All Forum Posts by: Shad Rockstad

If your pipeline depends on chance walk-ins and hope, it will stall the first slow week. A steady business needs a steady way to meet people who actually want your help. A good lead magnet does that by trading real value for a real contact.

What It Is and Why It Matters

A lead magnet is a useful freebie a prospect actually wants. They give you their name and email. You give them something that solves a problem right now.

Used well, it turns website and social traffic into a list you can serve and close. You stop shouting into the void and start speaking to people who raised a hand.

Benefits

• Builds a list of higher-intent buyers and sellers

• Starts trust with value instead of a pitch

• Fuels drip campaigns, retargeting, and follow-ups

• Makes your marketing measurable and repeatable

How to Do It Right

Step 1: Pick a narrow problem to solve – Broad offers flop. Specific wins.
Example: “Downsizing in Cherry Creek: 14-item prep checklist.”

Step 2: Choose the right format – Match the problem and the audience.
Quick example: First-time buyers love checklists. Investors want a calculator or deal sheet.

Step 3: Build a clean conversion path – One landing page. Clear headline. Short form. Obvious next step.
Outcome: Higher opt-in rates and fewer drop-offs.

Step 4: Connect the follow-up – Deliver the magnet by email and kick off a short nurture.
Outcome: Fast replies, booked calls, and warmer conversations.

Step 5: Promote it everywhere – Pin it to your profiles, run a small ad, add a QR code to mailers, and link it from blog posts.
Outcome: Consistent daily signups instead of random spikes.

Sample Templates or Scenarios

Campaign outline: “Thinking of Selling in [ZIP]”

• Audience: Owners in 66208 who plan to list in 3–6 months

• Lead magnet: 7-page “Pricing and Prep Playbook for 66208”

• Landing page: Headline, 3 bullets, short form, privacy note

• Promotion: Two feed posts, one email to SOI, $10/day zip-code ad, QR on postcard

• Follow-up: 5-email series with tips, then invite to a short pricing consult

Email sequence (5 messages, plain text)

1. Delivery: Link to the guide and one tip they can use today

2. Story: A quick win from a recent sale in their area

3. Education: Common pricing mistake and how to avoid it

4. Soft proof: Short review from a local client

5. Next step: Offer a quick call or home value review

Checklist: “Weekend Prep for Show-Ready Photos”

• Clear counters and floors

• Light bulbs matched and working

• Fresh towels and neutral linens

• Curb touch-ups and swept walkways

• Scent neutral, windows cleaned

Investor scenario: “2-Unit Analyzer”

• Magnet: Google Sheet that calculates taxes, insurance, rent, vacancy, and cash-on-cash

• Nurture: Three short emails on screening, maintenance, and lending contacts

• Close: Invitation to get on a weekly deals list

Mistakes to Avoid

• Too generic – “Ultimate home guide” sounds nice and converts poorly

• Too hard to consume – Keep it short, skimmable, and useful on a phone

• No follow-up – If delivery is the end, the lead goes cold

• Weak headline – Lead with the outcome and the audience

• Asking for too much – Start with name and email; add phone later

• Set and forget – Update quarterly so advice and stats stay current

The Bottom Line

Lead magnets work because they flip the script. You help first, then ask. Pick one problem, build one simple offer, and wire it to a lean follow-up. When you promote it in a few steady places, you’ll turn casual traffic into real conversations and a pipeline you can count on.

Leads slip through the cracks for simple reasons. No clear offer. No follow up. No next step. If your pipeline feels random, you don’t need more ads. You need a funnel that guides people from “I just found you” to “let’s work together.”

What It Is and Why It Matters

A real estate marketing funnel is a simple path that moves someone from first touch to signed client. Think four stages: Awareness, Interest, Decision, Action. Each stage answers one question in the buyer or seller’s mind and points to the next step.

Why it matters:

• Consistent lead flow: traffic turns into conversations on purpose, not by luck.

• Better lead quality: offers and messages match the right stage.

• Less wasted time: you focus on people who are moving forward.

• Easy to measure: you can see where the drop-offs happen and fix them.

How to Do It Right

Step 1: Define one audience and one outcome – Pick buyers or sellers, and choose one clear goal. Example: book seller consults in ZIP 85258.

Step 2: Craft a useful offer – Solve a small, real problem. Example: “3-minute home value range with a pricing timeline for Scottsdale.”

Step 3: Build a clean landing page – One headline, one short form, one promise. No menu. No distractions.

Step 4: Drive targeted traffic – Use a single channel to start. Example: a geo-targeted ad “What’s my home worth?”.

