Paid lead sources like Homes.com City Sponsor are an effective way to feed your lead funnel and gain exposure in your market, but you should never limit yourself to just one lead source. If you’re looking for additional ways to bring in new business, check out these five free and low-cost lead generation strategies.
Social Media
Generating leads on social media works best if you can invest both time and money into your accounts. However, with so many people on social media, you can still generate a decent amount of leads with just a time investment. Prioritize building your reputation as a local expert; answer local questions on Quora, go live on Facebook at local events, share home-buying infographics on Pinterest, and otherwise be the go-to source for local knowledge and news.
Expired and FSBO Listings
Cold calling and door knocking can be very rewarding lead generation options. However, for sale by owner and expired listing homeowners don’t usually start off wanting to work with an agent. You’ll need to be patient and persistent and show them your value to convince them that you’re worth their time and money.
Local Videos
Buyers and sellers want to work with the best agent; prove that’s you by building a reputation as the local expert. Take time to record videos about your town’s upcoming events or tours of local neighborhoods and parks. Add a call to action and contact information to each of your videos and then share them on YouTube, Facebook and your website so that people can find them. Give each video a strong title and include a brief description about the video so that people searching for information on the topic you covered can find your video through search results.
Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist
Most serious buyers will browse local real estate websites or listing portals like Homes.com. However, people just beginning to get serious about buying a home and are researching how much home they can afford may also search for homes on sites like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. Draw these buyers into your lead funnel by creating ads for your existing listings or by offering home tours or guidance to buyers. Be sure to include enough information to grab the viewer’s attention without giving away everything the buyer would want to know. Leave them with a compelling reason to get in touch with you.
Referrals and Repeat Business
Maintaining your CRM enables you to move clients through your sales funnel efficiently and keep track of past clients so that you can nurture them for future business. Categorize your leads and contacts into workable groups that reflect your market and client base so that you can send out hyper-targeted emails that will be much more efficient than more generalized groups like “buyers” or “sellers.”
Every real estate business should have at least four to five good lead sources. Make sure you have a good mix of leads coming from social media, past clients and local advertising such as Homes.com’s City Sponsor program. Find out how to make your listings stand out and attract more buyers on Homes.com!
Mark Mathis is vice president of Sales for Homes.com. For more information, please visit marketing.homes.com.
