“Be so good they can’t ignore you” – Steve Martin

I’ve been asked more times than I can count over the years what the “secret” is to real estate success. And while there are a lot of ingredients in the recipe, I can tell you that there’s one that surpasses all the others:  generating a consistent supply of good quality leads.

Real estate isn’t a consumable. The average person only needs the services of an agent every few years, and this means you need fresh leads not only to stay in business, but to build the business and life of your dreams.

So stop asking yourself, “How do I get more listings?” or “How do I close this sale?” and start asking, “What’s the best way for me to consistently generate new leads?”

Successful lead generation is the foundation of any strong business. Everything else follows from that.
 

But of course, the question is easy; it’s the answer that’s tricky.  In my experience, every form of lead generation works if you do it effectively. Open houses. Phone prospecting. Facebook ads. Door knocking. Old school, new school. High tech, low tech. They all work if you do them correctly and consistently.  

So how do you choose?  Let’s start by looking at some examples:

Telephone Prospecting
Say you have a goal to connect with 100 people, via the phone, four days a week. If that seems like it would take an entire day, think again. You can use a software program call Mojo that dials for you, up to three lines at a time. Using that software and a good headset, you can talk to up to 50 people an hour, which means in a three-hour time block, you can usually hit your 100-contact target easily.

The results? Even if just 1% of your phone contacts result in a closed sale, your rate of return on those efforts can be measured in the thousands of dollars.

Database Referrals
Another way to generate leads is by offering incredible service to a small database of carefully nurtured contacts. By ‘nurtured’ I mean these contacts are consistently touched by you throughout before, during and after a sale using a systematic assortment of value-focused calls, social media connections, emails, special event invitations and local area real estate updates.

Open Houses
Open houses are still an incredible lead source, especially when done strategically. When you schedule an open house, consider what one of our top producing members does and invite the neighbours for an exclusive VIP tour one hour in advance—after all, who’s more curious about a home then the people on the street?

Internet Lead Generation
With lead generating landing pages, and online lead generating services like Zillow and other similar companies, today’s web savvy agents are generating an abundance of inbound inquires via the internet.  But the secret to converting these inquiries into strong leads and ultimately customers, is a timely response and a strategic follow-up plan used with consistency.

You’re likely not going to be the only agent in your area using this approach so you want to be the first to respond to someone, within five minutes, if possible.  And then? Follow up with each lead systematically — twice a day for two weeks. That may seem like a lot but it’s a proven, profitable system that I’ve seen work.

There is an endless supply of success stories that prove these strategies work. For every possible way of generating leads, there is someone who excels at it. Literally everything works if you execute well.  So, which do you pick?
 

Here’s a simple 3 step formula to help you choose your lead generating strategies.
 

Step #1.  Choose What Fits You
There are plenty of strategies to choose from.  Focus on picking one that fits your style. If you like meeting people, then knock on doors or do great open houses. If you love technology and advertising go online. The better the fit, the more likely you’ll do it.  The more you do it, the better you’ll get at it.  It really is the only way to become exceptional.

This is precisely why our coaching program is customized for each coaching member. We know everyone has different strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. We find the way you would most like to generate leads and then teach you the best system.

Step #2.  Always Follow a System
Lead generation takes time, and no matter what, it is a numbers game. For it to work, you need to follow the same steps, over and over. Analyze your results and adjust your system as you go, but always follow a system. 

Step #3.  Be Consistent
Be consistent and persistent—the habit is more important than the activity. It doesn’t matter if you knock on doors or make phone calls—the important thing is that it gets done. Making a few calls here and knocking on a few doors there isn’t going to cut it. 

If you’re serious about lead generation, and want to become “so good you can’t be ignored,” consider attending Secrets of the Masters Real Estate Conference. You’ll hear from people who have turned lead generation into an art form, and who will be sharing their secrets, systems and expertise with you “live.”

Look forward to your lead generating thoughts – please share in the comments section. 

Until next time, make it count.

Richard