estate technology and off-market data platforms are now readily available to simplify the prospecting process, allowing real estate professionals to conduct custom searches and rapidly discover property owners and other potential leads. Get in touch with decision makers After identifying a promising lead to pursue, Realtors sometimes encounter roadblocks since they cannot access the necessary contact details of the property owner or the lead. Dealing with this situation is frustrating, and it results in a waste of the agents' time. Instead of finding the decision maker, the real estate professional is usually given inadequate information or a gatekeeper's phone number, which hinders them from speaking with the right people to make a deal. However, agents may avoid dealing with gatekeepers and directly contact the decision makers with the proper real estate technology and data. Top Alternatives to Cold Calling CRM Businesses have relied on numerous lead generation techniques for decades. Customer relationship management (CRM) includes tactics to maintain a healthy and lucrative relationship with potential and existing customers. CRM blends cutting-edge technology with sales and marketing methods to increase lead generation and customer satisfaction. LinkedIn Before you make a phone call, LinkedIn might be an excellent approach to form a personal relationship with a buyer. It is also a great way to expand your audience. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is an effective tool for locating qualified prospects who match your ideal customer profile. It is also effective at maximizing your existing relationships to increase access to high-level decision-makers. Email An effective technique to reach out to and engage prospective customers is via email campaigns that deliver useful information that doesn't revolve around your services. Providing email content that isn't just a meeting request or a sales pitch is also an effective strategy to engage dormant or difficult to reach leads. It can also assist you in determining when to contact an inbound lead with a targeted message. Referrals Most B2B businesses begin their work with a referral, and nearly three-quarters of executives prefer to work with agents referred by network connection. Asking for recommendations from existing clients who may benefit from your service is incredibly effective. Warm Calling Warm calling is a networking approach that builds trust and rapport with a prospect before making a phone call. An increasingly effective way to make this discovery is through a personal referral, as this historically has happened. Unfortunately, cold calling only has a 1% success rate compared to warm calling, with a 30% success rate. Direct Mail Can you recall the last time you received or even read a letter? Perhaps not, but many businesses have effectively used direct mail or "snail mail" campaigns to reach their target audiences. This strategy allows for personalization, which is a plus. Given the current lead and client acquisition cost, a modest, inexpensive gift included with the letter might be worth the extra expense. Physical Events Not only do we use social media to network, but there are a plethora of networking events organized for practically any industry and place with substantial job prospects. While they might be fairs, exhibitions, or conferences, they may also be events explicitly aimed at networking. Although ticket prices may be high, many people attending events like these will bring in new customers for a salesperson on the spot, making them well worth the investment. Social Media Engagement Engage in social media conversations with the appropriate people. Growing your social media audience and your prospective list of prospects will be facilitated by contacting and interacting with thought leaders in your industry and potential users who meet the criteria for your ideal buyer profile. Takeaway Today, sourcing techniques have evolved. Instead of file cabinets, online databases are now storehouses of information. In summary, the effectiveness and scalability of cold calling is greatly affected by changes in data. It takes away uncertainty while providing confidence every step of the way, allowing for the fast development of more powerful relationships, especially because Realtors these days have so much information at their disposal that they don't have to talk to a prospect until they are ready to buy or sell. Technology has streamlined any setbacks that real estate professionals could encounter while trying to generate and convert leads. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

[Best of 2022] Tips for Growing the Listing Side of Your Real Estate Business
We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published in March and is #8 in our countdown. See #9 here. Building the listing side of your business will help you become a more balanced agent that can thrive in any market, whether it's favoring buyers or sellers. Here are essential tips that can help agents expand their listing services to grow in their markets. How to Get Started When you want to begin expanding your listing services, your online presence is a great way to start. Building new landing pages marketing your listing services on your website will help you create a resume for your seller leads. Giving sellers strong content to engage with will present you as a reputable listing agent with insight, experience, and market knowledge. Website Landing Page Ideas to Attract Sellers: Home Renovations to Increase ROI Seller Tips for (Year) Local Market Reports Seller Testimonials Essential Home Selling Guide Glossary of Home Sale Terms Things to Expect When Selling Your First Home How to Prepare a Home for Listing Another option for kickstarting your listing services is to organize your CRM based on client needs. Tagging your clients and leads as sellers and buyers allows you to leverage bulk actions when following up with your network. This gives agents the chance to begin sending out targeted engagement to seller leads in their CRM. #ProTip: Don't forget to reach out to buyers that you worked with in the past in case they're ready to re-enter the market as sellers! Tips for Building a Solid Listing Presentation When growing the listing side of your business, you'll need to master listing presentations. Listing presentations are where agents pitch their services to a potential seller. Successful listing presentations result in being hired by the seller, meaning you just converted a new client. The listing presentation is the agent's chance to prove to the seller why they are the best decision for the job. Use these five tips when building your listing presentations to improve your conversion rate and stand out from competing agents. #1. Include a Bio and Noteworthy Stats In most cases, the listing presentation serves as the first introduction between sellers and agents. You want to make a strong first impression, and that means including a bio and noteworthy career highlights in your listing presentation. Make your career bio a short "about me" introduction to set the stage for the listing presentation. It's a good idea to include your best real estate stats, like annual production volume and sales data, to prove your statement — that you're the best choice for the job. #2. Add a Detailed Marketing Plan Sellers want an agent that can leverage a robust marketing strategy when selling their home. Instead of just saying that you can sell the home, prove it to them by providing a detailed marketing plan. Explaining the steps you will take to attract buyers will build trust with the seller and give them a preview of the services they'll have access to once they sign you on as an agent. #ProTip: Remember to include your social media channels here so the seller can explore your pages and follow you. #3. Provide Content for Your Audience Whether you're giving your listing presentation in person or online via video call, your audience should have something in hand to keep their attention and provide more information. Give your audience something to follow along with. For a live presentation, consider bringing a printed worksheet with additional tips. For an online presentation, send a PDF with supplemental information in advance. Not only does this keep your audience engaged, but it also gives sellers something to walk away with that has your brand on it. #4. Include a Local Market Recap Show sellers your value as an agent by including a brief market recap in your listing presentation. This introduces you as a data-backed agent that can recommend informed seller strategies based on real-time market data. Include data like: Whether the market is favoring sellers or buyers Average days on the market Average listing price Inventory levels Buyer demand #ProTip: Don't forget to include a few comments on what trends are popular in your local market. For example, if buyers are paying more for recently renovated kitchens or if sellers are waiving a certain contingency to win buyers. #5. Bring in Client Testimonials The listing presentation is a great place to introduce client testimonials. This strategy shows sellers that you have a good reputation with your past clients while giving them a preview of what it's like working with you. #ProTip: Instead of having one portion of the presentation only about testimonials, include them throughout the presentation. Select client feedback that is relevant to what you're talking about and use the testimonials to back up what you're saying. When you're talking about ways to generate buyer leads to sell a home quickly, it's a good idea to include a testimonial saying how a seller was thrilled at how fast you were able to secure an offer. 5 Easy Ways to Generate Seller Leads Targeted Facebook Ads Email Marketing Campaigns Specifically for Sellers Invest in Advertising in Local Newspapers and Magazines Find Sellers at Open Houses Work with BoomTown! To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Why and How to Boost Your Online Presence to Get More Leads
Real estate marketing, social media, repeat and referral, top-of-mind marketing. You've probably heard of all of them, but may not know how they apply to your real estate business. And even if you do, the nuances may be so eclectic they continuously escape you, leaving you with a social media marketing strategy that no longer works or an outdated well of tactics that Google and company no longer smile favorably on. Take a deep breath, massage your temples and embrace social media — even as a real estate professional. Why social media marketing is so crucial in real estate Social media platforms have a wide range of new lead generation potential, while allowing you to stay up-to-date with your past clients. The relationship aspect of social media accounts is a well-known facet of the platforms and their target markets. But other than just having access to more leads and past happy clients, what are successful real estate agents using their platforms for? Marketing and influence. Most social media platforms allow you to utilize their built-in metrics to gauge what marketing strategies are working with your brand and which to leave by the wayside. Social media posts pushed from marketing and business managers often come with insights that tell you who engaged with the post, what the engagement was like, and whether to update your locale to reach more of your target market. But to get the most out of this, you'll have to ensure you have a deep well of influence across your channels. How do I strengthen my social media presence? Post often and post about more than just houses, neighborhoods and market updates. While these things are great to post about, venture out and give your target audience more to take in than just housing. To start, try posting general real estate advice. Use your social media channels to make yourself the expert real estate agent in your particular location and desired market. From there, use your Facebook page, Twitter posts, Instagram page or other platform to engage with your social media followers. These engagements are key to understanding what it is your clients and leads are hunting for in the current real estate market, and what pain points you can solve for over other real estate professionals. Be sure to genuinely follow some of your followers back, engage with their posts and paint yourself as the available expert ready and willing to help, at normal and non-invasive intervals. After all, you want to post often and frequently, but you don't want to post about the same exact things so often that you lose the social following you've worked so hard to gain. Use the resources available to you Probably one of the most overlooked success strategies out there is utilizing the resources available to you through your social media platform. Each is designed with extensive help desks and knowledge bases to help you navigate through their resource pool. Likewise, support channels also exist where you can get live feedback. If you still need a little extra help with your online presence and digital marketing strategies, education and coaching opportunities are available to give you an extra edge when working toward your influential marketing goals. So whether you're in the market for a new marketing strategy or just want to understand the landscape a little bit more, starting with social media is a great, low-cost way to give your marketing prowess the extra boost it needs. Download this FREE GUIDE for actionable ideas for your social media marketing Your free Social Media 101 Marketing Guide will give you fresh ideas for how to create awesome social media marketing content. Download this guide and get the tips and trips from pros to elevate your social media marketing content today! DOWNLOAD GUIDE

Real Estate Farming: Sowing, Growing and Expanding Your Business
Of the myriad lead generation strategies available to real estate agents, one of the most consistently successful is real estate farming. This type of strategy offers focus on a geographic area and the prospects therein. According to The Close, agents who use the farming strategy can capture at least 30% of all sales in a target area and turn leads into long-term clients. It seems like a solid marketing model, but is farming for real estate the right strategy for you? Even if you're happy with your current marketing plans, having a more profound understanding of farming methods and concepts can prove beneficial in any real estate market. How to create a real estate farming strategy The first step in any farming strategy is to choose your target area. You'll want to choose somewhere with high demand and a high turnover rate to focus your real estate farming idea. The next step is to plan the kind of marketing efforts you'll use on your target audience. Some popular examples include sending real estate farming postcards via direct mail, offering market updates via email and creating neighborhood websites. Think of this stage as sowing the seeds in your garden. Tracking your progress necessitates a customer relationship manager, or CRM. With a real estate-specific CRM, you'll have all the tools to create records of correspondence and the growth of your influence in your farm area. Once you have everything in place, focus on publishing or delivering your high-value content into your geographic farm area. Experts suggest using a mixture of long-term automated communication, like email newsletters, and personal follow-ups. What does it cost to start real estate farming? The most successful farming techniques do come with an upfront cost, but the more you invest in your farm, the better your returns will be. Real estate farming will likely require an annual budget of several thousand dollars. However, don't forget that commission from a single home sale will recoup your investment — and then some. While it might take some time to get established, even one home sold in your local real estate market means your farm is alive and growing. Real estate farming through social media Social media is an important tool for any real estate agent, but an essential one for successful geographic farming. With your potential clients spending so much time online, it's crucial to focus some of your real estate farming techniques in those particular spheres. One example of how to farm on social media is creating a community Pinterest board featuring community members, local business owners and other topics to add value. Host community events for your real estate farm area Don't forget to include face-to-face marketing among your real estate farming ideas. Organizing neighborhood or community activities can be an enormous source of both new leads and strengthened client relationships. If you're not sure where to begin, start with major holidays, school fundraising events and engaging local businesses. Real estate farming and relationship marketing Relationship marketing is the lifeblood of a successful real estate business. Whether primarily through word of mouth or online communication, it's relationships that form the basis for future transactions. Real estate farms make the process of creating and cultivating relationships even easier. As your prospects and relationships grow and blossom, they will spread to plant new seeds. All you need are the right real estate farming tools and a real estate farming area — your fertile soil. Want to boost your farming and overall marketing results? Download this 30-Day Marketing Challenge and put your skills to the test! The 30-Day Marketing Challenges provides you with eight steps to elevate your marketing in less than one month. [DOWNLOAD NOW]

