Real estate is a competitive business, and it can be hard for new agents to compete against the more established names in their area. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t stand apart. New real estate agents can find clients and listings with perseverance and hard work.
As you establish yourself and your professional reputation, referrals from current and past clients can be a great way to get new listings. But how do real estate agents find clients and listings when they’re first starting out?
Here are a few ways that real estate agents can get more clients and listings.
1. Getting leads through networking
When you’re first starting your real estate career, you may need to ask your friends and family for help. The people your social circles, including any clubs or groups you are a part of, might know someone looking for a real estate agent. They may be happy to recommend someone they know and trust. It never hurts to ask!
Beyond your personal network, connecting with other real estate professionals could help you find new leads. Lenders, contractors, and even other real estate agents may be able to send potential clients your way. You can meet professional contacts through industry events, during continuing education courses, or in online industry professional groups.
2. Spreading the word online
The internet has changed much of our daily lives, including buying and selling real estate. As a real estate agent, promoting yourself online can help you find new clients and listings.
Creating a professional website is an important step for real estate agents to consider. This is your space to sell your “brand” to potential clients. One way to do this is through a blog, where you can demonstrate your expertise by posting informational content. There are many online tools available to DIY your own site, or you can hire a web designer to take care of this for you. A website professional can also help you with more technical aspects, such as search engine optimization, to ensure your site appears in local searches.
Social media is another online tool that many real estate agents use to promote themselves. Paid ads can be run on social media platforms relatively cheaply, and they can be targeted to reach specific ZIP codes and neighborhoods. You can also use organic posts to showcase any properties you currently have for sale and celebrate when they are sold.
Real estate listing sites could also be a great way to find new clients. One strategy is to reach out to homeowners who have taken their property off the market or had their listing expire. They may have decided not to sell because the offers they received were too low. If property values have increased significantly since then, you might offer them a free valuation to help them decide if it’s time to relist.
3. Using low-tech marketing methods
Though the internet is an essential part of any real estate agent’s marketing plan, low-tech channels still have their place.
“Just sold” flyers in mailboxes are an easy way to target specific neighborhoods when searching for new listings. These can be effective in areas with recent sales going above asking price, enticing homeowners to consider cashing in by selling their own property.
Face-to-face conversations or a friendly phone call can help you start relationships with potential clients. Speaking with homeowners who are having a moving sale could help you secure their listing. You can also do some old-fashioned door knocking before an open home. Neighbors may know of someone looking to buy in the area, and they might appreciate you going above and beyond to sell their neighbor’s home.
4. Protect yourself with Professional Liability insurance
Increasing your client base and finding new listings are the keys to building a real estate career. By using the above techniques and others, you may soon thrive as a real estate agent.
Before you get there, you may want to consider Professional Liability insurance. A Professional Liability policy can help protect real estate agents, giving them more confidence and peace of mind as they work with clients.
Also known as Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance, this type of policy protects your business against claims of negligence, misrepresentations, or mistakes. Professional Liability claims are typically made by clients who allege some form of financial damage as a result of your services, products or employees.
BizInsure makes it easy for real estate agents to find Professional Liability insurance to suit their needs. Get quotes from multiple insurers and buy a policy in just 10 minutes—the perfect solution for busy real estate agents!
Learn more about Professional Liability insurance and start comparing quotes online today.
