New to real estate? Put these real estate lead generation ideas into practice and start growing your business in no time
It can feel like an uphill battle starting out as a new real estate agent. The market is competitive, and clients are looking for experienced agents they can trust. The good news? There are plenty of lead generation techniques even the greenest agents can use to build your client base and help you overcome the challenges of being new to real estate. In this article, we’ll share 9 practical real estate lead generation ideas to get your career off to a smashing start.
Why Lead Generation is Critical for Real Estate Success
Lead generation is the lifeblood of a thriving real estate business. Without a consistent flow of leads, agents can find themselves struggling to fill their pipeline, which directly impacts their ability to close deals and grow their income. Employing a number of different real estate lead generation strategies ensures you can consistently connect with buyers, sellers, and investors who are ready to take action. Getting comfortable with lead generation not only helps agents survive market fluctuations but also allows them to build lasting relationships, increase referrals, and position themselves as trusted experts in their market. In short, a steady stream of leads is what keeps a real estate business running smoothly and sustainably.
9 Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas for New Agents
1. Network like a pro — even from day one
You may not have years of experience, but you do have friends, family, a barista, a dog groomer, Uber drivers, etc. who trust you – use this to your advantage. Let them know you’re in the real estate business and ready to help. As a new agent, your sphere of influence (SOI) is one of your most valuable assets.
Here’s how:
- Provide value: Offer a free real estate consultation to people in your network.
- Be a resource: Give them insights into the current market, offer a property valuation, or simply answer any questions they might have about buying or selling a home.
- Don’t forget to ask them for referrals: Someone in their circle may be looking for an agent, and you could be the perfect fit!
2. Host Free Homebuyer & Seller Seminars
Hosting educational seminars (online or in-person) for first-time buyers, downsizing retirees, or sellers can attract leads by offering upfront value for people who need real estate advice. While you have to work to promote these events and attract attendees, they build trust and position you as a local expert.
Here’s how:
- Choose a segment to go after, whether it’s military buyers, first-time sellers, etc. By being clear about exactly who your content is for, and keeping it focused, you are more likely to attract engaged people to your session.
- Prep your session. Come prepared with an attractive presentation and a plan for the session.
- Promote the event: Post on social media, email relevant leads (and text ones who you think would really benefit from it), and mention it to every potential lead you meet. Be sure to capture the key contact details you’ll need to stay in touch afterward.
- Host the talk: Get out there and crush it. Allow yourself plenty of time to stay after and answer questions.
- Follow up: Prepare a personal follow-up email that shares the resources from the event and invites leads to meet with you. Call or text anyone who is ready to rock.
Pro Tip: Consider preparing content on the same topic for in-person events and online webinars to test which approach is more effective for you.
3. Leverage Email Marketing Campaigns
Often underrated, email marketing is actually one of the most important real estate lead generation ideas, because it’s the other half of the lead generation puzzle: nurturing the leads you do have and warming them up to transacting with you. Use automated campaigns to send high quality newsletters, market updates, and listings to past clients, prospects, and your database.
Here’s how:
- Organize your database: An email tool (whether it’s a dedicated email provider or part of your CRM) can only send accurately if the audience data you feed it is accurate. Invest some time in getting your leads organized by (at least) what their goals are, what they are looking for in a home, and what their timeline is to transact.
- Set up a few nurtures: Once you have a sense of the opportunities in your database, build out some of the nurture campaigns mentioned above — with an eye to the key segments you serve.
- Automate wherever possible: Embrace technology to harness the true value of email nurture. Smart email tools with automation and CRM integrations can help you meet your leads along their journey with relevant, personalized content.
- Monitor results: See how your emails are performing, make a plan, test, and repeat. For ideas on how to send great email, check out this blog post.
Pro tip: Set up a regular email newsletter to keep your network updated with market trends, new listings, and tips on buying or selling their home. People seek out expert advice from trusted sources when the time is right and you want to be top-of-mind when someone in your network needs a real estate agent.
ActivePipe makes setting up a polished newsletter super simple, and gives you access to a trove of expert content that will help you look like a seasoned pro – even if it’s your first time email marketing. Learn more.
4. Showcase your expertise on social media in unexpected ways
Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok are the gateways to lead generation for real estate — 54% of realtors identify social media as their top lead generation platform (source: The Close).
Although it can be time consuming, just one post a day made with the latest content creation trends in real estate can help you reach a wider audience and connect with potential clients.
Here’s How:
- Post regularly: Highlight trends in your local real estate market, share home-buying tips, or post pictures or video walkthroughs of homes you’ve toured (with permission, of course!) to show how active you are in your local area.