11 Tips to Increase Engagement on Your Blog and Generate Real Estate Leads
You should think of your blog like a home. Provide regular maintenance and it will produce returns. Ignore it for too long and it can become a blight. We want to avoid that last part. So here are 11 tips to increase engagement on your blog and generate real estate leads. 1. Know Your Reader To increase engagement on your blog, you need to know what your readers want. You should get into their heads. Ask yourself: What information do they need? What questions are they asking? What would make their lives easier? Provide the answers on your blog, and you'll see engagement and leads spike. 2. Use Keywords In journalism, there is a saying: "Don't bury the lede." This means don't muddy what's important with what's not. The same lesson applies to blogging: don't bury your content with poor keywords. Find a few words or a phrase that get to the essence of your article. Make sure these keywords are in the title, the URL, and scattered regularly throughout the body. This will help your content appear higher in the search engine results. It will increase engagement on your blog and help you generate real estate leads. 3. Be Consistent Going three weeks without posting is not going to increase engagement on your blog. That much is certain. So you should try to be consistent. Keep a calendar and a rolling list of ideas — and stick to them. 4. Respond to Comments You do all this work to get leads to engage on your blog. You should reward them when they do. If someone comments, comment back. If someone asks a question, answer it. Real estate, after all, is a relationship business. Don't waste these opportunities to build relationships and generate leads. 5. Go a Step Further There is no shortage of real estate blogs. So how do you stand out and generate leads? Do more. Find your favorite blog. Study it. Keep track of all the content that's posted. Do all of that on your own blog, and then go a step further. Add one more thing. It can be a new feature, or new photos, or new market information. The more needs you can fulfill for your leads, the more you will increase engagement on your blog. 6. Present Data As an agent, you have a wealth of data at your disposal. This data helps you assist your clients with buying and selling decisions, but it can also help you increase engagement on your blog and generate real estate leads. Present market statistics on your site, and you'll start seeing the benefits. You can also compile these statistics in a report to generate leads at your next open house.  7. Create a Quiz If you've ever used Sporcle, you know how long people can spend doing online quizzes. Why not create your own? Your quiz could be about anything. You could ask readers to name the neighborhoods in your town. You could ask them to pinpoint local landmarks or quiz them on local history. Better yet, use all of these. Create regular quizzes to increase engagement on your blog and keep it at a high level. 8. Create a Reader Contest People like winning stuff. So consider a reader contest with a small prize. This could be a photo contest. Or submissions for best community garden. Encourage readers to participate and vote. 9. Include a Call-to-Action Readers will engage on your blog if you ask them. So don't forget a call-to-action in all of your posts. This can be as simple as a request to leave comment. It can be a pop-up asking for subscribers. It can be a call for submissions. The important thing is that you make the ask. 10. Cross/Guest Posts Every real estate agent has a network. This is a group of colleagues and other professionals that provide advice, partnerships, and referrals. You should tap into your network for your blog. Accept guest posts from other agents. And cross-post your content on other blogs run by people in your network. This will help position you in the market and increase engagement on your blog. 11. Guide Readers to Relevant Content You're not always going to hit a home run. Not all content is going to generate real estate leads, but that does not mean the lead is lost. You simply need to direct the reader to more relevant content. You can do it with a robust internal linking strategy, or you can include relevant content at the bottom of your posts. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

Using Webinars to Promote Your Real Estate Business
Is educating your clients on the home buying and selling process at the core of your real estate business? Do you consider yourself an expert on the local market or have a knack for working with first-time home buyers? Could you easily make a Top 10 list with tips and tricks for staging your home for professional photos, open houses, and showings? Do you regularly connect with your team to keep them engaged, involved and progressing as real estate professionals? Webinars to Educate and Inform If you answered "yes" to any or all of these questions, have you considered creating a webinar series that educates, informs, and showcases your value as a real estate professional? A mainstream marketing tool in today's digital and virtual world, webinars are a low-cost, low-commitment medium for staying connected and establishing credibility with your current and potential client base. Typically 30 minutes to one hour in length, webinars can be recorded, shared, and published with attendees after the live event. Do you have a branded YouTube channel for your business? (Note: YouTube handles were just announced this month; look for more information on effective YouTube branding and marketing in an upcoming post.) Structuring Your Webinar Content A great way to practice presenting information within a designated time frame, webinars can help you refine your message and organize information in a way that helps you in the real world — one-on-one client education and brown bag "lunch and learns," for example. Be sure to leave time for Q&A at the end of the session; this helps you understand what additional information you can address and clarify for your next presentation or in your "thank you for attending" follow-up communication. To view the original article, visit the IXACT Contact blog. Further Reading Tips and Tricks for Hosting the Perfect Real Estate Webinar 7 Real Estate Workshop (or Webinar) Topics that Generate Leads Advanced Lead Generation: Hosting a Seminar Top 10 Tips for Successful, Lead Generating Webinars

5 Underrated Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas
The main problem faced by most real estate agents today is finding new prospects. Thankfully, implementing creative lead generation ideas can make a world of a difference to your business. Whether you're looking to take your content marketing strategy to the next level or engage in more in-person connections, here are five tried and tested ideas for attracting and converting leads. Network at Non-Real Estate-Related Events If you're attending an event where everyone is aiming for the same outcome, your odds of meeting quality real estate leads are slim. Instead of going to the same real estate networking mixers, expand your horizons by joining some non-real estate-related local events. You never know—your next client can be found at a cooking class, book signing, fitness workshop, or even at a concert. Reward Referral Sources with Handwritten Notes and Gifts One of the most overlooked lead generating tools has been rewarding referrals with handwritten notes and gift cards. From birthdays to holidays, and everything in between, personalized notes are one of the best ways to connect with clients, friends, and family who have referred you. Take Advantage of Website Community Pages Community pages are chock-full of information that buyers want to learn about, including things like quality of schools, neighborhood attractions, shopping malls, etc. An effective community page should cover all the best features of why someone would want to live in or buy property in a certain area. Rank Website on Google by Building Quality Backlinks Building links back to your site from sites that are relevant to your real estate business will help boost your Google search rankings. While SEO won't produce leads for your business instantly, your organic lead flow will increase over time and improve your business' ROI. Pitch Listing to News Outlets Pitching listings to news outlets has surprisingly proven to be one of the best strategies for getting leads quickly. By generating press coverage, real estate agents can attract new social followers, drive website traffic, establish brand value, and as a result, close more deals. It's time to think outside of the box when it comes to real estate lead generation. With these helpful tips, you can start attracting and converting more leads in no time! To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

How to Ask for Real Estate Referrals
Word-of-mouth marketing generates more leads than any other. As every Realtor knows, asking for referrals is crucial to boosting your businesses growth rate. In fact, 84% of Realtors we recently polled said referrals were the greatest source of increasing sales. But how do you ask for referrals in a way that is authentic and effective? Many people aren't sure how to begin writing a referral or know exactly what you are asking for. Providing them with examples or past referrals can help drive action and give them a template for tone, length, and content. And like many things in life, timing is everything. Send Periodic Follow-up Messages to Past Clients Perhaps the most crucial way to obtain real estate referrals is by staying in touch with past clients. There are probably plenty of people in your sphere of influence that would love to refer you to friends, but simply need to know your best contact information. This is where CRM software that can improve your communication with clients while keeping track of every customer in your greater contacts list comes in. Use Referral Cards and Run Referral Contests When sending a handwritten thank you note to clients, either at or immediately after closing, add an incentive in the form of a referral card that can be exchanged for a physical or digital gift card or gift certificate, ranging from Amazon.com to a local restaurant. Incentives drive action, and if the real estate transaction was favorable, clients are more likely to recommend you to a close friend, colleague, or family member. Some agents have had great luck (and great fun) with referral contests that reward clients with a tiered-level of incentives based on the quantity and quality of referrals they provide in person and on social media. Before implementing a referral contest, be sure to review your social media channels, website, and Google Business page and verify links are not broken and that your contact information is correct. Stay Involved in Your Community If possible, donate or sponsor community events like community theater, sporting events, or fundraisers. Not only are you helping to make the events possible and successful, you are building brand awareness for yourself and your business. While not asking for referrals directly at the event, you can promote and display your best referrals on promotional materials and your social media pages that promote and share the event in print and digitally. Use a Real Estate CRM A real estate CRM not only helps you get more referrals, but it also helps you track referrals more effectively, increasing your odds of converting them to clients – whether it's right away or down the road. What you do with your referrals, specifically how you manage and keep in touch with them, can make a significant impact on your business. To view the original article, visit the IXACT Contact blog.

The Social Media Secret to Getting 2.5x More Leads
In the past, you've heard about the importance of social media when developing a business brand, finding new clients, and providing virtual tours or open houses. If you're evaluating your social media performance and creating a social media plan, you'll likely consider the classic social media dilemma: Do I focus my social media efforts on organic posts and engagement with potential clients? Or do I put my resources into paid social media advertising to turbocharge my lead generation? Here's the secret: That's a false choice. Agents should pursue organic and paid social media together, leveraging engaging, authentic, organic social media content to market themselves and their properties — while also pursuing paid advertising on social media platforms. We know this strategy works: Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have hundreds of millions of users and provide opportunity for direct contact with potential clients. Meanwhile, agents who buy paid ads see positive results, exemplified by Homesnap's data scientists' finding that agents who buy Facebook ads through Homesnap receive 2.5 times more leads from Facebook than agents without paid Facebook ads. That's why you should approach social media as a virtuous cycle: By creating strong organic social media, you can engage with consumers, demonstrate your expertise, and build your brand. Then, with paid social media, you can generate leads for specific listings and direct more people to your real estate services. Read on to learn how to create compelling organic social media and why consistent investment in paid social media will benefit your business. Use EAT Framework for Organic Social Media The first step to optimize your social media should be to burnish your social media profiles with organic content that follows the EAT framework. The first portion of EAT is engagement. With engagement, agents should focus on regularly posting on social media channels and responding to consumers' comments on the posts. Agents should also ask questions to spur audience engagement. Consider asking questions such as "Carpet or hardwood?" to get people talking about their preferences, or "What homes are catching your eye this fall?" to learn about why people are entering the market and the homes they're most excited to tour. The second component of EAT is authenticity. By producing authentic social content, agents can tell honest stories about the home selling and buying processes and the real estate market in general. For example, agents shouldn't solely post videos and photos of fully staged homes and tours. Instead, consider posting before and after photos, or a video of your open house preparations. This way, consumers see that buying or selling a house is a process, and that you're dedicated to the work necessary to make it happen. The final part of the EAT framework is thought leadership. For agents, social media provides the opportunity to display subject matter expertise, which is especially valuable knowledge to share in a complicated time for the real estate market. Consider the value that the EAT framework provides. For one, social media content that follows EAT principles helps you maintain a relationship with consumers and hear directly what questions or concerns they have about the market. Also, EAT content allows you to demonstrate your own knowledge about real estate, and establish yourself as a trusted voice about the market. More broadly, following the EAT framework ensures that when people view your social media content, they see a credible, engaged real estate professional. If a consumer sees one of your paid advertisements and later searches for your information, strong organic social media may help reassure them that there is substance behind your advertisements. With engagement, authenticity, and thought leadership at the forefront of your organic social media efforts, you can develop a solid foundation for social media success. Invest Consistently in Paid Social Media Advertisements After laying the groundwork with strong organic social media, you can use paid social media to draw large numbers of leads into your sales funnel. Our data scientists crunched the numbers and found that consistent investment in paid advertisements pays off for agents. In fact, agents who buy Facebook ads through Homesnap earn 2.5 times more leads from Facebook than agents who use social media but do not buy paid ads. Consistent paid social media ads will generate leads. And if your paid social media is complemented with strong organic social media, you will be able to introduce leads not just to a specific property or listing, but to an agent brand. Learn more about how Homesnap Pro Ads can complement your organic social media without breaking the bank or your schedule. To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.

