When creating a real estate marketing strategy, there are many things to take in account. But 80% of your focus should be on direct lead generation and converting those leads into clients. Here are the top 2 tactics to implement into your plan, to do just that.

But before I do that, let me give you a very big tip on how you make more money in your real estate business this year…

Real estate is a sales business at its core. The more leads you can bring into your funnel, of buyers, sellers and investors… The more money you’ll make.

Knowing that, the majority of your real estate marketing strategies, should be devoted to lead generation.

What I’m going to give you is 2 simple tactics you can implement this month. To generate an additional 15 to 20 leads per day.

The first strategy I’m going to cover is Craigslist…. I know, I know, you’ve probably heard everything under the sun, when it comes to this website.

But the truth is, the agents generating 30 to 50 leads per day using Craigslist marketing, don’t teach it. And they certainly don’t hand out their tactics to other agents for free.

There are a few key ways to make sure you generate boat loads of leads from this website.

First, make sure your headline title is completely different from other agents titles. Make sure to look at what everyone else is posting first. Add some signs, dashes, capital letters and of course don’t forget to add a call to action like click here, or check it out.

Second, make the purpose of your ad to get them to click off of Craigslist and land on another website. So hyperlink all images, and put a call to action in your ad.

Which leads to my last Craigslist point… Send them to a website that is devoted to lead generation. That means no extra links or distraction. Have them opt-in to look at more homes or get a free report of some type.

By doing this you are motivating them, to give you their contact information. Simple right?

Craigslist is free, there is no reason why you can’t do these 3 steps and produce tons of leads with them.

The last tactic that should be included in your real estate marketing strategy, is a personal blog.

A personal blog is priceless!

Over time, your blog will rank in the search engines and bring in qualified leads everyday for years to come.

The key is to write content regularly.

Whenever you have a new listing, put it on the blog.

Whenever there is a market update, put it on the blog

Every month post an article on how the real estate industry is doing.

Post niche updates… Foreclosure news, investor news and mortgage news.

There are hundreds of things to write about, the key to write frequently and just let the search engines pick up your blog over time.

If you combine these 2 strategies, with a solid face to face or phone prospecting time everyday. You can reach 15 to 20 leads per day in a matter of 30 days or less.

If you are serious about generating real estate leads, come watch a free 1hr live online workshop on generating buyers and sellers using the internet.

At one point I spoke with a realtor that had about 86% bounce rate on her home page for her real estate website. As a side note. Bounce rate is a term used in with website traffic analysis. What bounce rate refers to is the percentage of initial visitors to your website who leave your site in under five seconds

So can you imagine 86% of the people that would walk into your office and asking about real estate walking out before you had a chance to talk with them? Probably not right? And that is why it doesn’t matter what search terms you are on the top of in the search engines if no one is turning into a client.

Everyone that puts eyes on your website is making snap judgments about your credibility and why they shouldn’t trust you. This doesn’t mean that you need to spend a lot of money on a website. It just means the presentation needs to be clean. It means that your website shouldn’t be so busy that they get confused. It means that your website can’t load slowly. It also means that you don’t want to have auto-playing music.

This means that when each of the pages of your website need to address and individual concern and each page needs to have a clear call to action of what they should do next. Try to find reasons why your prospects should be contacting you, or joining your email list. This way you can turn the process of having someone on your website into a real asset of a list of prospects.

So the best thing you can do is think about what the best experience your prospect would have if they were going to turn into a real client for you. Then create that experience for them in your website navigation. You might be able to get a couple ideas by searching for your key real estate terms in other larger very competitive markets. The reason this usually works pretty well is because large real estate groups with lots of transactions have the budget to invest in the research it takes to convert a high level of prospects into buyers and sellers. So modeling the commonalities that make since is a good short cut to marketing success online as a realtor.

If you have done the right keyword research and your website is at the top of the right search terms and your still not creating a high level of buyer and seller leads; then take a close look at your design and what you can do to get more of those people call you.

You can also get a lot of other valuable personal and business development resources at our Business Coaching blog. To or take a look at this Brentwood TN Real Estate Project I am using as an example.

Smart and eloquent real estate agents used to be the most important ones needed to succeed in a real estate business. Such individuals are still deemed extremely beneficial and helpful in this industry. These days, however, a steady flow of quality leads has become the lifeblood of this estate business. For many businesses, generating effective and quality buyer and seller leads is a huge challenge. And whether you have started a estate business and are finding it hard to generate leads or are planning to venture into this type of industry, here are some lead generation real estate techniques that will help you effectively generate quality leads.

1. Establish and improve your business’ visibility. Obviously, if people don’t know you exist, you’ll never get leads and clients. There are many different ways on how you can make your business more visible. You can go through the traditional type of marketing, such as cold calling and handing out flyers and brochures, or you can do online marketing, which is the easiest and most convenient method to market businesses today.