- Engage with questions or comments: Social media isn’t just broadcasting, it’s about relationships. Engaging in the comments helps you build rapport with followers, who could become clients.
- Share your personal life, too! People choose agents that they know, like and trust. The more you show your face and share a peek into your personal life, the more opportunity you have to connect with your audience outside of just real estate.
Pro tip: Host a live Q&A on Instagram or Facebook. Sounds scary? We get it. Invite close friends and family to secure friendly faces and encourage them ahead of time to ask questions during the session about the home-buying or selling process. This avoids the dreaded “dead air” and builds credibility with those you haven’t met before who have joined the live.
5. Open doors with online and in-person open houses
If you’ve managed to get a listing (congrats!), remember that it’s not just a commission opportunity – it’s a gateway to new leads. Hosting an open house is a classic tactic you can use to maximize lead generation for real estate listings you’ve managed to score. Put a new spin on them by hosting both virtual and in-person open houses to reach different types of buyers. Virtual open houses are great for out-of-town buyers or people who prefer to tour from the comfort of their homes.
Here’s How:
- Prepare materials: Make sure your brochures are looking great, and have your business cards handy for in-person open houses.
- Set up an online platform: Use a tool like Zoom or Facebook Live to walk buyers through the property in real-time for virtual open houses.
- Engage with viewers: Answering their questions and showcasing the home’s best features.
- Promote your open house: Share on social media and in local community groups to maximize attendance and capture the attention of potential clients who might be just starting their search.
Pro tip: Utilize MoxiPresent to embed a registration form and automatically sync attendees to your CRM for easy follow up.
6. Partner with local hot spots
Partnering with local coffee shops, fitness studios, and home goods stores as a way to get your name out there and tap into existing networks to kickstart the process of lead generation for real estate.
Here’s How:
- Drum up some partner businesses: Ask local business owners if they’d be willing to display your business cards or let you sponsor or host a community event.
- Add value for the business: Offer special discounts to their customers if they buy or sell a home with you.
- Explore Co-Advertising: Split the cost on direct mail advertisements to surrounding areas.
Pro Tip: Consider hosting a joint event like a “Homebuyer Workshop” with a local mortgage lender or home inspector. These partnerships can provide valuable content to attendees while giving you a chance to build relationships and generate leads for both businesses.
7. Create Local Market Reports or Neighborhood Guides
Offering hyper-local content like detailed market reports, neighborhood guides, or “best of” lists for schools and amenities attracts leads looking for information about a specific area, and highlights you as the go-to source for it.
Here’s how:
- Choose a few neighborhoods: These could be where you’ve sold homes in the past, or an opportunity to expand. The key is sticking to areas where you have genuine local knowledge.
- Prep your content: Whatever you decide to create, stay laser-focused on providing value to prospects. Remember, this information can be valuable for buyers or sellers, so be sure to add a compelling call to action that works for both.
- Share it: Make a version for your website to capture maximum SEO value, and share a video or image-based version of it with your network on social media.
8. Turn a passion into your superpower
Do you have an eye for style? Then work with luxury property seekers. Do you have a military background? Consider working with military families. If you can define and communicate your unique value proposition for buyers and sellers, you can break away from the competition and start becoming the agent your target audience seeks out.
Here’s how:
- Shout it from the rooftops: Tailor your marketing and lead generation efforts to address the unique needs of your target market.
- Harness SEO: Create blog posts or social media content around your niche group. For example, if you want to focus on first-time home owners, create content around the home-buying process, such as budget-friendly tips, or common mistakes to avoid.
Pro Tip: Attend local community events that cater to your niche. If your focus is military families, for example, volunteer or participate in events that support veterans. If it’s the right fit with your value proposition, just about any event can become a natural opportunity for lead generation for real estate.
9. Mix and match to stretch your efforts further
Combining the powers of multiple real estate lead generation ideas makes them all stronger and allows you to maximize your reach. As an example, use neighborhood guides to drive organic traffic while posting them on social media to engage your following and including them in email nurtures to warm up leads in those areas. The combinations are endless!
You’ve Got This
Being new in real estate comes with its fair share of challenges, but rest assured: you’re already doing the right thing by researching strategies and making a plan. By implementing some of these ideas for real estate lead generation into your approach, you’ll be well on your way to attracting and nurturing a thriving pool of potential clients. No matter which strategies you lean into, focus on providing value and being genuinely helpful, and you’ll build the trust and credibility needed to grow your client base and start earning those golden referral and repeat business opportunities every agent dreams of.