Friday Freebie: Guide to Asking for (and Getting) Referrals
If one thing is true in real estate, it's this: Success is all in who you know. That's particularly true in times of low inventory. There just aren't enough seller leads to go around--and so to drum up business, agents really need to work their networks. That's where this week's Friday Freebie comes in. We're highlighting a guide that offers strategies, tips, and scripts to help you ask for—and win—more referrals. Read on to learn how to download your free copy. Free copy of Guide to Asking for (and Getting) Referrals, courtesy of Market Leader For many agents, the most difficult part of earning referrals is simply asking for them. Maybe you don't want to be an imposition, or maybe you fear potential rejection. Whatever the case may be, Market Leader's Guide to Asking for (and Getting) Referrals makes it easy to get started, thanks to useful advice from top real estate coaches and experts. Worried about what to say? This guide even offers scripts to make the asking easy. Here's a rundown of everything it offers: Four-step strategy for getting referrals Scripts for asking for referrals How to build a referral program that gets results Tips for qualifying incoming referrals The dos and dont's of asking for referrals And more! Start building your referral business today. Download Guide to Asking for (and Getting) Referrals now!

[Podcast] Lead Gen and Leveraging Data with Ed Carey of Audience Town
In this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli sits down with Ed Carey, Founder and CEO of Audience Town, a digital advertising platform designed for real estate. In addition to talking about Audience Town's advertising products, they also dive into how lead-gen technology shifted during the pandemic and how real estate agents should be leveraging data.  

How Do Real Estate Agents Get Listings?
As a real estate agent, the lifeblood of your business is winning new listings. Whether you're a new agent or have years of experience, the number and quality of your listings determines your revenue and your local reputation. Top real estate agents get listings and new clients through a variety of lead generation strategies. If you want to get listings, grow your business, and become your local market's go-to real estate expert, consider these 16 real estate home listing generation tips. Build Your Reputation Offline As a real estate agent who wants more home listings, you need to be sure people in your network and community are aware of your real estate services. 1. Tell Friends and Family You're in Real Estate Don't overthink it: Step 1 to getting more real estate listings is to make sure people you already know are aware of your real estate practice. Agents tell us all the time that they started in the business by helping friends and family members sell their homes. Some even make a point of telling new acquaintances that they're in real estate. You don't have to force it: Just by telling people you're in the real estate business, you open yourself up to people's questions about selling homes – and possibly even their business. 2. Learn Your Local Market If you're going to identify yourself as a real estate agent, you'll likely receive questions about the local market. Real estate agents who get listings are those who have learned their local market and can answer these questions intelligently. Consumers want to list their homes with agents who understand the quirks and realities of their local market. Selling a home in December can look much different than selling a home in June. And selling a home when the market is red-hot is different than selling when inventory is high. Above all, selling a home in one city or town or neighborhood may be much different than selling in another – every location has unique considerations, including schools and taxes. Make sure you are up-to-date on the local market and the differences in home selling between different neighborhoods. If you're an expert real estate agent, it will show, and you'll get more home listings. 3. Meet Other Agents Being educated and informed about real estate and your local market is important. It's made easier and is more likely to lead to getting home listings when you have relationships with other agents. Meeting other agents often involves joining local real estate chambers and organizations and attending networking events. Other methods include joining neighborhood groups or real estate charities. By meeting and developing relationships with other agents, you'll learn more about your market and how successful real estate professionals operate. You'll also develop relationships with the people who represent buyers. This allows you to hear about what buyers are going through and what they're looking for – making your listing presentations more compelling and informed. 4. Develop a Community Presence As you learn your market and meet other agents, you should also develop a strong, noticeable, consumer-facing community presence. Having a community presence helps you get listings. The agent name on the back of Little League jerseys, the yard signs, the billboards, the ads in church bulletins, the overall involvement in your community – when it's time to sell and people need to think of a local real estate agent, you want to be who comes to mind. Grow Your Reputation Online At one time, the aforementioned offline methods may have been enough to establish and maintain a sustainable real estate practice. But not anymore. To get listings, you need a strong online presence. 5. Complete and Verify Your Google Business Profile The first and most essential component of a strong online reputation is a verified Google Business Profile. Your Google Business Profile appears at the right hand side of the screen when people search for you online. It includes complete business information, including your contact information, recent listing photos, hours of operation, and reviews. Having a complete, verified Google Business Profile is essential. It tells consumers that you're a credible real estate professional who is ready to do business. 6. Get Google Reviews The next step to building a strong online presence and getting more home listings is to populate your Google Business Profile with reviews. Just as when they're offline, people who are searching for an agent online don't usually have someone specific in mind. Instead, they search for terms like "real estate agents near me." You want to be at the top of these results, and you can, with positive, plentiful Google reviews. Notice that the top agents in this generic search all have dozens of reviews and a high review rating? That's because Google wants to serve searchers agents who are trustworthy. Reviews serve as a proxy, and are essential to any agent who wants to get home listings. With positive Google reviews, you'll appear at the top of Google search results, attract more attention from sellers, and get more home listings than other real estate agents. 7. Appear on Homes.com Getting listings means reaching consumers. And reaching consumers means appearing on the Homes.com agent search directory. Homes.com and Homesnap are both now part of CoStar Group, and tens of millions of dollars are being invested to surge traffic on Homes.com. Already, Homes.com is a leading portal for people looking for an agent to help them sell a home. And the sellers who arrive are valuable: 85% of Homes.com visitors who are planning to sell have not yet selected a listing agent. Clearly, the Homes.com agent search directory is a place you need to be if you want listings. And you can ensure a place at the top with Homesnap Pro+. Pro+ members are automatically boosted to the top of the agent search directory, ahead of thousands of competitors. Your profile, synced with Homesnap agent information, will be ahead of thousands of your competitors – winning you real estate listings. 8. Prospect for Off-Market Sellers Being findable online is important. But particularly during market downturns, being able to effectively and efficiently prospect online for off-market sellers is crucial to getting new home listings. Traditionally off-market prospecting involves knocking on doors or dropping leaflets that ask whether people want to sell their home. The world's become more complex: If you want listings, you should be using Homesnap Pro+ to identify properties that are likely to sell before they hit the market. Homesnap Pro+ members have access to a range of premium filters, including home loan balances, that help you market your services to people who want to sell their home but haven't yet selected an agent. Top agents are proactive, and real estate agents who get listings use Homesnap Pro+ to prospect for new clients. 9. Use Social Media Organically Social media is important for real estate agents, and a component of winning new listings. The benefits of social media are manifold, and include brand and name recognition. But perhaps the biggest benefit of organic – or non-paid – social media is that it allows you to publicly establish yourself as a real estate expert. Post about the market, offer advice, or ask your followers what they're looking for in a home. Either way, you're demonstrating to potential sellers that you think critically and seek feedback about the market – boosting your chances of getting more listings. 10. Run Ads on Social Media After laying the groundwork with strong organic social media, you can use paid social media to draw large numbers of leads into your sales funnel and get more home listings. Our data scientists crunched the numbers and found that consistent investment in paid advertisements pays off for agents. In fact, agents who buy Facebook Ads through Homesnap earn 2.5 times more leads from Facebook than agents who use social media but do not buy paid ads. Targeted, data-backed Homesnap Pro Ads help you zero in on sellers, pitch your services, and get more home listings. Showcase Your Professionalism and Competency As your presence online and offline expands and you get yourself in front of more sellers, don't forget that showcasing professionalism and competency helps you win more home listings – now and in the future. 11. Deliver Compelling Listing Presentations Being recognizable and well-known is great, but for some sellers, deciding on a real estate agent takes more persuasion. Enter the real estate listing presentation. Listing presentations are your opportunity to convince a potential client that you're thorough, professional, and attuned to their needs. Listing presentations are designed to preemptively answer consumer questions such as: What's the background of the agent or brokerage? What's the state of the local market? What homes like mine has the agent sold before? What kind of marketing plan does the agent use? How does the agent plan to price my house? What plans does the agent have for my open house? Does the agent have access to photography and photo editing expertise? Overall, being prepared with a strong listing presentation will win you real estate listings. 12. Always Treat Your Buyer Clients Like Prospective Sellers Winning attention and affection from sellers is always important, but a long-term, sustainable listing generation strategy requires treating buyer clients like prospective sellers. Think about it: Needing to sell a home usually means needing to buy a home. Buyer clients sometimes get a bad rap because of the amount of work necessary to help them find their dream home. But if you do a good job for buyers, you'll be their preferred agent when it's time to sell, and you'll win more listings. 13. Ask for Referrals Hopefully, prospective clients will get a taste of your professionalism, ability, and work ethic through your Google reviews. But winning more real estate listings means being prepared for anything, and that requires referrals. Ask for past clients to refer you to friends, family, and other people they know. Also be sure to ask your clients for feedback. If you're doing a good job, these remarks will be largely positive, and you can share these comments with new prospective clients to get more listings. 14. Stay in Touch With Past Clients Remember that referrals and Google reviews and representing clients multiple times all become less likely if you fail to stay in touch with past clients. The same goes for winning listings. Real estate agents who consistently get listings are usually those who maintain contact with past clients. This doesn't have to suck up too much time: Just periodically check in with your former buyers and sellers to see how they're doing. Simply staying front-of-mind helps boost the odds you'll be hired for their next real estate go-around, and will increase the number of listings in your portfolio. 15. Have a Professional Headshot and Polished Listing Photos Too often, agents appear unprofessional, untrustworthy, and ineffective because they lack a professional headshot and have listing presentations and an online presence that features poor lighting and staging. Those agents cost themselves listings. Don't be one of them. Instead, have high-quality, well-lit, professionally-shot and staged headshots and listing photos. If your brokerage or agency doesn't provide that service, it's still worth it: To be a real estate agent who gets listings, you need people to know you're a legitimate professional with a sharp presentation who is ready to do the job. 16. Host Great Open Houses The last piece of advice to get more real estate listings might seem counterintuitive: Host great open houses. It seems weird. Once you have listings, isn't the focus entirely on getting the best deal by impressing buyers and people touring the home? The answer is yes, but that's exactly why hosting the best possible open houses is a must. Those buyers are very likely to be sellers once they've signed a contract on a home. Some people at the open house are simply getting a feel for the real estate market. When it's time for them to list their home, they'll remember the well-staged open house, and be more likely to give their listing to the agent that hosted it. Get More Home Listings and Grow Your Real Estate Business Getting real estate listings isn't easy. But getting enough listings to thrive as a real estate agent isn't complicated: Develop your offline and online reputation, and consistently demonstrate that you're a professional, thorough agent who is worth consumers' business. Over time, and with the help of this guide, you should find that you have enough listings to maintain a thriving practice and develop a real estate business that gives you pride. To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.

