Agents: How do you find buyer and seller leads?

Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes

Just curious what's working for other agents out there as far as lead generation is concerned. I am following the Buffini path and trying to develop a referral based business, but in the meantime I'm looking to see if there's any other creative ways tot grow my database. Thanks in advance.

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Russell BrazilBusiness Member

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Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes

I speak at REIAs and real estate meetups, referrals, repeat clients. There is a saying, there are riches in the niches. I find it much much easier have a niche than being a generalist.

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Chase McArthur
Specialist · Washington, DC · Member since 2019 · 177 posts · 150 votes
7y
@Anthony Katsonis
Surprisingly I've never heard of the Buffini approach, I'll have to look into that.
Yea, cold calling is a mother, but at this point it's second nature, just like calling a friend. I've built my self up enough to know the value I can bring so if I get the cold shoulder, I'll just try again next quarter, haha. Consistent persistence.
1 Reply
William Brown
Rental Property Investor · North Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2014 · 93 posts · 10 votes
7y
@Anthony Katsonis You can use social media business cards, flyers, postcards in mail, going to meet ups, throw event for the community about real estate, home buying and selling and upkeep on home etc......get your flyers/cards into businesses in your community that will allow it.......walk neighborhoods and hang door flyers on doors (if allowed in neighborhood)...... network network network....word of mouth tell eveyone you know family friends to get the word out about your business......get a shirt made and wear around busy areas you go to......if your brokerage allows it see if you can do other agents open houses if they don't have the time to do it.......network with other professionals in real estate like investors,inspectors, property managers, other agents, appraisers help them get business then ask them to refer you to anyone they know looking to buy or sell.....then repeat repeat repeat......you have to become a great marketer and just keep marketing
1 Reply
Andrew Brown
Real Estate Agent · Lake Elsinore, CA · Member since 2015 · 37 posts · 26 votes
7y
For me, with my background in Internet Marketing and Social Media, I use FB extensively, generating close to 100 contacts a month, resulting in 40% looking to buy or sell. And with my killer follow up plan, I’m able to stay top of mind until they are ready to get off the sidelines and make a move. 35 million in 2018 in referral sales volume!
7 Reply
Henry Lazerow
Real Estate Agent · Chicago, IL · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
7y
When you first start friends and family. After a while if your good and clients like you it will snowball. I get several quality leads a month now without doing any marketing just from referrals. I closed 9.9 million last year and carved out a niche.
I have tried direct mail and got nothing. Who really lists with someone they don't know? No one. You list with an agent who your friend you trust used and said was good. Networking and going out to dinners, grabbing drinks, etc. has a much higher ROI then any mail campaign.
Oh, I did Zillow paid leads before. It was 99% junk leads but I did get one $700k deal closed off it but still did not renew when contract ended. For someone starting out I would 100% recommend Zillow and also ask to host open houses for other agents at your brokerage.
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Farzan Setayesh
Rental Property Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2017 · 86 posts · 14 votes
7y
@Cassi Justizwhat is FB live? Could you pls explain? Also, how do you do open house for new constructions? Developers have their own open houses.
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Josephine Giordano
Real Estate Agent · Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2018 · 22 posts · 13 votes
7y
@Anthony Katsonis
1.Get to know the community. My father owns a neighborhood pizza shop. I put my postcards on all the pizza boxes. It’s a great way for me to market to long term customers that know me.
2. I do listing agents open houses to get buyers.
Hope this helps. I’m new at sales and found these effective. I used to do rentals and found it to be a lot of work on the Internet and got me no where.
3 Reply
Josephine Giordano
Real Estate Agent · Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2018 · 22 posts · 13 votes
7y
@Andrew Brown
God bless that’s amazing
1 Reply
Dennis Maynard
Real Estate Broker · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2018 · 307 posts · 146 votes
7y
I'll add my 2 cents. Bombbomb.com + Tom Ferry + Online Presence + "Millionaire Real Estate Agent" (The bible of RE). It will take a while, and I've had the fortune of getting side tracked in commercial. I'm now trying to rebuild my residential business while I'm searching for investment partners. The best way I've found is get in those open houses and find buyers. Work with them for years! Why? Because they become Sellers! And when you get enough, you get the listings and can build a solid business. This is not over night. Prior to the crash, I was one of the top individual agents in my office in the Hollywood Hills. I GRINNED to get deals done. A lot of work. There is no shortcut! The tools above will give you a good starting place. Tom is great. The book is great. Get a plan and stick to it. Commit to 1 YEAR of Process before you re-evaluate.
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Justin Caputo
Real Estate Broker · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2016 · 70 posts · 15 votes
7y
@Anthony Katsonis
Omg there’s so many ways! I actually just wrote a book: “113 ways to generate leads in RE”
Buffini is okay but can be slow.. get out there!!
1 Reply
Michael Ablan
Real Estate Broker · Watertown, NY · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
@Anthony Katsonis I had success in most avenues when I was in pursuit of #1 sales agent in my office.
1. Cold calling FSBOs (whether from yard signs or craigslist. I'd always make sure to have something to offer them when I spoke to them. Whether it was a free comp analysis, picture recommendations or areas that could use sprucing up (like landscaping, deck paint, ect). I'd provide value immediately and show them that I knew what I was talking about, and was worth the realtor fee.
2. Zillow/Realtor advertising. Although it can be expensive, I've always have a 10x+ ROI on all my campaigns. I make sure to keep my reviews on point and respond to them all. I also make sure to professional photography and a short, but concise bio.
3. Facebook posts/advertising. I bought a hootsuite membership and set it to share 3-5 houses per day with calls to action. This probably annoyed the hell out of my friends, but it kept my top of mind.
