Generate Real Estate Leads in 6 Steps

Every time I talk to a realtor, the question of generating leads inevitably comes up.

And to no surprise.

With marketing becoming more and more complex, agents grow confused as to what strategies they should use to expand their real estate lead generation tactics. 

That’s why, in this post, I decided to shed more light on the process. And then, show you 6 strategies guaranteed to help you generate more leads for your real estate business.

Intrigued?

Then let’s begin by gaining some perspective on real estate marketing and lead generation.   

The State of the Real Estate Lead Generation

We live in a digital age, which in real estate terms means that today’s home buyers turn to technology and the Internet in every part of the buying process.

They use apps that let them search for homes by location and neighborhoods, virtual tours to review a property in detail and various other tools that make the process quicker and more enjoyable.

According to the National Association of Realtors, 44% of buyers found the home they purchased on the Internet.

Also, Contractually reports that 80% of home buyers are using the web to search for a new home.

It’s no different from finding a realtor.

The same organization’s report, “Real Estate in a Digital Age” reminds us how, in 1981, the top way to find an agent was through friends, relatives, and neighbors.

Today, however, the process typically starts online.

Just take a look at the data from the already mentioned report:

At the same time, according to another data source, realtors generate fewer than 20% of their total leads online.

From my countless conversations with realtors, I conclude that this is largely due to a lack of knowledge as to how to generate those leads online.

And so, here are 6 strategies I continuously find particularly effective.

#1. Create Guides and eBooks for First-Time Buyers and Sellers

Tell me, what’s the first thing you do when you seek advice, insights or recommendations?

You turn to the Internet.

Your potential customers do the same.

They scout the web searching for answers to their questions and guidance. Most importantly, they seek in-depth resources that would help them buy or sell the house.

So, create an eBook, a special report or any other lead magnet that promises them information and advice that relates to their current needs – buying the first house, for example.

And then, offer it in exchange for their contact information to convert them into your list.

For example, this real estate agency offers a free eBook guiding first-time buyers through the intricacies of buying a house.

And this one offers a checklist to help first-time buyers ensure they don’t miss a thing in the process.

In both examples, these companies provide helpful and undoubtedly, valuable advice in exchange for a person’s contact details. Details, they could, in turn, use to nurture those leads and build relationships with them.

How to generate leads with eBooks?

Offer them on your site, in exchange for a person’s name and contact information.

Every time someone requests the eBook, their details are logged in either your email platform or CRM, depending on your setup.

#2. Record YouTube Videos Addressing Your Leads’ Concerns

Here’s an interesting fact – 85% of buyers and sellers want to work with an agent who uses video.

But this should come as no surprise.

After all, the effectiveness of video in the buyer’s journey is irrefutable. Just consider these recent video marketing data from Hubspot:

• 97% of marketers say a video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service.
• 76% say it helped them increase sales
• 95% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service.

Incredible, right?

The power of video lies in the fact that it can help you connect with leads at the most crucial times in their buyer’s journey.

Let me illustrate this with an example.

Take someone buying their first home. It’s certainly a trying experience with so many decisions to make, factors to consider, things to analyze…

Now, imagine that during the process you discover a video like this one:

Or this:

Suddenly, the process all becomes just a touch easier, don’t you agree?

At the same time, the person behind the video gets the opportunity to introduce themselves, and position as an authority in the market.

How to generate leads with videos?

Add a call to action to a video, prompting a viewer to go to your site. Also, add the same call to action with a link to the site to the video’s description.

#3. Build your credibility contributing to real estate publications

In today’s, highly competitive market, nothing differentiates a business better than credibility.

The challenge? How do you build that credibility in the age when 72% of buyers start their journey with an online search?

Solution – Position yourself as a real-estate thought leader by regularly publishing to local and web-based real estate publications.

But I admit, while these publications might not reach a vast number of people, they reach the people that matter: homebuyers looking for insight.

The more information you can provide real estate leads in your articles, the more credible you become. It shortens the path to conversion when leads have already read about your expertise.

Here is an example of content published by a realtor on a real estate advice site:

How to generate leads with guest posts?

Most publications allow authors to create a byline – an author’s bio, typically placed under the post. Reference your site in the byline, as well as any eBook or other lead magnets you’ve created, enticing readers to check them out.

#4. Publish helpful content on your blog

Your blog is the foundation of the entire inbound marketing process.

By providing information and advice, articles you publish aim to attract targeted visitors to your site, position you as an authority and initiate a new business relationship.

The catch, to make the blog work for your business, you need to focus on answering topics relevant to buyers in your area.

For example, this real estate agency shares insights that help anyone looking to move to the neighborhoods they serve.

How to generate leads with the blog?

You have a number of ways to do so:

• Include information about your business, and link to a home page, allowing a person to learn more about you.
• Promote your eBooks or other lead magnets to blog readers.
• Offer the option to join your email newsletter.

#5. Offer a free home evaluation on your website

Most lead generation strategies we covered so far focused on homebuyers.

This one, however, helps you attract new sellers to your agency.

It relies on sellers’ natural curiosity to know the value of the house as quickly as possible.

Here’s how it works.

You install a home valuation tool on your site that asks a person some required information about their house.

However, before it reveals the initial house valuation, the tool asks the seller to submit their email address, capturing a lead for your business.

How to generate leads with a home evaluation tool?

Create calls to action throughout the website pointing to the tool. Similarly, reference it and link to its landing page from author bylines and your social media profiles, to drive more sellers to that page.

#6. Retarget Your Visitors

96% of website visitors aren’t ready to interact with you.

Sure, some might download the eBook or request the free home evaluation.

But the majority will leave without engaging with you in any way.

However, it doesn’t mean they won’t come back. And you can further increase the chances of bringing them back with retargeting.

Retargeting is an online advertising technology in which you reach people who have left your site specifically. With retargeting, you can display relevant ads to people who performed specific tasks on your site to remind them about you, and continue developing a relationship with them.

And the power of retargeting lies in its power to be highly specific as to whom you target and with what message.

For example, a person who left the site from a specific listing is most likely considering buying. And so, you could retarget them with ads that position you as the realtor to work with.

However, you could consider anyone leaving from free home evaluation landing page a seller. And in turn, target them with ads relevant to selling a home.

How to generate leads with retargeting?

Set up retargeting campaigns targeting different types of potential clients – sellers and homebuyers to bring them back to the site and make an inquiry with you.

And that’s it

Now you know the 6 strategies I recommend any realtor looking to generate more leads online.

All that’s left is to get started implementing them for your business.

Good luck.