24 Hyperlocal Blog Topics to Attract Seller Leads to Your Website
Any marketer will tell you organic traffic is the best traffic. However, only some real estate agents are aware of this. Real estate agents with a strong online presence will continuously generate leads through organic traffic. Blogging is an easy way to generate organic traffic to your real estate website and ultimately capture more real estate leads. Luckily, driving local traffic to your real estate website is relatively easy. Hyperlocal marketing focuses on specialized topics that interest people in a limited area. We've created a list of 24 blog topics for agents to help you start your next blog and capture seller leads in your market. 24 Real Estate Blog Topics that Capture Seller Leads The Best Time to Sell a Home in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Is 2022 a Good Time to Sell a Home in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.)? __ Reasons Now is the Time to Sell in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) What Recent Divorcees Should Know About Selling a Home in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) How to Sell a Home Quickly in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Even with Negative Equity How Quickly Homes Sell in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Average Sale Price of homes in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) How to Sell Your Home While Living Outside of (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Why (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Home Owners Need a Listing Agent How to Evaluate Purchase Offers when Selling a Home in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) What (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Homes Should Include in a Listing Description __ Ways to Prepare Your Home Sale in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) The Truth Behind FSBO Sales in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) What First Time Home Sellers Should Know About the (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Market What (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Home Buyers Look for in a Home Best Day of the Week to Hold a Open House in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) How Many Homes Are For Sale in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.)? _ Reasons a Home Might Not Sell in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Is it a Good Idea to Sell Your Home During the Winter in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) __ Things that Make the (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Real Estate Market Different __ Best Real Estate Agents in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) __ Best Real Estate Brokerage in (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Average Commission Fee of a (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.) Real Estate Agent Preparing Your Home for (insert city/neighborhood/ZIP code/state/etc.)'s Spring Market To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

Friday Freebie: Get Sellers into the Game with this Cheat Sheet
2022 is shaping up to be the year of the rising mortgage rate, and that's sidelining a lot of would-be sellers. While they stand to make a handsome profit on their current home, buying a new home is more expensive than ever. Staying put seems to make more financial sense. So how can you get homeowners back into the game? Lean on this week's Friday Freebie—a cheat sheet designed to help you move sellers off the bench. Free Download of the 2022 Home Seller Cheat Sheet, courtesy of Zurple There are plenty of reasons homeowners are reluctant to sell—they're afraid they won't find a new home to buy, they want to avoid a higher mortgage, etc. Once you know what their fears are, you can allay them with facts and helpful information. That's where Zurple's 2022 Home Seller Cheat Sheet comes in. This free guide offers resources to help you hone your powers of persuasion, including: Common seller objections and how to overcome them Statistics, information, and articles to motivate sellers off the fence Tactics for convincing owners to sell (like recommending contract contingencies) Processes and strategies for selling during COVID-19 And more! You can use this cheat while on the phone with a seller, on a Zoom call, or just keep it on your phone to reference anytime you need it. You'll always have the perfect comeback to any objection ready when you download the 2022 Home Seller Cheat Sheet!

The BEST Way to Generate Free Real Estate Leads
There are plenty of listicles on the internet telling agents how to get free real estate leads. But the ideas suggested are often stale and require a lot of your time (start a blog, call FSBO listings) for what will ultimately be very little payoff in the long run. Lead generation activities don't need to take up hours of your day. There's a better way to generate free real estate leads: The Google business profile. Understanding the benefits of a Google business profile The Google business profile is a large box that appears on the right side of Google's search engine results page. You'll notice it when you search for a local business, like a restaurant or salon. Real estate agents are considered local businesses, too, and you're able to create this profile on the country's most-used search engine. This profile has a few key benefits, which we'll describe in detail. 1. Brand Building Your Google business profile will appear prominently on the results page when a prospect searches for your name. It makes a solid first impression and adds legitimacy to your brand because it looks more professional and official than a standard search result. Consider it to be your "homepage" since it will be the first stop for consumers who search for you. You want to have a fully completed profile that provides consumers with as much information as they need to understand your brand and services. Put care into your business description and content posts, and be sure to get as many five-star reviews from current and past clients as possible. Without those five-star reviews, you risk losing 12% of potential clients. 2. Added Visibility At Homesnap, we have years of experience managing Google business profiles for real estate agents. What we've found is that fully completed profiles that are regularly updated are much more likely to appear high in search rankings for what's called earned searches. These are the vague but localized queries people use when they don't search for a specific business name. Earned searches include phrases like "real estate agents near me" and "real estate agent in Bethesda." The frequency in which these types of search terms are used continues to grow every year and are more often used than searching for a business directly. A well-maintained profile also greatly increases your chances of being featured in the coveted local three-pack. The local three-pack appears at the top of the search results page when a search query has local intent. Google will display a large map with pins and a trio of local businesses underneath the map. When the local three-pack appears, its placement is in the No. 1 position on the page, even before organic results. These placements are Google's rewards for those who have a well-maintained profile. The company's decision to do this is based on research. Google found that completed, accurate profiles get seven times more clicks on average than empty ones, so it's in Google's best interest to elevate the profiles that consumers will find relevant and helpful. So what does it mean to have a well-maintained, regularly updated profile? Real estate agents should focus on these three actions: generating new reviews, responding to new reviews, and publishing new content, like thoughtful posts and photos of recent listings and deals. These tasks generate big rewards. 3. Passive, Free Real Estate Leads Once you set up a Google business profile, the world's most powerful search engine will do the rest of the work for you. The results we've seen from the profiles we maintain prove that a Google business profile is the best way to generate free real estate leads. According to Homesnap data, agents who maintain an active Google business profile see more than 7.5 times the actions than those that don't. Actions include calls, texts, website clicks, and direction requests originating from your profile. In other words: free real estate leads! To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.

8 Proven Prospecting Methods to Build Your Real Estate Business
Purchasing real estate leads can be effective, but can also be expensive to maintain. Learning new and creative ways of "who" to target can be a terrific way to future-proof your business. But where should you focus your time? See a list of eight proven prospecting methods below: 1. Neighborhood Prospecting A geographic farm continues to be one of the best ways to market yourself as a real estate agent. And luckily for you, as a REALTOR® you have access to RPR (Realtors Property Resource®) to help power your neighborhood prospecting every step of the way. Leverage RPR's search and mapping to compare neighborhoods based on important stats such as turnover, absorption rate and competition. Then use RPR to generate labels and/or a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) export to populate your CRM. Reports such as the Market Activity Report and Property Report also make terrific "leave-behinds" as you prospect the area. See for yourself with this how-to on setting up your geographic farm. 2. Circle Prospecting So you just got a new listing? It's time for circle prospecting. Circle prospecting is a lead generation technique designed to let the surrounding neighbors know about your listing, open house or recent sale. Usually, this is done by sending a postcard or mailer to a few hundred homes around the subject property. RPR makes the process of getting these contacts quick and easy. To get started, look no further than RPR's mapping. From the map, make sure Type/Status is set to Public Records. Then locate the neighborhood of the subject property and then choose Draw. Next, select Radius and click on the subject property to create the center point, and then drag out. Once you've achieved the desired distance, click again to set the shape. Now choose Search in This Area. Grab labels or CSV export by selecting Mailing Labels above the map. 3. Open House Prospecting You're getting ready to hold your open house. You've prepared by ensuring the home looks its best and is staged well. Yet, beyond that soft landing, serious homebuyers will want the facts about your listing and the area. Stand out with each prospect walking through the door by providing client-friendly reporting on all the details that matter most: the property, neighborhood, schools and local market. Use the RPR app to create data-packed reports on the spot and text or email them as the conversations happen. This is a great opportunity to build your brand and create a wow factor with each potential prospect that comes through the door. Learn what you should be doing at your next open house here. 4. Niche Prospecting Strategies Focusing your business on a real estate niche is a great way to target a specific group of people you'd like to be working with. You can establish a specific real estate niche for just about anything: location, properties, or even the type of prospects. In many cases, it can all start with a search in RPR. Find expired or distressed listings, luxury homes, absentee owners, and lots more. For examples of how RPR's search and filters work, check out this article or watch this video. Once you have the results you want, watch this video to create your mailing labels or CSV export. eBook: How to Farm and Prospect for new ClientsThis detailed prospecting ebook provides step-by-step instructions, formulas, videos, guides, testimonials and more on how to prospect like a pro. 5. Sphere of Influence (SOI) Most successful real estate pros will tell you that long-term success comes from nourishing relationships and converting contacts into clients. And more times than not, those clients come from your own sphere of influence (SOI). Your SOI is a group of your personal connections. These are people you know well, plus loose connections and acquaintances, too. A few SOI examples include family, friends, social media friends, friends of friends, coworkers and community connections. Nourishing your SOI takes time. Make sure to start by building the list itself. Identify your connections. Compile them into a spreadsheet or CRM. Then layer on your communications and touchpoints. If you send out a regular newsletter or mailer, use RPR to include consistent market updates or trends. 6. Social Media Prospecting Social media prospecting as a real estate pro really is a no-brainer. Also one could argue that social media prospecting is an extension of the sphere of influence and past client marketing. Although it's hard to disagree, it's also unique enough to deserve its own callout. Social media has been growing in popularity for years, and is now as commonplace as any traditional media. Today it's one of the fastest ways to spread information. And the more connections you have in your network, the more people you will likely reach. Social media also happens to be a terrific place to ambiently build and showcase your real estate expertise. This is where RPR can help. Compile real estate trends covering your local market, including inventory levels, new homes, open houses, home ownership tips and much more. For a few examples, check out this article on creating Instagram sharables and this one on using RPR and Canva to make shareable market charts. 7. Past Clients Any successful REALTOR® will tell you when it comes to earning repeat business, past clients are where it's at. Over time, this can become a significant portion of your overall business. It's much easier to retain an existing client than it is to attract a new one. But to be successful, you need a plan to stay in touch. This can involve social media, events, mailings, phone calls—if you're interacting, it counts. Be sure to have some of your touch points revolve around real estate and their current property investment. For example, with the low inventory and high appreciation over the last few years, most homeowners have gained significant equity in their homes. Consider sending an equity checkup, because chances are your past clients will be very curious. As their REALTOR®, you have a unique position to be able to keep them in the loop on what may be their largest single investment. To start sending the equity checkup, you'll need to get the current mortgage balance. Then using RPR, perform a current CMA on their home. Once you have a solid understanding of its current value, generate a property report. (Customize and trim down the report to just showcase the essentials.) Now simply take the home value and subtract the mortgage balance to arrive at the total equity in the home. 8. Prospecting Letters Okay, so this is not really a niche. But prospecting letters certainly can be a useful method of outreach when it comes to your prospecting efforts. For a few examples, check out these articles from Tom Ferry, Fit Small Business, and one from The Close. The Many Paths of Prospecting Prospecting comes in many forms. Whether it's nurturing repeats and referrals, or digging for new leads through a variety of methods, it's important to keep laying tracks that lead to listings and buyers. RPR offers data, tools and reports that can power up your prospecting efforts across the board. Be sure to take advantage of the valuable resources that RPR puts in the hands of every REALTOR®. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Friday Freebie: 67 Text Message Templates that Get Replies
Emails can be missed, phone calls can be screened, but text messages? With a 90% open rate, they have one of the highest engagement levels of any type of communication. But just because a real estate lead is likely to read your text doesn't mean they'll respond to it. How can you up your chances for starting a conversation with real estate leads over text? This week's Friday Freebie to the rescue! Today, we're highlighting a collection of 67 text message templates that are designed to reach leads and initiate a response. Read on to find out more. Free copy of 67 Text Message Templates that Get Replies from Real Estate Leads, courtesy of Zurple Here's the good news: Most text messages are read by recipients within 90 seconds. The bad? Not everyone is willing to respond to text messages from people they don't know—and real estate leads don't know you…yet. Zurple's text messaging guide aims to help you change that. The guide offers insight into why leads respond to texts, and provides text templates for various scenarios and lead sources, including cold leads, follow-up on free home valuations, referrals and more. Here's a brief glimpse at what's included: Text messaging tips that increase replies Text message templates for general leads Text message templates for homebuyer leads Text message templates for home seller leads And more! Ready to start engaging more leads? Download 67 Text Message Templates that Get Replies from Real Estate Leads now!

