As a real estate agent, nothing is more valuable than having a strong sales pipeline. Most successful real estate agents use lead generation tools to build this pipeline. To use these tools, it helps to determine your brand and target client. You can do this by asking yourself who your core demographic is. Once you establish this, you can learn where to target your lead generation efforts. Read on to learn some of the top lead generation tools to help you build your real estate business.
6 Lead Generation Tools & Tips for Real Estate Agents
1. Build a Website
Your website gives you a chance to educate readers and capture potential buyers' information. Plus, it makes it easy for buyers to contact you with questions and learn more about your services.
"Your website is a great tool to gain visibility through organic search results and to deliver high-quality content," says Bill Samuel, owner of Blue Ladder Development.
There are plenty of website builders out there, but some popular ones for real estate agents include Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly.
2. Create Valuable Content
Content is the top of the funnel for any lead generation strategy. This might include blog posts, ebooks, social content, or videos. Create content to educate people on the area where you sell homes, how the home buying process works, and other common real estate questions.
"I produce a YouTube series called, The Pittsburgh Your City Show, which focuses on local areas to explore and small businesses to support. People love learning about their local communities," says Michelle Goetzinger, broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
3. Put an Email Management System in Place
An email management system gives you insight into your engagement. When you send emails to your pipeline, you can see the number of opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and more. This data provides insight into what content resonates best with your audience.
"The most cost-effective tool for beginners is Mailchimp," according to Justine Chan, owner of Live with Plum, an online homebuying guide.
4. Engage on Social Media
One of the top lead generation tips for real estate agents is to engage with prospects. Since 79% of the U.S. population is on social media, it's an excellent place to be. Engaging on Facebook and Instagram requires a balance of lifestyle content and targeted ads.
"The important thing is when someone fills out your lead form on social media that the information comes directly into your CRM and starts communicating with the lead immediately," says Goetzinger.
5. Stay Connected with Past Clients
Maintaining relationships with past clients can be a top source of referrals. A survey by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that 90% of homebuyers would recommend their agent to others. NAR also reports the typical Realtor earned only 13% ofbusiness from repeat clients. This disparity shows that the client and real estate agent became disconnected at some point.
Prevent this by staying in contact with past clients. Giving gifts is an excellent way to do this. Deliver a holiday floral bouquet, a bottle of wine for birthdays, or a magazine subscription to stay top-of-mind every month.
6. Education Is Also Part of Success
Start employing these lead generation tips to improve your real estate game. For even more help, take a look at our real estate training courses that cover other marketing and lead generation insights.