Real estate is not for the faint of heart; this is an industry that moves at a lightning pace and changes on a dime. Enough clashing metaphors. As a player in the field, you know you need to be flexible, agile, and responsive. You also know that listings are your lifeblood.
When you are starting out, the question of how to get real estate listings is top of mind. And it can be a significant challenge. Start at the beginning: right here.
You know people; they know people. Call them. This is how you start to build a network, and it begins right at the ground floor with your own contacts. While you don’t want to hit them over the head with a hard sales pitch, you can chat about real estate and inquire into their goals and needs. You never know when a connection will come in handy down the line.
Keep track of your contacts and their stage of readiness (i.e. where they are in the buyer’s journey), and keep at it. It takes patience to build a network, but it is absolutely crucial in this business.
It’s so easy and convenient to send off an email or text, and these are useful modes of communication. But they do not replace human connection. Whenever possible, make every effort to meet in person. This has proven tough in the current state of the world, but as restrictions begin to ease, book safe one-on-ones. This will help you build trust and put a face on your brand.
Even if they’re already working with another agent, it won’t hurt to make a connection and keep your name/face top of mind if their needs should change. They may also refer clients to you.
Remember, don’t step on other agents’ toes; you are in competition, but you need to keep relationships courteous, respectful, and professionals.
This is hard, and no one likes it! But if you are thinking about how to get real estate listings, cold calls are part of the job. You can work on it continually (and should) with tools that list all potential, expired, and cancelled listings. This can be a rich source of potential listings, as well as connections. Call as early in the day as possible, and offer to meet prospects and leads in person. Again, be sure to track these on a spreadsheet.
Social media can be a terrific sales tool, but where it is tremendously useful is in building awareness, recognition, and trust among your target audience. Like the other techniques we have mentioned thus far, and will mention as we go, it is important to keep at it. You won’t see immediate gains; set realistic expectations and keep building your empire, brick by brick!
To get more listings in real estate, outdo yourself on the ones you do have. If you treat your clients well and help them realize the results they want, they will often be happy to pass your name on to their friends, family members, and other connections. Word of mouth is still the most powerful form of marketing, especially in the real estate business.
It takes money to make money, as they say. We wish it didn’t, but there it is! You need to invest in marketing and advertising: from business cards and flyers to email blasts and a robust, easy-to-navigate website, these are essential tools of your trade. Again, it takes time to see bottom line results, but in the meantime, you are building awareness and reputation.
Stay on top of the real estate industry and changing best practices. Invest in courses and conferences to keep your knowledge and skills sharp - and, of course, make and nurture more connections!
Every day, seek to have:
Always be prospecting!
Feature success stories on your social media profiles and on your website (a testimonials section is also a great addition to your site). Consumers identify with their peers, and they trust them. If they see exceptional results you have driven, they will turn to you when they need a real estate professional.
Follow-up is critical as you seek to get more real estate listings. Follow-up with prospects, follow-up with leads, follow-up with clients and past clients. Keeping your network up to date, and your name top of mind, is key. Never stop!
Homes & Land is an innovative platform that streamlines the process for getting real estate leads and listings. Buyers can engage directly with you - and only you - and we help you build a strong referral network, strengthen relationships, and win new listings.
Real estate is a fast-paced industry, and by continually managing each of these steps, you can get more listings - and boost the bottom line.