6 Ideas for Prospecting with Your Property Data System
Low housing inventory got you down? There's a tool available to you with powerful prospecting capabilities--and the best part is that it's already included with your MLS or association membership dues. That's right, we're talking about your MLS's public records/property data system. Did you know that you can use the rich information it contains to precisely target potential leads? Frank Goswitz, a Realtor from Knoxville, Tennessee, definitely knows. He recently told us how he uses his property data system to target potential leads in his area. In this article, we'll share Frank's prospecting tips and offer six campaign ideas you can execute with your own property data system. 6 Prospecting Ideas for Low Inventory Markets Frank's local Realtor association provides him access to CRS Data's MLS Tax Suite. He says he uses it for everything from "finding what the owner originally paid to reviewing pictures of the property plat map, lot size and school zones. The possibilities are endless and make it possible to service my clients beyond their initial expectations." When it comes to lead generation, however, he primarily targets homeowners near listings that have just sold using CRS Data's built-in Prospecting tool. "I target approximately 500 prospects at a time, depending on the size of the subdivision." Frank's "just sold" campaign is one of many ways you can use your property data system. Here are six more ideas you can leverage to your advantage: 1. Rising home values campaign - Record-high home prices go hand-in-hand with record-low housing inventory. Nudge reluctant sellers off the fence by reminding them how much profit they can make off their home if they sell now. Send out mailers that list how much home prices have risen in the area you're targeting. Be sure to include a call-to-action to contact you for a free home valuation, or to visit a dedicated landing page for a free online valuation (e.g., What's your home worth? Find out here!). 2. Sold listing campaign - Let's revisit Frank's favorite type of campaign for a moment to break down how it works: when you sell a home, you then send out a mailer to homes nearby that shows what the home sold for. In today's market, that's usually a big number, so make that information prominent. If the home sold over the asking price or very quickly, mention that success point. You want your prospects to associate you with a potentially lucrative opportunity to sell their home. As with the above idea, include your contact information and a call-to-action. 3. New listing campaign - One thing you can count on with homeowners—they're curious about other homes in their neighborhood. What do they look like? How much are they worth compared to my home? Tap into this curiosity by sending a postcard or flyer that announces your new listing and all its details: price, bed/bath, square footage, school district, etc. Your goal here is to build awareness of you as the go-to Realtor for selling homes in the area. 4. Expired listings campaign - If there's one thing expired listings have going for them, it's this: they want to sell their home. Something went wrong with their last attempt at a sale—the price was too high, repairs were needed, or maybe their previous agent wasn't the greatest. Whatever the case, they are prime targets for prospecting. Send them or physically drop off a packet touting your experience and successes to encourage them to list their home with you. 5. Likely mover campaign - How long do residents in your area stay in their homes? If you know this piece of information, you can use it to target owners who have been in their home for around that amount of time—and statistically may be likely to move soon. A postcard or other mailer from you may help nudge them into listing. Just be sure to use your public records tool to remove active "for sale" homes from your list, as they obviously don't need your services—and you don't need to waste your marketing budget. 6. Renters/new buyers campaign - Do you enjoy working with first-time buyers? Consider targeting renters in affluent neighborhoods. Finding them in your property data system is a little less straightforward than finding current homeowners, however. Fortunately, your property data platform's "owner type" filter can help. For example, with the MLS Tax Suite, you can filter results by absentee owner, out-of-state owner, in-state owner, and owner-occupied properties. All options except owner-occupied can help you target properties with renters. Bonus: You can also use this filter to unearth vacation properties or second homes. Creating Your Prospecting Campaign So you know what kind of prospecting campaign you want to send out. Now, how do you execute that campaign? To find out, we spoke with Sara Cooper, Director of the MLS Market at CRS Data. Step 1: Narrow down your targets You know what you want to send, but to whom should you send it? Tap into your property data system's filters to narrow it down. Users of CRS Data's Prospecting tool can "target exactly who you want to prospect to," says Sara. "It could be a street, a subdivision, or even an entire ZIP code. There are a variety of filters that can be enabled to narrow down the list—from the type of home and length of time it's been owned to how old the current mortgage is and acreage size." Depending on your property tool's capabilities, you may also be able to target prospects more precisely by drawing shapes on a map. For CRS Data users, Sara offers these tips: Draw map shapes to EXCLUDE certain areas specifically. "This is useful when not all areas within a city or ZIP code are within the same price range or interest of whom you are trying to market," she says. You can draw multiple shapes when your target areas are not in a continuous/connected area. Step 2: Create your mailing list Once you've identified your prospects, it's time to create your mailing list. "You can export the data to use in your CRM," says Sara. CRS Data's MLS Tax Suite lets you download your prospect data as a .CSV file so that you can easily import it into your CRM for prospecting strategies. Alternatively, "you can skip the export and create mailing labels instead." The intuitive platform lets users print mailing labels from within the program itself. Just select how you want to address recipients (by name or "Current Resident"), and your preferred label size. Next, simply print your labels and send off your campaign! "I use the mailing labels feature of the Prospecting tool consistently. It makes the process of creating labels so quick and easy," says Frank. "Creating mailers through CRS Data's MLS Tax Suite has benefited my business tremendously." To learn more about CRS Data and the company's MLS Tax Suite, visit CRSData.com. Not a CRS Data user? Contact your public records provider or MLS help desk for assistance.

Friday Freebie: 2022 Home Seller's Guide
With record-high housing prices comes record-high commissions. However, getting a listing in today's low inventory market? It can be a challenge. That's why in this week's Friday Freebie, we're highlighting a free guide for home sellers that's great not just for educating existing clients, but as a lead magnet to attract more seller prospects. Read on to learn how to get your free copy! Free download of the 2022 Home Seller's Guide template, courtesy of Zurple Selling a home is an involved and complicated process. When consumers are beginning to consider selling, they first research what they should know before diving in. Zurple's 2022 Home Seller's Guide template is a comprehensive resource of everything a potential home seller needs to know: Common real estate terms The timeline of selling a home How to hire an agent How to price a home How to prepare a home for sale How to evaluate an offer The ins and outs of closing a sale What to know about moving day And more! You can share this guide on social media, on your website, in person, via email, and more. Put it behind a lead capture form on your website to ensure you get the contact information of potential parties. The guide is brandable, with space not only for your contact information and logo, but it also concludes with a page featuring your bio and a call-to-action. You can link that page to your email or a CMA request landing page to acquire even more leads. Ready to get started finding more seller leads? Download the 2022 Seller's Guide template now!

Where Most Leads Come From -- and How You Can Cover Your Bases
Are you covering all of your bases with real estate lead generation? With so many different ways to generate leads, it can be easy to overlook some of the valuable, reliable tools that can help keep your pipeline stocked to the brim. Diversifying your strategy can help you reach a wider pool of potential clients and give you the confidence that you're leaving no stone unturned when it comes to generating leads. That's why it's so important to understand where most leads come from and how you can ensure that you're maximizing your lead generation opportunities. Start with Your Real Estate Website Your real estate website should be one of your best sources for leads online, but simply setting up a website isn't enough to guarantee success. For your website to become a lead-generation machine, it needs to provide a seamless experience with the right features and design elements. This is important both for attracting prospects to your website in the first place and turning them into qualified leads once they arrive. IDX Listing Integration - Many of the prospects who visit your website will be coming to look at listings first and foremost, so it's important to make that process as easy as possible for them. IDX listing integration makes it simple for prospects to search for homes in your markets, and those listings will be a key source of leads. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - While SEO doesn't generate leads directly like some of the other items on our list, it's a critical factor in attracting traffic to your real estate website. Over time, SEO helps you achieve a higher search engine ranking, which leads directly to more traffic. And more traffic to your website ultimately means more leads. Real Estate Content - The content on your real estate website helps you build trust, establish your real estate expertise, and show prospects how you can help them achieve their goals. Whether it's in the form of video content, blog posts, or both, your content helps convince prospects to take the next step. Social Proof - Social proof in the form of reviews and testimonials is one of the key factors in the decision-making process of modern real estate prospects. Integrating social proof throughout key areas of your website is a must for maximizing your lead generation. Lead Capture Forms - Once a prospect has spent some time on your website and seen what you have to offer, the goal is to have them fill out a lead capture form. This is where they'll provide contact information, outline their real estate needs, and take the first key step toward becoming a client. Social Media Marketing and Relationship Building The biggest social media platforms continue to rank among the best sources of leads online, so it likely comes as no surprise that social media marketing is so popular in real estate. Whether you're showcasing listings on Instagram, building relationships on Facebook, or sharing your best video content on TikTok, building your social presence is a must for generating leads in 2022. Referrals and Your Personal/Professional Networks The most highly qualified leads often come from referrals, and referrals are still one of the most dependable sources of leads for your real estate business. For individual agents, those referrals can often come from your personal and professional networks, in addition to your current clients. Building and maintaining great relationships still goes a long way toward generating leads, no matter who you're trying to reach. Virtual Tours and Open Houses More than ever, buyers are choosing to tour homes from the comfort of their current location with the help of virtual open houses and showings. Just like their in-person counterparts, these tools are key sources of leads — and not just for buyers! When sellers see that you're promoting listings with the best modern tech, they'll be more likely to choose you as well. Social Media and Search Engine Advertising Building your social media presence and boosting the SEO on your real estate website are both well worth the effort. However, it also takes time to see results. Paid advertising on social media and search engines provides more immediate results as a source of leads. Paid advertising is great for boosting visibility while building up your online presence and for supplementing your other lead-generation efforts. Covering Your Bases for Lead Generation in 2022 Whether you're interested in opening new avenues of lead generation or optimizing your existing strategy, achieving your goals is so much easier when you have the right tools for the job. With the DeltaNET®6 all-in-one real estate solution, all of the tools, tech, and resources you need to generate leads are always at your fingertips. RE Technology readers can try DeltaNET®6 free for 30 days. To view the original article, visit the Delta Media Group blog.