Step 5: Nurture with a short sequence – Send five to seven messages over two weeks. Teach, build trust, invite a call.

Step 6: Make the call to action obvious – Calendar link, phone, or reply by email. Keep it to one path.

Step 7: Measure and fix leaks – Check click-through, form conversion, reply rate, and booked calls. Adjust the biggest leak first.

Use plain language at every step. Avoid hype. Be specific about location, timing, and next steps.

Sample Templates or Scenarios

Seller Funnel Outline

Awareness: “Curious what your Scottsdale home could sell for in 30 to 90 days” ad to a simple value page.
Interest: Thank-you page offers a one-page pricing plan.
Decision: Email series with a quick CMA teaser, recent nearby sales, and a short video explaining your process.
Action: “Pick a 15-minute pricing call” calendar link.

Buyer Email Sequence (5 emails)

1. Welcome: “Got it. I’ll send listings under $650k in Gilbert. Here’s how to save favorites.”

2. Neighborhoods: “Quick look at schools, commute times, and 3 areas that match your search.”

3. Money: “Pre-approval checklist and a rate chart snapshot so you can compare.”

4. Touring: “How to judge a home in 10 minutes, plus three properties worth seeing this week.”

5. Invite: “Want me to set two tours on Saturday? Here’s my calendar.”

Open House Lead Follow-Up (Text + Email, Day 0 to Day 3)

• Hour 1 text: “Thanks for stopping by 123 Oak. Want the feature sheet and comps?”

• Day 1 email: Quick recap, link to similar homes, calendar link for a private showing.

• Day 3 email: “Price changes since Sunday” plus two new listings.

Listing Prep Checklist (for sellers who downloaded your guide)

• 10 photo-ready fixes under $200

• Timeline from sign-up to live listing

• What happens the first 72 hours on the market

Mistakes to Avoid

• No clear offer: “Contact me” isn’t an offer. Solve a specific problem instead.

• Crowded pages: too many choices kills action. One page, one goal.

• No nurture: leads go cold without scheduled emails or texts.

• Mixed messages: buyers get seller content and tune out. Segment your list.

• No tracking: if you can’t see the leak, you can’t fix it.

• Inconsistent follow-up: respond in minutes, not days. Speed wins appointments.

Takeaway

Funnels work because they respect how people decide. You earn attention with something useful, you stay present with short, helpful messages, and you make the next step simple. Build one path, measure it, and keep trimming the friction until booked calls become routine.

Good hearing from you, Don. Thanks for the feedback. I completely agree that transparent value is key. The article was written and approved by the BiggerPockets team as a playbook of actionable, free advice to help agents and investors implement these strategies on their own.

Most investors and agents collect leads, but the real challenge is staying in touch until those leads are ready to act. If you don’t have a plan to stay visible, you’re leaving money on the table.

What is a Real Estate Drip Campaign and Why It Matters

A real estate drip campaign is a series of automated emails or texts sent to leads over time. Instead of sending one-off messages, you’re staying consistent and relevant.

Why it matters:

• Keeps you top-of-mind without constant manual effort

• Re-engages cold leads who might otherwise forget you

• Educates buyers and sellers with valuable tips

• Generates repeat and referral business

Done right, drip campaigns build trust while you focus on active deals.

How to Do It Right

Step 1: Segment your list – Separate buyers, sellers, past clients, and investors. Each group should receive messages tailored to their goals.

Step 2: Set a goal for each sequence – Examples: book a listing appointment, schedule a showing, or deliver a home value report. One clear goal makes the campaign more effective.

Step 3: Keep messages simple – One clear call-to-action per email. Avoid clutter and make it easy for the reader to take the next step.

Sample Templates or Scenarios

Buyer Drip Sequence

• Email 1: Welcome and expectations

• Email 2: Neighborhood guide

• Email 3: Financing checklist

• Email 4: Market update

• Email 5: Tour invitation

Seller Drip Sequence

• Email 1: Free home value report

• Email 2: Pre-listing prep tips

• Email 3: Marketing plan overview

• Email 4: Neighborhood comparison

• Email 5: Strategy session invite

Past Client Nurture

• Email 1: Home anniversary note

• Email 2: Seasonal maintenance tips

• Email 3: Local events and news

• Email 4: Referral request

Mistakes to Avoid

• Generic messaging – Personalization is key

• Overloading subscribers – Space out emails for balance

• No mobile formatting – Most emails are opened on phones

• Skipping the CTA – Every message should move the lead forward

Final Thoughts

Leads rarely convert the first time you talk to them. Most need reminders, education, and time before they are ready. Drip campaigns make sure you are in front of them when the timing is right.