Proven Real Estate Prospecting Strategies For New Agents

While newer tactics like content marketing, social media, and chasing FSBO listings are great ways to generate leads, remember the tried-and-true methods of networking and chasing referrals.

Reach out to contacts you meet at open houses and community events with a follow-up email or phone call that is personalized. It can help keep you at the top of your mind when these connections are ready to buy or sell a home.

Networking

The best ways to prospect in real estate is the lifeblood of any successful agent. It’s the constant search for new contacts who could become clients, and it takes creativity, effort, and strategic thinking to master. If you’re a new agent, it’s crucial to make networking a regular practice. The best way to generate leads is through personal interactions with prospective clients, so if you’re not regularly attending networking events or reaching out to new prospects, you’re missing out on opportunities for referrals and other new business.

Attending networking events centered on shared interests (like home buying or selling) is an effective way to connect with real estate prospects. These meetings allow you to learn more about your prospects, including their motivation for selling or buying, and determine whether they are ready to work with an agent.

Cold Calling

Although intimidating, cold calling can be one of the most effective real estate prospecting strategies for new agents. Typically, the first time you reach out to potential leads is not successful, but persistence pays off. Often, you need to contact prospects up to six times before they are ready to speak with you.

Attending networking events around common interests can also be a valuable real estate prospecting strategy. Select events that match your skills and will likely introduce you to potential clients who fit your business well. If you have the resources, teaching a course or workshop that benefits your target clientele can be another great option.

A CRM can help you streamline your communication with prospects by integrating email, text, and calls into a single system. You can then automate many tasks to save time and maximize productivity.

Social Media

Social media is a great way to increase online visibility and generate leads. However, it requires consistent posting and monitoring to maximize results. Set aside time in your real estate prospecting calendar for social media management.

Real estate agent prospects can also be found in online forums where prospective clients ask questions about their real estate needs. Replying to these inquiries demonstrates your expertise and establishes you as a trusted resource.

Another proven prospecting strategy is reaching past clients with a personalized message and small gift. It helps nurture relationships and positions you as the first choice when it comes time to sell or buy a home. A customer relationship manager can help you automate this task by moving past clients into a follow-up funnel that sends them an email every quarter or six months.

Direct Mail

Direct mail is an old-school prospecting strategy that has seen a recent comeback. When executed correctly, it can generate and nurture those leads over time. It’s best used with other real estate marketing techniques, such as content and email marketing, to maximize your ROI.

Create marketing materials that showcase your local market expertise, such as homebuyers’ and sellers’ checklists, to connect with potential clients. This campaign demonstrates your market knowledge and builds trust with potential prospects.

Use a CRM to track past client information. Set reminders every six months to check in with clients & ask for referrals. It demonstrates that you’re committed to your business and will be ready to help when they’re ready to move again. It also helps keep you at the forefront of their minds.

Email Marketing

Email marketing helps to reengage warm leads who have not contacted you recently and can also keep your name in mind when they need an agent. Make sure you customize your emails and don’t blast out an email template. The more personal, the better.

Another real estate prospecting strategy that uses online forums is to reach out to people whose listings have expired or are currently for rent by owner (FRBOs). This is an excellent opportunity to highlight your expertise and connect with prospects individually.

Community events and networking opportunities are an excellent way to meet new clients and build your local brand. It can also lead to organic connections and referrals. This method of connecting with clients often works best when combined with cold calling and social media outreach. It allows you to follow up quickly and personally with potential leads and qualify them as ready-to-buy/sell leads.

Referrals

While newer real estate prospecting strategies like content marketing, social media advertising, and chasing expired listings are all excellent ways to generate leads, remember the power of good old-fashioned tactics. Networking, attending local real estate events, and pursuing referrals can be great for building your brand and getting your name out in the community.

Another effective prospecting strategy is to get involved in your community by participating in local community activities like fundraisers, parades, charity projects, clean-up and beautification initiatives, etc. This helps you connect with your potential prospects meaningfully and establishes you as a knowledgeable, trustworthy, and invested community member.

It’s also important to regularly follow up with past clients and those you’ve had successful deals with. A customer relationship manager (CRM) like Pipedrive can help you manage this process efficiently by setting up automatic email follow-ups and workflow automation that executes tasks on a set schedule.