Success in Any Market: Why Smart Agents Are 'Future-Proofing' Their Business
The real estate market has been on fire for the past few years, and for many agents, production has never been higher. But, thinking strategically, this market activity cannot continue forever. As an agent, it's important for you to anticipate a changing market so you can set your business up for success no matter what. Here are a few tips to help agents "future-proof" their businesses. Play the "Long Game" With Leads If a lead doesn't convert immediately, it's not weak — it just takes time. Real estate is all about timing. Just because a buyer or seller isn't ready at the first point of contact doesn't mean they can't become a valuable transaction opportunity in the future. The savviest agents know that they need to work their leads if they want to see conversion at the end of the lead funnel. Switching your mindset from an instant win to a long-term game is essential to future-proofing your real estate business. When a lead enters your sales funnel, be prepared to put in the work to warm them up through consistent engagement. Improving your lead nurture and follow-up plans can provide you with a continual stream of business. Remember, a "maybe" today is a "yes" tomorrow. Even the leads that look the weakest will convert into a deal at some point. The cold leads that you engage with today are the hot leads of tomorrow. If you're not staying in touch with your leads and providing value, you risk losing their business to another agent. #ProTip: Manage your time wisely by working with a lead qualification plan. Gather information to determine where a lead is along the sales funnel and use that to shape a custom engagement strategy. Not only will this allow you to prioritize your time and effort, but it also helps you assist the lead based on their specific needs and circumstances. Diversify Your Lead Sources How many avenues do you leverage to source leads? One of the most important steps in "future-proofing" your real estate business is to diversify your lead sources. The best in the business work with multiple different resources to get in touch with new leads. This creates a business model that is resilient, resistant to changes, and ready to adapt to new conditions at a moment's notice. This will prevent you from suddenly seeing a gap in your production due to a lagging sales funnel. If one lead source dries up, you need to have a variety of other resources to rely on. For example, open houses have long been a favorite source of business for agents. But during the pandemic, open houses couldn't happen the way they used to. The agents that were overly reliant on open houses as their main source of leads ultimately took a hit to their lead generation. However, agents that were working with other lead sources — such as online lead gen tools — were able to balance out the blow and keep up their momentum. Lead generation strategies are the pillar of your real estate business. Make sure that you have a strong foundation to rely on that can accommodate market shifts and unexpected situations. #ProTip: More leads mean more responsibilities for following up and engaging. As you pursue new opportunities for lead generation, make sure that you have a strong plan in place to service and stay in contact with those leads. Long-term lead follow-up and engagement are necessary to activate your leads and see the conversions you're looking for. Audit Your Technologies Agents need to make sure that they're using their tech stack to the best of its potential. The technologies and tools that you're using need to be streamlined in order to maximize your ROI. If you're not, figure out what's wrong with how you're currently using your technologies. Ask yourself these questions to determine the best way to move forward that will allow you to streamline your real estate technologies. Do you need more training? Do you need a coach to walk you through the programs? Or, do you need to stop using the tool altogether and find an alternative that really works for you? If something truly isn't working, it may be best to find a more suitable option for you rather than continuing to invest in something that's not optimizing your business. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Landing Pages: Your Secret Lead Conversion Weapon
In today's hyper-digital world, agents need a winning online presence to sustain a successful real estate business. The best IDX websites are user-friendly, attractive, and filled with fresh listings. But agents that want to take their websites to the next level to supercharge lead generation need to be leveraging custom landing pages. A landing page is a standalone page on your website. Think about your "About Us" page or each one of your online listings. Landing Pages Are Super Powerful Lead Generation Tools Besides giving your website more pages — which boosts your SEO performance since you're generating more searchable content — custom landing pages roll out the red carpet for leads. Landing pages allow for a more personalized experience when people visit your website. Landing pages offer something valuable to your website visitors in exchange for contact information. Creating landing pages gives agents the opportunity to include more contact forms and CTAs. While you're introducing a neighborhood that you service or highlight listings that are coming soon, you can prompt leads to submit their contact information to convert more online traffic into leads. 15 Examples of Landing Pages to Add to Your Site Home Valuation Page Neighborhood Guides Local Market Report First-Time Homebuyer Course (or eBook!) "Coming Soon" Listings Home Improvement Guides for Sellers Contact Information for Municipal Service Providers Credit Repair Program Seller Lead-Specific Page Encyclopedia of Real Estate Terms Blog Contact Client Reviews Buyer/Seller FAQ Agent Career Highlights Mortgage Information Guide Get creative with your selection of landing pages. This is your opportunity to directly speak with potential leads and show them why you should be their agent. Think about creative landing pages and content ideas that out-do what competing websites have to offer. More Landing Pages Means More Conversion Companies that create 30 or more landing pages get seven times more leads than those that use fewer than 10. #ProTip: Using videos on landing pages can improve conversion by 86%. When building your landing pages, include high-quality video content to accompany your text. These can be a visuals-only neighborhood tour or an agent-guided tour of the area. When sharing basic real estate advice and tips, agents can use video to introduce themselves to their clients. Recording short videos where you introduce yourself and discuss the topic of the landing page further can be a great way to create and share new content. You can also use these videos for your social media, blog, and email marketing campaigns. Landing Pages Are the Bridge Between Site Visitors and Leads A landing page is the final stop before a site visitor becomes a lead. With your robust marketing campaign, you're casting your net across a variety of channels — such as digital advertising, social media content, webinars, and billboards. You need those marketing efforts to drive lead traffic to a "landing spot," where you can get their contact information and make a superb first impression. [Source: Unbounce] How to Get Leads to Take the Leap: A Simple and Customized Experience When you finally drive leads to your landing page, how do you get them to engage with your page and ultimately submit their contact information? Here's a Marketing 101 Crash Course: The consumer holds the power. They can leave your site, or they can provide their name and email. Being able to accommodate consumer demands is critical for activating the power of your landing pages. In today's market where instant gratification wins, your site visitors want your website to exceed their expectations. Internet users are used to targeted ads, gorgeous landing pages, and interactive apps. It's your job as an agent to meet those demands and build a seamless, enjoyable experience. This is what will allow you to stay competitive with the "Zillows" in the industry. Providing a simple and customized experience is the key to getting leads to follow your calls-to-action and submit their contact information, consenting to open communications with you. When you're building your landing pages and expanding your digital presence, ask yourself the following questions: Am I delivering a simple and customized experience? Is my site providing value beyond my competitors? Does my site invite visitors to browse more landing pages? Happy Website Building! To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Top 10 Tips for Successful, Lead Generating Webinars
Real estate webinars have become more and more popular than ever. It is not surprising that successful webinars are not easy to launch. It requires a lot of knowledge in the real estate industry and some explanation skills as well. Today we are going to speak about the top 10 tips for successful real estate webinars. If you follow these tips and tricks, you will see how your webinars will be successful. Are you interested in five useful tips for the webinar host? Let's start! 5 Useful Tips for the Webinar Host Choose the Right Topic Real estate is a huge subject in general to speak about. While choosing the right topic for your webinar, it's important to find the theme that best applies to the questions that real estate agents are asking. Theme will help you to gain more attendees and success for your webinar. Practice Before the Webinar No matter how professional you are or how many times you have hosted the webinars, you need to practice before the webinar starts. You may practice answering the questions that will be asked by attendees. You may practice the introduction of the webinar and more. Sounds Matter As we live in a digitalized world and everything is connected to the internet, you may already know how sound is important, especially when you are working from home and attending meetings, webinars or calls remotely. Hold the Audience's Attention If you are hosting a webinar, many people can register for it and many can attend. But the number of listeners is not that important. If they are not engaging while you ask for questions, if they don't have any questions to ask or anything to clarify, it simply means that they are not listening. Background Backgrounds are also very important while speaking about the webinar host. If you are introducing your company, it is a good idea to choose a background that includes the logo of your company. If not, you must choose some kind of background in the working sphere. If you don't have one, the internet and Zoom platform allow you to find the background that fits you the best. Top 5 Tips for Successful Webinars Target the Right Audience Before launching something, it is important to market your upcoming webinar. Choosing the right audience for your webinars is the key tool here.You should define for whom your webinar is designed, including their sphere of influence, age range and more. After targeting the right audience, your webinar will be successful, as there will be attendees, who are really interested in your webinars. Pick the Right Time We have already mentioned how targeting the right audience matters for real estate webinars is important. But how is the right audience going to help to better plan a webinar? After choosing the best audience for your webinar, you will have a clearer idea of how to choose the right time for it. The most important aspect here is the result, or quite simply, how many people will attend your webinar. If you pick the right audience and pick the right time to launch, you will see the success of your webinar. Choose the Right Branding If you are in the real estate industry, then you already know how important branding is. The same applies to webinars where branding matters a lot. After launching your webinar, it is important to have one good designed image for it. It will help you to interest people in your webinars. While doing follow-ups with your attendees, the right branding will bring you more success. Impressive Title If you want to have a successful webinar related to the real estate industry, then you should definitely pay attention to the title. The name or title of your webinar matters. It should be very impressive. Think about what your attendees want from your webinar, and you will definitely have a good idea of the right title. Decide Webinar Format When you already have the general idea on what you are going to speak about during your webinar, then the only thing left is to choose the right webinar format for you. While choosing one, try to test some of the formats in order to know exactly what you are looking for. Some of the webinar formats include: Interview Webinar Q&A Webinar One Presenter Two Presenters Format Tutorial Format There you have it—the top 10 tips for launching a successful webinar! To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

Strategies for Converting Real Estate Leads this Winter
Just because it's chilly outside doesn't mean it's time to hibernate from your real estate leads until spring. While the real estate market typically slows down during the winter months, it's also a great time for converting real estate leads. Use these strategies to convert leads this winter: 1. Make accommodations Unless you're one of the lucky few who get to enjoy sunshine, you and your market are probably getting hit with winter weather. It's important to make accommodations for your potential clients to help them during the buying or selling process. For instance, if it's snowing during an open house, make sure to clear a pathway to the entrance. Not only will this help potential buyers easily access the home, it will also help clean up the appearance of the property. 2. Highlight winter property features By highlighting some of a property's features as useful during the winter season, you can appeal to a lead's yearning for a new home. For example, if your market tends to endure several storms during the winter, promote the storm-safe doors and windows. Pro tip: If your market doesn't experience harsh winters, show your buyer leads photos of a listing from warmer months. This way they can imagine themselves in a home year-round. 3. Promote listing price reductions With fewer offers towards the end of the year, some sellers may reduce their listing prices. By promoting the possibility of a better deal and saving money, you can increase the likelihood of converting your lead. Depending on what their interest rate is, a lead can save thousands of dollars by buying during the winter months. Advise your lead to speak with a lender to get pre-approved and lock in their rates. 4. Sell the neighborhood Paint a picture of the community for your leads if they are from out of town. Highlighting winter community events gives a potential buyer more to think about than just the home. Leads can imagine how they would feel living in not only the home, but the community it is a part of. For example, if a lead were thinking about moving to San Diego, a real estate agent could explain how December Nights at Balboa Park is a wonderful event during wintertime that brings the community together. 5. And lastly, always follow up As your leads begin to ask questions about properties, you should (of course) respond to them to see how you can help. Since there are fewer buyers and sellers this time of year, there may be more competition in your market for business. Go above and beyond with any requests or questions they have to show them that you are willing to work hard. For example, if a buyer lead asks for information about a listing, also include information about similar properties to give them options. Pro tip: In the event that a winter lead isn't ready to buy just yet, you'll have already shown them that you're willing to work hard. Continue to follow up with your lead and nurture the relationship, so that when they are ready, they'll call you! So don't forget about your new leads just because the colder months tend to slow sales in real estate. Follow these guidelines and convert your real estate leads this winter. To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

Out-of-the-Box Event Ideas for Generating Real Estate Business
Want to grow your sphere and make meaningful connections? Inviting your clients, leads, and community neighbors to a special event is a fantastic way to generate more real estate business. If you really want to attract attendees and get them talking to their friends about your best-ever-client-meet-up, go beyond the typical open houses and holiday parties. Instead, consider these five out-of-the-box ideas. #1. Rent Out a Movie Theater for a Family Night If you want to network with families or couples with kids, there's no better way than by hosting a family movie night at a local theater. When a family-friendly movie is running, rent out a theater and invite your local clients. Having everyone RSVP in advance to confirm their tickets will help you manage the number of people invited. Consider giving out a free drink and snack token, or offering to buy small popcorn and soda for all of the kids. Pro Tip: Bring a couple of wearable props, like funny glasses or silly headbands, and set up a mini "photo-op" for attendees as they're walking into the theatre. Stand by the door and snap a quick picture to email to everyone. This may get you a few additional contacts to add to your CRM, as well as give you content for social media if you have permission to post the image. #2. Host a Viewing Party at a Local Bar When you're planning a get-together with your network of leads and clients, consider hosting a viewing party at a bar in your area that locals love. It's a great idea to plan the occasion around an important neighborhood event or something big like the Super Bowl. To generate more contacts for your CRM, offer free tickets in exchange for the attendee's email. It doesn't hurt to incentivize the event by giving out a free drink ticket, or offering to buy the first round at the bar. You can use this as a way to introduce prospective buyers to the social scene in your market while catching up with past clients. Pro Tip: While you're planning the meetup, bring swag that everyone can take home with them to commemorate the event. Avoid "junk" and give out useful items that won't get thrown away. Aim to surprise, delight, and impress your guests with items like: Reusable water bottles Tote bags Decorated notebooks A cool beer glass! #3. Offer to Throw a House-Warming (or Bar-Stocking) Party for a VIP Client When you close an epic deal with a VIP client, show them that you care by offering to throw them a house-warming party to celebrate their success. Whether you want to plan a full-scale party with drinks, snacks, and decorations — or just offer to stock their entire bar for a night of drinks with their friends — you'll be putting a cherry on top of an awesome service experience. Pro Tip: Attending the party yourself is a wonderful way to meet new clients and network! #4. Hire a Fitness Teacher for a Meet-Up in the Park Give your sphere a chance to get out and get active by hosting an exercise class led by a local instructor. When choosing what physical activity to center your meet-up around, consider who your audience is. Are you inviting mostly young homebuyers, growing families, or elderly leads who want to downsize? Whether you choose yoga, pilates, Zumba, or tai chi, focus on the fun of it. You want everyone to move, but you don't want to push anyone past their comfort zones. Talk to the instructor you're planning to hire and explain your goals for the event ahead of time so they can provide the best experience for everyone who attends. Pro Tip: When it's time to send out the invitations, make sure to remind attendees to bring any necessary equipment and explain the best dress code for the class. It's a good idea to plan ahead and bring some extra equipment in case anyone forgets or a few extra people show up. #5. Cater an All-Ages Picnic When the weather's nice, a great way to get together with your sphere is to invite families to an all-ages picnic at a local park or outdoor space. Choose a local restaurant that specializes in group catering and choose a simple menu that accommodates multiple dietary preferences. (Don't forget to offer vegan and gluten-free options so no one feels excluded!) Bring props for games and activities that everyone will enjoy. Think frisbees, footballs, and soccer balls. Pro Tip: For an added touch of age-appropriate fun, consider bringing in a local business to provide treats or desserts. Options for kids — Frozen lemonade, cupcakes, cotton candy, soft-serve, or snow cones. Options for adults — Boozy lemonades, sangrias, beers, and champagne. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