2. Pick the method you want to use. Whether you are opting for traditional type of marketing or online marketing, always ensure the method you will use fits your budget. You can also employ methods that won’t cost you a cent. These include the use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, which have also become the most common and widely-used tool for marketing online.

3. Establish a good reputation. This is a must for every type of business, both online and offline. Remember that one of the most difficult parts of being in a real estate business is getting people to talk and trust you. This would be a huge challenge if you have poor reputation and negative feedback from your past clients. If you have your own real estate website, you may want to ensure it has a testimonials’ section where prospective leads can read and find out more about your business.

4. Ensure you’re searching for real estate leads in the right places. This is a common problem among businesses finding leads; they’re not searching at the right places. Aside from searching online, you can also find good real estate leads through personal acquaintances, joining clubs and professional organizations, and attending various community events. Such are perfect opportunities for you to introduce your business and scout for prospects.

Advancements in technology, particularly the introduction of internet, have indeed unleashed massive changes in the real estate industry. Such developments have been proven to be extremely beneficial in lead generation. Remember, however, that to achieve positive results and good quality leads, you need to employ certain techniques such as mentioned above. By following these five simple tips, your lead generation real estate efforts will sure pay off in the long run.

Your Real Estate Lead Generation

You see for sale signs all over the place, but far less frequent are open house signs. Many believe that open houses are so 20th century and that today’s savvy buyers research on-line and are just too busy to be bothered. Certainly here in Las Vegas, we have the added complexity of being a 24 hour town.

It is true that approximately 77% of home buyers do some research on line. And yes, they LOVE all of the colorful pictures and virtual tours that are available. However, seeing is believing. Because walking thru a home and visualizing yourself in the property is still very much a part of the home buying experience, an excellent way to “test drive” a property is to attend an open house.

So, it is this Real Estate Agent’s opinion that while “old fashioned” for some, in today’s extremely competitive buyer’s market something old is new again!

Steps to a successful open house:

1. Plan your event:

Consider coordinating your open house day and time with others in the area. The more open houses, the more foot traffic. Start your event at least fifteen minutes to a half hour earlier than the others and stay open fifteen minutes to a half hour later.

Schedule your event time and day as to NOT conflict with local or national events. An example might be scheduling an open house during a highly anticipated sporting event (playoff games, or during the Super Bowl). Turn-out will be disappointing and no one has time and money to waste!

Check with the (HOA) Home Owners Association concerning posting signs. Some associations do not allow these signs or they may have strict rules and regulations regarding signage. If the neighborhood rules prohibit signage then it is important to add a map to your advertising to help prospects find your open house.

If you can post signs, then post directional signage at the busiest intersection closest to the home and at the corner. Place signage every few blocks until you end up at your house. For added attention, attach balloons to each sign.

Print 4-color flyers and go door-to-door in the neighbor advertising the event. Remember, people love to stay in their neighborhood when they “move-up” or they may have friends or family who want to live nearby. Your flyers should be filled with quality photos and a list of reasons for a buyer to purchase the home.

Advertise your open house. Write colorful, descriptive ads and place them in classifieds and open house directories.

Communicate your event to all of the agents in your office.

2. Prepare the home:

Make the home a showcase! Ensure the house is cleaned top to bottom (inside and out). Clean the windows, landscaping should be net and trimmed, make sure magazines, loose papers and newspapers are put away. De-clutter the kitchen. Keep countertops clear of appliances and other items. Stage the main living areas. Remove as many personal items as possible. You want potential buyers to envision their “stuff” in the home and not yours. Temporarily remove pets for the home. Consider hiring a professional cleaning service if needed.
Remove all vehicles from the driveway. Ask neighbors to help out by not parking in front of your house.

Open all the blinds, drapes, and window coverings — let in that light.

Turn the lights on. Each room should be well-lit. Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature.

Turn on soft music on each floor to help set a mood. Soft jazz or classical are good choices.

Light candles or bake some chocolate chip cookies to add to the ambiance.

Provide refreshments and snacks. Have cold drinks on a hot day and hot drinks on cold days.

Provide a sign-in book. Collect all visitor’s names and contact information. Homeowners like to know who have been in their home. A sign-in book protects your clients interest. Also each visitor is a potential client.

Have flyers with available financing options, mortgage rates, taxes and insurance information. Strongly, consider having a local banker or mortgage lender on site during the open house to answer any mortgage questions potential buyers may have.

Set out all documents pertaining to the house. (Inspection reports, appraisal or comps, major repairs & warranties).

Ask for feedback. Ask each buyer what they thought of your home and would they consider buying it.

3. Follow up:

After the open house, follow up with everyone who attend to thank them for attending with a note and/or phone call.

