The following information is provided by the Center for REALTOR® Development.
Despite the claims of vendors promoting their lead-generation-made-easy products, generating quality organic leads is neither quick nor easy. There is no silver-bullet approach. Successful lead generation requires time, effort and resources. What must you consider for your lead generation efforts to be successful and to add to your business and bottom line? Start with these guiding principles.
- Identify Your Target Audience
You need to determine the type of properties, location and clients that you want to work with, based on your comfort level and the market conditions in your area.
- Establish Relationships
When you meet new people, or contact a prospective lead, take the time to listen to find out the challenges they have or the problems they need to solve.
- Capture Information
By collecting as much information as you can about each lead, you can provide content and follow-up that are more personalized and more valuable to them.
- Use a Database
A database allows you to collect and manage your contacts so that you can contact them strategically.
- Categorize Your Leads
One of your key tasks is to determine which leads are the most promising. Most agents distinguish between “cold,” “warm” and “hot” leads.
- Develop Your Systems
It’s important to establish systems so that you can maintain momentum. Every agent has to develop his or her own systems of targeted communication and nurturance.
- Establish Consistency
You can’t become top-of-mind for your leads without keeping in touch with them on a regular basis. You don’t want to be too “in your face,” but you definitely want to let them know regularly that you are there to help when they are ready.
- Track Data
You need to keep track of the efforts you put into capturing and converting leads so that you know which of the tactics you’re using are successful or not.
- Be Authentic
There is no one-size-fits-all technique for generating leads. The key is to choose the methods that come most naturally to you and to do what works to showcase what you have to offer, so you stand out in the minds of leads.
- Give It Time
Lead generation is a marathon, not a sprint. Many agents fail because they give up too quickly and too easily.
To learn exactly how to put the principles above into practice in your day-to-day business, check out the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council’s (REBAC) Generating Buyer and Seller Leads: Capture, Qualify, Convert online course, which is also an elective for REBAC’s ABR® designation.
For more information, please visit RISMedia’s online learning portal from NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD) and the Learning Library. Here, real estate professionals can sign up for online professional development courses, industry designations, certifications, CE credits, Code of Ethics programs and more. NAR’s CRD also offers monthly specials and important education updates. New users will need to register for an account.
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