How to Get Your Real Estate Seller Leads to Fall in Love with You
Karen Fiddler, a real estate broker and owner out of Orange County and Lake Arrowhead, California, provides tips on how to delight your sellers. Here's Karen: We all want our clients to love us, and we can easily make it a reality. Sellers are already a bit different from buyers. They have made a decision to move, they have an asset and they are putting their home out there for opinion and viewing, all the while hoping someone loves it as much as they do—and will offer a fair price for it. So, how can we as agents get our real estate sellers to fall in love with us? Like this: Be honest with them about the comps for their home and provide a realistic listing price. Do a thorough walk-through and ask questions, so that you can best present the home and its unique qualities. Understand the neighborhood. Present pre-listing options, such as home inspections and termite reports, pros and cons. Talk about what to expect with offers based on the current market and how their listing price could be affected by it. Prepare them for low ball offers and how to respond to them. Discuss the information you will receive from buyers (e.g., offer, proof of funds, deposit, FICO scores), so they realize how solid an offer might be. Prepare an agreed upon plan for showings, notice and times/days available, and also whether or not there will be a seller-controlled lockbox or a stationary one. Help them understand and realize that they should NOT talk with buyers and/or agents without your presence. Make sure they understand the contingency period and any possible negotiations that could happen during that time, such as request for repairs. Always attend important events in the escrow process such as home inspections, termite inspections and appraisals. Lay out the timeline and possible delays during escrow. Make sure they know when closing is likely to occur and when each milestone is reached in that process. It's not that hard—we are being considerate and doing our job. Doing our jobs the right way can get our clients to fall in love with us. To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

What Makes a Good Lead?
What makes a good lead? Understanding the what, why, and how of lead qualification can save so much time for real estate sales associates, allowing you to focus your energy on leads that are more likely to convert while setting aside dead-end leads. In order to effectively qualify leads, you need to have a reliable process in place to identify promising leads with speed and efficiency. In short, a good lead is someone who is ready to buy or sell a home. They've likely already put significant thought into the process, have an idea of what they want to accomplish, and are looking for a real estate agent they can trust to get the job done. These are the leads that you want to prioritize over other, less qualified leads who are further from taking real action. How to Qualify a Lead In order to identify which leads are good ones and which can be put on the back burner or discarded, you need to ask the right questions. Ideally, you want this to happen as soon as possible when a lead enters your pipeline. That's why it's so important to have a system in place for qualifying leads and to use it consistently. Is the Lead Buying or Selling a Home in Your Markets? Start simple, and make sure that the lead is interested in buying or selling a home in one of the markets where you do business. Naturally, a lead shopping for a home in a city or neighborhood that doesn't fall under your umbrella can usually be easily disqualified. What Is Their Motivation for Buying or Selling a Home? Figuring out the motivations of the buyer or seller is one of the most important steps that you can take when qualifying a lead. What is their motivation, and just how motivated are they to take the next steps? A buyer or seller who's moving for work, financial reasons, family reasons, or another strong motivating factor is more likely to take action than a lead that lacks a strong motivation to move forward quickly. Have They Been Pre-Approved for a Mortgage? One way to gauge the motivation and engagement of a lead is to find out whether they've already been pre-approved for a mortgage. A buyer who has already made an effort to get pre-approved is more likely to be ready to take the next steps. Lacking pre-approval isn't necessarily a factor that disqualifies a lead outright, but it's certainly a positive when a buyer has been pre-approved. What Type of Budget Are They Shopping With? Is the buyer searching for a home that fits the price range of the homes that you have to offer, and the listings in your cities/neighborhoods? If it's a seller, are they interested in listing a home in a price range that fits your market, and your target demographic of buyers? Answering these questions can help you determine whether the lead is a good fit for your real estate services. Are They Looking for a Specific Type of Home? For buyers, are they looking for specific features from a home? Not only will the answer to this question help you determine how far along the buyer is in the process, it can also tell you whether you might already have listings that match their preferences. How Long Have They Been Searching? Has the lead been working on buying or selling a home for a long time? Have they already worked with a different agent in the past? These questions help determine motivation, and knowing if they've already worked with an agent can help you plan how to move forward. How Soon Are They Hoping to Close the Deal? A highly motivated buyer or seller is also more likely to be a highly qualified lead. If they're interested in closing the deal quickly, that's a good sign. Are They Ready to Set an Appointment? Is the lead ready to take concrete action and plan next steps? If they're willing to set an appointment, then one of the most critical questions is already answered. Use the Right Tools to Turn Qualified Leads into Satisfied Clients Of course, qualifying leads is just the first, important step in the process, and the right real estate tech can make the next steps in that process so much more efficient. The right real estate all-in-one solution, like DeltaNET®6, offers so many valuable tools for converting leads. Whether you're sending AI-driven newsletters, reaching out with convenient SMS text messaging, helping people tour homes from afar with virtual open houses & showings, taking advantage of integrations with all of the top real estate platforms, or using one of many other tools, DeltaNET®6 provides everything you need to get the job done in one convenient package. RE Technology readers can try DeltaNET®6 free for 30 days. To view the original article, visit the Delta Media Group blog.

10 Ways to Pump up Your Prospecting Pipeline
New year, new you! And a new chance to increase lead generation to build up your business. After referrals and repeats, prospecting is the most effective way of generating leads and turning those leads into prospects. It's not necessarily easy: it takes patience, persistence and proficiency. These ten tips from RPR (Realtors Property Resource) will help you get started, stay on track and prospect like a pro in 2022. 1. Get your hands on RPR's prospecting eBook There are many ways to go about prospecting. You can create geographic farms, implement drip email campaigns, leverage your social media sphere, knock on doors, use targeted direct mail, and the list goes on. To get some ideas on where to start and for step-by-step instructions on how to do it, make sure to download How to Farm and Prospect for New Clients. This exclusive REALTOR® download is yours for the taking and will show you how to identify and market yourself to potential new clients. 2. Make prospecting a priority and a daily task Prospecting is not a "set it and forget it" method. Yes, you can automate email sends and replies, implement auto dialing systems, and even use AI through a digital CRM. And each one of those examples can be a successful tactic. But to really prime the prospect pipeline, you need to be consistent and constant in your attention and your action. Make it a priority by putting a specific task or general goal into your daily, weekly and monthly calendar. (Those little e-notifications can be annoying, but they can also be the perfect nudge!) Carve out time, each day or week, for prospecting activities such as networking, community outreach, blog posts, social posts and shares, phone calls, emails, using RPR maps to search for homeowners that are ripe to sell, touch base with friends, family and previous clients, and any other strategy you see fit. The main point is to stick to it and make it a new habit. 3. Embrace your inner data nerd It's no secret that real estate numbers are big. It's most likely the biggest financial transaction your client will experience in their life. With this many zeroes and commas involved, it's no wonder why consumers relish property data. RPR (Realtors Property Resource) offers REALTORS® vast amounts of property data in one central hub. You have exclusive access to property reports, maps and tools that make RPR an indispensable asset. By exploring and learning more about RPR, you'll find that you can easily package up data and offer it to potential clients. In fact, they want it! Charts, graphs, stats and info from expert sources is something home buyers and sellers crave. And if you put it out there in an easy to digest format, you will get reactions and responses. 4. Communicate market activity and home values The most basic way to get your name and face in front of potential new clients is to share local market statistics, and in some cases, specific home sales data. For example, if you have a neighborhood or community Facebook page, make sure you regularly post home sales activity for that area. Doing this once or twice a month gives homeowners an idea of what their home is worth, and how "hot" the local market is. While not everyone is in the position to buy or sell, when they do think about it, chances are they'll remember where they get their information from and the name associated with it. And if you think you have a really hot prospect, don't hesitate to send them an RPR property report on THEIR home. Run a modified Seller's Report by choosing what pages and info you want to include, and then customize it with your info and a personal message. Print it, then mail it or drop it off and use it as a conversation starter. Homeowners have been known to keep these around for years! 5. Take advantage of RPR Mailing Labels Mailing labels or mailing lists can play a crucial role in prospecting outreach in competitive markets. REALTORS® can create them or export owner information from RPR search results. And you can create up to 2,000 each month for free! These ready-to-print mailing labels are perfect for farming, prospecting or direct mail marketing within custom geographies: Conduct an area search, then use filters to narrow it down or use a previously saved area, such as a farm area Sort your results using the "List View" or from the "Map View," and click "Mailing Labels" once you have the right number of addresses A pop up window appears; then choose your label type or a CSV file Hit "print" and remember that you have 2,000 EACH MONTH to use Watch this one-minute video to see all of the above in action or follow these step-by-step instructions. 6. Make 12-24 prospecting touchpoints throughout the year A prospecting campaign can take some time to build; it doesn't happen overnight. Frequency, or how many times a target is exposed to your message, is a long play. Once you've identified a target, whether it's one single address or an entire geographical area, you've got to pepper that contact with your marketing message. One to two times per month is a good pattern. You don't want to overload them, and you also don't want to fall off their radar. That means don't send one postcard once a month and call it a day. Start with a postcard that calls out recent market activity. Then, follow up two weeks later with an email, and ask about whether they saw the postcard or if they have any questions. Then call, drop off a flyer, knock on a door, email a personal video, send another direct mail piece, send a text or Facebook message, etc. It's not called a marketing mix for nothing! Mix up your contacts and touch points, and change up your content to keep things fresh. Another great tip is to "read the room." If they complain that you're sending too much or too often, back off and deliver quarterly. 7. Be a ninja nurturer to past clients This article from Homes.com offers up several ways for agents to stealthily keep tabs on their former customers in an effort to drum up leads and listings. Unlike targeting areas or owners you have no relationship with (yet!), the basic premise is to maintain and foster relationships you do have. For example, a phone call or an email or text to a past client to discuss their real estate goals or to let them know how much their home value has risen is much better than a "Are you ready to sell? The market is hot!" type of pitch. Frame the discussion or "interview" as an FYI to the owner, or call it an annual real estate check-up. A softer approach such as this will help you set up the chat and you'll most likely get some good information out of it. And make sure to keep notes in your digital Rolodex so you can schedule a time to reconnect. You can also follow former clients on social media to see if any life-changing events have occurred: new job, newborn on the way, older kids moving out? Anything that might affect their lives is a potential reason to move and their need for a REALTOR®. One last tip: you can also use Facebook neighborhood pages or Nextdoor sites to offer up help when homeowners ask, "Anybody know a good handyman?" If you see a post like this, reply right away! Chances are you do know a good (fill in the blank) in the area and your suggestion will be appreciated by the owner and seen by others. But don't call or text them right afterwards; just keep a note and add them to your prospecting list. Neighborly, nurturing moves such as this are a great, semi-sly way to get your name top-of-mind with homeowners. 8. Take a free prospecting webinar Wouldn't you know it, RPR offers a live webinar to help you get started. That's right, we're here to help you get going and succeed. There's no better way to learn and get familiar with a process than to have an expert walk you through it. Save your seat for Keep That Pipeline Pumping. This one-hour session will show you how to use RPR's data, tools and features to your advantage. It's easy, it's free and it's highly informative. Sign up today! 9. Take part in or create your own community events When it comes to being involved with your local community or neighborhood, you can't just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. You need to have real passion, know the area and its residents, and be active in making it a better place to live. Here's just a few ideas to get you started and thinking: Start a neighborhood Facebook and/or Nextdoor page Sponsor a youth sports team and show up to a couple of their games with snacks or drinks Get a booth at a school fair or at a farmer's market Send out HOA meeting summaries, if applicable Volunteer for school and sports team fundraisers Send out a monthly or quarterly eNewsletter that focuses on community events and issues Organize an annual community garage sale day, where you handle all the signs, promotion, etc. Keep in touch with local police and fire departments and give safety updates to your neighbors Take a walk! Simply strolling through your neighborhood will help keep you in the loop on local happenings This is just a thought starter, we're sure you can brainstorm a great list of your own, based on your interests and your community's needs. Most of these suggestions will only cost you time, but do plan for earmarking some of your marketing budget towards community involvement costs as they arise. Making these meaningful connections is a keen way to organically grow your network of prospects. It's also a truly great way to meet and form relationships with your neighbors. 10. Take a tour of the tools So you haven't downloaded the free eBook or signed up for the free webinar. Perhaps you're the "dive right in and get started for yourself" type? We can respect that and we've got you covered! Go directly to the RPR site and start prospecting. This guided tour will take you through the steps of how to prospect for buyer and seller residential clients. You can also start prospecting for commercial clients as well. These guided tours, the magenta colored boxes, are sprinkled through the RPR website. Each one is designed to help you learn about powerful RPR features by helping you navigate your way through the process. The wrap Prospecting for new clients is equal parts hustle, discipline and persistence (read this case study for an example). You've got to make a plan, make the time, and make sure you stick to it. Use these ten tips to get started and to start sparking some new client meetings in 2022. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