4. Expired Listings mailers. I found the key to this one was to send an infographic that had easy to read information. It was also important to hand write the addresses to increase open rate. Following up 1-2 weeks later is allow important. You need to prove that you're different than the lazy realtor who listed their house before.
5. Converting leads from my We Buy Houses campaigns. If an owner contacts me with a house that doesn't fit my investing schemes, then I offer to list it for them. My success rate in getting the listing is very, very high.
There's many other ways, but I've gotta run. Feel free to PM me anytime if you want to brainstorm other techniques!
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Anthony Katsonis
OP
Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes
7y
@Chase McArthur
Look into Brian Buffini's Peak Producers program. It's a 12 week training course, I'm on week 5. It's fantastic!
I dig your philosophy on how to handle the phone. The fortune is in the follow up as they say! Thanks man!
0 Reply
Anthony Katsonis
OP
Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes
7y
@William Brown
I dig it. Prospect ALL THE TIME! I do a lot of those things you are suggesting, but there is certainly some great ideas that I'm not currently doing that I am going to integrate into my business. Thank you very much!
0 Reply
Anthony Katsonis
OP
Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes
7y
@Andrew Brown
Dude... Those are great results you are getting! I would seriously like to pick your brain. I really want to develop my Facebook marketing side of the business... I post my listings on Facebook groups and it takes them to my squeeze page that grabs their email, but I'm not really sure where to go from there. I've tried adding them as friends, just FB messaging them asking for feedback for my seller as an icebreaker, emailing them asking the same thing... Not very good results so far... If it wasn't such a far drive, I'd seriously take you to lunch just to pick your brain and take notes...
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Anthony Katsonis
OP
Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes
7y
@Henry Lazerow
Great stuff. I definitely am working the SOI and referral side of the business. It just takes time, but I know it will pay off. It is encouraging to hear that it is paying off for you!
Yeah I may try Zillow, I've just heard a lot of bad feedback about them and they are so damn expensive...
I certainly could do more open houses. Thanks for the help my man!
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Anthony Katsonis
OP
Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes
7y
@Josephine Giordano
That's awesome about the pizza boxes - brilliant! Now I'm trying to think of how I could implement something similar.... Hmm...
How would you do rentals? Would you market to them to get them to buy? Get paid a commission to help them find a place?
0 Reply
Anthony Katsonis
OP
Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes
7y
@Justin Caputo
That's awesome - you wrote a book! I'd like to check that out.
Yeah Buffini is definitely as strategy that I am going to integrate and implement into my business over the long term, but I am looking to kickstart the leadflow. Thanks man!
0 Reply
Anthony Katsonis
OP
Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes
7y
@Dennis Maynard
I'm gonna look into Bombbomb... I've hear Tom Ferry talk about it, he's great! I'm pretty sure I bought milionaire real estate agent and partially read it, I'm slapping my hand right now for not finishing it... I'll have to dig it up. Solid advice. Thank you so much!
0 Reply
Anthony Katsonis
OP
Realtor and Investor · Placerville, CA · Member since 2013 · 130 posts · 59 votes
7y
@Michael Ablan
1. Great advice for the FSBO script. I can see how that would totally increase the conversion rate. FSBO's are not exactly low hanging fruit, but a lot of agents make a damn good living with them.
2. Another vote for Zillow. 10x! That is substantial. Thanks for the tips.
3. I'm gonna look into hootsuite.
4. Great stuff, if they are calling that sign, chances are they are super motivated sellers.. That's awesome!
Thank you so much for the advice - I really appreciate it!
0 Reply
William Brown
Rental Property Investor · North Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2014 · 93 posts · 10 votes
7y
@Anthony Katsonis Your welcome goodluck I hope you have great success.
0 Reply
Ken Breeze
Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2015 · 485 posts · 384 votes
7y
"Many roads lead to Rome." as the old saying goes. And there's another wisdom that comes to mind: "Fast, good, cheap. You can only have two."
There's truth in what @John Warren says, referrals are ultimately awesome, the organic, natural way of getting new customers, however, nothing in life, except the love of our mama, is really free. Before you reach the level of receiving a constant flow of "free" referrals, you’ll need to input a lot of time, months if not years of hard work and persistent and continued networking to reach that level.
Sure, you could keep using the seemingly low-cost old school methods of print media, direct mailings, forums, and lists, cold calling FSBOs and what not but it's neither efficient nor was it ever any fun.
But wait. They invented the internet and targeted marketing that attract laser sharp, qualified and motivated leads - instead of chasing them. So go where the eyeballs are to quote Gary Vaynerchuck who wrote: "Crush It".
So, until you get to the point of constant referrals, let's remember that any business is about persistent and focussed marketing - no matter what your selling or looking for. So @James Wise is right when he says: "It's a marketing business more than anything. Focus your efforts & budget on marketing to sellers & the buyers will come free of charge."
I don't agree with the "free" part, as I said, nothing is for free if you do everything yourself it cost you time and a few resources and that is not for free either. However, I'd go a step further, after learning from Tim Ferriss (The 4 Hour Work Week) and many, many others, to grow your team, leverage their time and expertise and outsource what is not your core strength and passion.
We all only have 24 hours a day and need to make decisions on how to grow and not put more stuff on our plate.
All the marketing strategies, tactics, and skills that one needs to learn and apply on a regular basis is a huge time investment, so the real question is: Do you want to squeeze another few hours per week into your already overloaded schedule and do all the tedious work you don’t know how to do or like doing, instead of growing your team and leveraging their time to do it much better and faster for you so you can focus on what really matters:
GROWING YOUR BUSINESS, NOT RUNNING IT
Hit me up on a PM if you have any more questions.
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