By Robin Gray a Real Estate Agent at Re/Max Excellence in Las Vegas, NV

702-517-3078 Follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/rgrayrealtor

In a highly competitive industry made more challenging because of a tough national economy, real estate agents can still find affordable and effective real estate lead generation techniques that allow them to be on top of the game.

Getting help from a reputable real estate lead generation service provider can assure realtors a steady and strong client list that gets updated regularly. What’s amazing is that this wider, more far-reaching leads base isn’t just spoon-fed and controlled by the lead generating company. Instead, the most innovative companies offer value for money as they basically provide their realtor clients the tools to be their own lead generating machine. Successful lead generating techniques mainly rely on the use of online tools, such as emailed search services, for instituting a comfortable and consistent client base.

Emailed Search Service for Real Estate Lead Generation

1. It delivers fast and quality information to users.

When a realtor sets up an emailed search service website, users sign up for free services that allow them to receive detailed and focused property listings that best answer their particular search query. This limits down their search and helps them get a wide perspective, as well as detailed information, about property options that are open to them.

2. It clues website owners on the demands of the market.

For the real estate agent who owns the website, they are able to maximize the knowledge of getting specific information to see what’s in high demand at a particular time. Website owners also have the advantage to access the contact information of users/members, making the website a reliable source for automated, regularly updated real estate lead generation.

3. It creates connections within the community.

The number of leads that can be generated through innovative online tools can be so extensive that realtor clients are able to exceed their quota, and make a side business out of referring surplus leads to other real estate agents. The process becomes a dynamic network where agents, seller, buyers and other real estate stakeholders make connections that benefit not only them, but also the whole community, the industry, and the economy.

4. It’s the most effective calling card and sales pitch all-in-one.

Sending an email is one of the most personal and friendly type of communications online. Checking the inbox requires the direct consent of the user, so it is more possible that they will be opening and reading the email with an open mind, at a convenient time. They can re-read and reassess the information on the email 24/7, allowing them to absorb the information effectively. Agents can highlight the properties that best suit their portfolios and the users’ specifications – an effective way to close a sale without the need for a long-winding sales pitch. The best thing is, emails are sent regularly, and each and every one is signed with the agent’s name for ultimate and consistent exposure.

5. It helps them avoid costly ad and marketing campaigns.

Real estate lead generation does not require real estate agents to purchase high-tech equipment or roll out expensive marketing campaigns. All they need to do is find a reputable realtor marketing company that can provide them cost-efficient online tools such as an emailed search service that will definitely help them highlight their qualities as the number one realtor to trust.

Real Estate Lead Generation

Do you want more creative ways to attract traffic and leads to your websites? One real estate marketing strategy that we have found to be extremely effective is by using LinkedIn groups to post updates to your audience.

This functions somewhat like Twitter in that you will be able to “share” updates and recent posts you have created within your LinkedIn account. However, there are certain steps that also need to be followed in order to offer your audience quality content without spamming.

Therefore, we have outlined the process below so that you can follow our own methodology that has resulted in dozens of leads for our business each week.

Real Estate Marketing With LinkedIn Groups:

• Step 1: First go to “Groups” and then “Groups directory” after you are logged into your account. You can then type in various keywords (such as your local city or sub cities) to run a search on local groups in your area. The system will then return the list of results based on your inquiry.
• Step 2: Please be sure to only join those groups that are related to your real estate business, so that you are sharing information with people that will find your postings to be interesting and helpful. For example, you may want to join your local business Chamber or real estate association, but not a local school of law. Simply click the “Join Group” link located next to each listing. It is advisable that you choose around 10-20 groups to be a part of.
• Step 3: Once you have selected your list and been approved by the group administrator, your next step will be to upload a post to your personal profile from either your blog or another worthy source. Be sure to include a link and strong title for your posting and click “like.”
• Step 4: Next, click “Share” under that post and you can select the option “Post to Group(s).” You can then start typing in your list of group names. Be sure to deselect “Post to Updates” and then click “Share.”
• Step 5: The other benefit of this real estate marketing tactic is that most groups will also email a summary out to members containing any new updates that have been added to their page. Therefore you want to take advantage of this strategy no more than 3-5 X’s per week so that your postings are more natural and you do not become a nuisance.

Finally, be sure that you always offer interesting and relevant content for your audience. This means that instead of only promoting your updated blog posts or self-serving links, it is very important that you also provide links to market updates or current industry news whenever employing this real estate marketing strategy. That way you will continue to earn trust and gain positive exposure.

By Jeff Logue who is a full time internet marketer and lead generation specialist who assists agents and brokers nationwide with improving their online marketing efforts.

To learn more about how to become the online authority in your local market, visit us now at: Real Estate Marketing 411.

Want to skyrocket your efforts? Instantly access the best online real estate marketing tools and coaching available at Retechulous.com.