What's the Best Way to Contact Expired Listings without Being Intrusive and Rude?
Beth Atalay, an Orlando broker and owner of Cam Realty and Property Management, shares her insights on the best ways to contact expired listings. Here's Beth: "List to last." I'm sure you've heard this before, but how do you get listings? This is even more challenging for newer agents or for those who had to take some time off and have been out of touch for some time. Going after expired listings will work if done right. Homeowners of these listings have already shown interest in selling their home, but were not successful. It's not always their real estate agent's fault that their home didn't sell, but most would tell you it is. What would be the best way to contact expired listings without being intrusive or rude? Calling them the day their home expires in MLS Before you take this approach, ask yourself if you would want to receive 50+ calls from aggressive real estate agents the day your home expires, starting as early as 7am. This is not the method I feel comfortable with, so I would never do it. However, if it fits your personality, then you should go for it! Before you pick up that phone, I suggest you have scripts and know what to say when the homeowner answers. You're probably asking how and where to get their phone numbers from. Here are some suggestions: Cole Realty Resource Not only you will get a list of expired listings on a daily basis, but their phone numbers and emails as well. You can pull up a list by subdivisions; this is great for circle prospecting. EspressoAgent EspressoAgent provides a list of expireds with their email and phone numbers. ArchAgent, Landvoice and RedX are just a few others you can check. Important reminder Be sure to check whether the homeowner you're calling is on the Do Not Call List before you start dialing. Sending them a postcard The challenge with this is by the time homeowner gets your postcard, their home will most likely be listed with another real estate agent. If you are targeting those that expired 30/60/90 days or even a year ago, postcards might work as long as you follow up with a handwritten card or a CMA. Delivering a packet This packet may include a brochure, market update for their neighborhood and a letter that's signed by you. You could deliver it the day it expires, but please do not put it in their mailbox—that's illegal. You could include tips such as: "8 Reasons Why Your House Didn't Sell" or "Tips on Getting Your House SOLD," etc. Let the homeowner know what you will do for them should they decide to list their home with you. Once you deliver the packet, send a handwritten note. Stand out from the crowd. I know some will say by the time you do all of that, someone else will have already won the listing, but so be it. That's okay with me as I do not like to call expireds (as I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end). You would be surprised to see how many homeowners are more receptive to a professional packet than being hounded by 50 agents the day their home becomes an expired listing. I do work expired listings, but not the ones that are recent. Instead, I go back 30/60/90 days and choose the ones I would like to work with. Not every expired listing is a right fit for me or my business, so choosing the right home is a top priority. I deliver a package to their door, then follow up with a handwritten card thanking them for accepting the packet and see if they have any questions. They will receive some type of mail every three weeks until they either tell me to stop, list with me or another agent. For homeowners, it's a process of elimination, stand out from the crowd, provide the homeowners with the information they need and that is useful. It's okay if they don't list with you—they will, however, remember your professionalism. For more from Beth, check out her website. To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

Friday Freebie: Educate Buyers and Attract Leads with this Homebuying Guide
We've got a two-fer for you in this week's Friday Freebie: a comprehensive (and brandable!) guide that you can use to attract new leads and educate first-time home buyers, all at the same time. Let's dive in. Free download of The Simplified Guide to Homebuying, courtesy of Zurple An educated buyer is a buyer that is best able to compete in today's cutthroat real estate market. The market is especially tough for first-time buyers, who may not yet know all the steps in the homebuying process or even the lingo. This lack of knowledge makes them less able to move quickly and puts them at a disadvantage in today's market. Enter The Simplified Guide to Homebuying. This brandable guide makes your job easy by clearly explaining everything a buyer needs to know and even gently holding their hand with worksheets, game plans and questionnaires. Here's a look at just some of what this comprehensive guide offers: Homeownership benefits for moving hesitant buyers off the fence Why buyers should work with an agent Flow chart of the homebuying process Overview of how mortgages work Worksheet of home features for helping buyers evaluate listings Homebuyer questionnaire Homebuying game plan with write-in deadlines for staying on track Common real estate terms And much more! This guide is available in both PDF and PowerPoint formats, and comes with instructions for customization and branding. Share it with your buyers or leverage it as a lead magnet that prospects can download in exchange for their contact information. Download The Simplified Guide to Homebuying today!

3 Ways REALTORS Are Using RPR to Gain Clients
Yes, winter is coming. But there are still plenty of opportunities to gain clients and get deals done. A recent thread started in our RPR Connect Facebook group made us realize that agents don't have to screech to a halt in the last two "-ember" months. Here's a collection of the some of the best responses when a new agent asked how RPR could help her find clients and help her business grow: Look up a lead's address Sharing reports so owners can gauge recent home value appreciations Generate and crosscheck CMAs Check on approximate property values Create mailing lists for farms Create customizable presentations for clients Identify property values in neighborhoods Share reports that can be used for annual reviews Look up past sales records and mortgages Show a potential listing client a price range to determine initial asking price To conduct buyer tours (using the RPR mobile app) Open house mapping Investor reviews These are great! We love to see how our users are putting RPR to work to build their businesses. Here's a look at three of our favorite ways you can use RPR to find buyers and sellers right now… Dial up your social shares: Use Canva and RPR together In today's real estate marketing and self promotion world, having a strong social media presence is mandatory. Four generations of home buyers and sellers are active in all types of social channels and you can reach them with just a simple post. However, what you post is of the utmost importance. Typing out long-winded paragraphs of text or scanning an open house flyer aren't going to grab those eyeballs. You need graphics! Beautiful, well-designed graphics that engage the viewer/reader. You need images that you can easily create and customize with local market facts and figures. You need Canva and RPR working together and working for you! Canva is an online design and publishing tool that you can use with the data you pull from RPR reports. Give your friends, followers and soon to be clients market activity updates, new listing and open house announcements, testimonials, or even fun facts and trivia that pertains to their market or neighborhood. We've gone ahead and created six ready to use graphic templates for you to download and customize. For all the details and a step-by-step on how to pull it off, check out: How to Create Instagram Posts for Your Real Estate Business with Canva. Dig, mine and search for prospects with RPR Referrals and repeats are like gold—no question there. However, most agents need to actively look for leads to get to that next level. And that's where prospecting comes in—which is also where RPR comes in. RPR gives REALTORS® access to a slew of prospecting tools, including powerful and dynamic ways to geographically farm neighborhoods and ZIP codes. And after you get your farming list nailed down, you can also create mailing labels in RPR, up to 2,000 per month, for free. You can also take advantage of RPR's reports and data as ways to send your prospects marketing materials. For example, Bruce Inman from Houston, Texas sends out five RPR Seller's Reports directly to addresses he's identified using RPR Maps. And folks, he does this every day! His story and approach is a great way to personalize RPR deliverables to homeowners who hit the sweet spot in terms of listing potential. Another inspiring story comes from Julie Toy, from Garner, North Carolina. Julie also uses RPR Seller's Reports, and she sends them to her past buyer clients on their "house-aversary" (a year after the date they bought their home). Along with the report, Julie sends a note congratulating them on how much their home is now worth. This tactic is noteworthy because the recipient gets a personal note, a report specific to their home, and stats about their home home value. Instead of being a pushy salesperson, Julie comes off as an information ally, and it's led to a handful of her past sellers becoming "now" sellers. As you can see, there are many ways to prospect for new leads and customers. So many ways in fact, we decided to write a book on it! Download How to Farm and Prospect for New Clients today. This exclusive REALTOR® download is yours for the taking and will show you, page by page and step by step, how to identify and market yourself to potential new clients. CMAs that amaze Gaining clients isn't strictly about marketing and prospecting. When you reach the next stage, which might include face to face meetings and listing/capabilities presentations, you need to stand out and show off your strengths. Clients base their decision on: experience and expertise, educated guidance and advice, local market knowledge, and help guiding them through the process. One other big reason is your ability to price a property. This skill sets you apart from the competition and can go a long way in helping you get a contract after a listing presentation. That's where knowing how to put together a solid CMA comes in… A CMA (comparative market analysis) is a process agents use to establish home values and set listing prices. You create CMAs by looking at comps (short for comparable properties). These comps are similar properties, mostly in the same neighborhood, and tend to have the same square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, features, upgrades, etc. You want to compare things that are equal, or at least as equal as possible, to help price your listing. Creating a spot-on CMA is crucial to your skills and success, and your ability to bring clients to the table. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to do it in RPR. The CMA 180°: helping buyers CMAs are an essential tool for working with sellers; that's pretty standard. But RPR's Training team has figured out a way to turn CMAs on their heads and use them to help buyers prepare an offer. RPR CMA tools can help educate your buyers about market conditions, show them how to use pricing strategies to help formulate competitive offers, help them consider other details that can affect an offer such as days on market, financing concerns, appraisals, inspections and deposits. For details and to see how to put a CMA into play for buyer clients, check out this video tutorial: How a CMA Can Guide Buyers in a Tight Market. Use these tools and tactics to find customers now… and in the future Although November and December are looked at as "down" months in relation to housing sales, the fact is hundreds of thousands of sales will still take place. Sure, the pace ticks down a bit in the fall and winter months, but there are still buyers and sellers out there who need your expert guidance. We hope you can use these ideas and RPR to your advantage to find clients now and/or to start planting seeds to kick start the New Year. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.