It’s no secret that in the real estate business generating high quality inbound leads is the secret key to all high performing agents and brokerage firms. New high quality, qualified leads are the missing link in your commercial or residential real estate marketing strategy. We created this article for people who are looking for new ways to generate inbound real estate leads.
We will cover the ways to do it, why it is important, and what to expect throughout the process.
Generating inbound real estate leads does not have to be difficult but it does require skill. Long gone are the days where you just do massive amounts of cold calls to potential prospects or find expired listings to generate new business.
In the world of digital advertising real estate lead generation has changed in the 21st century.
Some companies have 27 ways, some have 10 to 15 but the Cindtoro team has compiled over 30 lead generation methods to gain new prospects.
We will be diving into many different types of marketing
SEO, paid advertising, paid social media, social media marketing, mailers and flyers, email marketing and much much more!
Lets dive into each one of these tactics below starting with Search Engine Optimization or SEO and moving onward from there but before we begin…
Who is this article made for?
This article is specifically written for both residential and commercial real estate professionals. Some of the tactics that we mentioned within this article will be applicable to residential agents while other methods will be applicable to commercial agents or both! The Cindtoro team encourages you to use these strategies as ideas or actionable steps for lead generation. (if you need help we are here to assist.)
Key takeaways:
- We have compiled this list with both digital and traditional advertising ways for lead generation regardless of if you are in residential or commercial real estate!
- Consistency will be key to making any of these strategies work
- Cindtoro has credibility in the real estate industry because we have an actual background unlike our competitors.
- Using a combination of various different lead generation tactics mentioned here will likely work the best opposed to utilizing only one or two
- If you need help and you feel overwhelmed after reading this article our full service marketing agency and team can help facilitate your real estate lead gen process!
- As we discover new methods we will add more to this list!
1. SEO
SEO stands for search engine optimization. It is the process of ranking your real estate website for keywords that are important to your business!
Let’s take for example you have industrial properties that you are trying to lease and you search for industrial real estate for lease in Los Angeles California. But, you do not see your real estate website showing up when you perform a google search for that keyword. Well, if you do not see your website at the top of the search engine results page (SERPS) for keywords important to your real estate firm then you need to invest in either commercial or residential real estate search engine optimization.
Doing this will help ensure that your real estate website is found for keywords that are important to your business as people are searching the internet looking to buy, sell, or lease commercial or residential real estate.
As your website shows up for the keywords important to your firm you will begin generating more inbound organic real estate leads using SEO!
2. Google Adwords
In a very similar light to SEO there is real estate Google ads. These ads are designed to show your website for keywords that are important to your business similar to SEO except the only difference here is these keywords you pay for through the Google ads platform.
Using Google ads for real estate you can generate inbound leads quickly versus having to wait for the process of search engine optimization to take place. Google AdWords is a highly effective way to generate the quality website traffic and inbound leads that you are searching for because you can directly choose the types of keywords that you would like to be found for as opposed to having a search engine like Google identify keywords they think your website is associated with.
So for example if you have a real estate company that is located in Orlando, Florida and you want to be found for those keywords, Cindtoro can advertise your company to ensure that you get found for real estate companies located in the Orlando, Florida area.
This way as people are searching in that specific location they will see your business and as they see your business they will be enticed to either fill out a form on your website or call your company because they would like to inquire about a property listing you have.
3. Targeted Real Estate Social Media Marketing
A really popular way to gain organic inbound leads can also be through social media marketing. This can be done in a variety of ways: whether that means promotion of your real estate listings on social media platforms like LinkedIn, the promotion of your company to increase your overall brand awareness in your target market or even generating new business by showing past transactions your firm has previously done.
Marketing effectively on social media as a real estate company requires a thoughtful approach. You have a specific target audience that you’re trying to reach and there are very few ways to actually reach that target audience utilizing just standard posting So, to get the best results from your marketing efforts look to use the most relevant hashtags your company can. Here is an example:
if you lease property in Washington DC & it is an office building then one of your hashtags could be #WashingtonDCofficebuildinglease or #leasecommercialrealestate. Hashtags are beneficial for generating inbound leads for a number of reasons.
The most important being it helps to tell the social media algorithm what your post is about and who they should promote it to. When you use hashtags look to use at least five to seven per post. The more targeted the better because that means you will be reaching a higher quality audience.
4. Mailers and Flyers
Using highly targeted mailers and flyers for inbound leads used to be very prevalent back in the day. In the 21st century they are not as widely used today because there are better ways to generate quality real estate leads using some of the digital mediums that we are talking about.
But, with that being said something that is highly interesting is the level of effectiveness that mailers and flyers have in relation to a target audience that you’re looking to influence. Because everything in the world is so digital, mailers and flyers allow you to stand out of the noise of real estate internet marketing.
Using mailers and flyers for inbound leads can be done in a highly personal way. no matter if that’s an exclusive offer, an introduction to who you are and why somebody should list a property with you versus the competition or other distinguishing factors that set your company apart from other real estate firms in the area.
If you’re going to utilize mailers and flyers to promote your real estate firm, make sure to think about the most unique ways these things can be utilized.
Essentially, don’t just look to send out a mailer that has who you are and your services on them. give people a real reason as to why they should list their property with you and your real estate firm. If you can do that, mailers and flyers are highly effective at generating inbound leads.
5. Email marketing
Regardless of what industry you are in, email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to promote a business. returning $36 for every $1 that is spent on this advertising medium. That makes email marketing one of the highest ROI marketing activities that you can do! It is also an excellent way to generate high quality inbound real estate leads for your business. Think about it this way people are very guarded with their email, the reason being? They don’t want to be spammed by companies over and over and over again.
If someone gave you their email address that means that they know, like and trust you enough to where they may do business with you later in the future. By using your email list wisely and sending targeted emails there is an incredible opportunity to generate inbound leads in a highly personable way.
Similar to the mailers and flyers we spoke about earlier. Give people a real reason as to why they should work with your real estate company versus others, send useful market reports that people can learn information from. Not just general notes but real in-depth knowledge that a highly interested prospect would be willing to read.
You can also use email marketing to send updates about your company or updates about people who work inside your agency. These things will help keep your firm top of mind while also staying inside the inboxes of your email recipients and not the spam folder!
6. Real Estate YouTube Video Marketing
Both the commercial and residential real estate world in general does not use as many digital marketing channels as they could. There is no greater underutilized channel then that of YouTube video marketing!
Not many companies are doing it and if they are doing it their videos are not really all that interesting. Most of the time the YouTube videos are very boring, not engaging and simply put just poor marketing.
If you can utilize YouTube video marketing for your real estate company in a way that educates prospects and also generates interest in the commercial or residential real estate that you have to offer then you now have a unique source of generating quality inbound leads using YouTube marketing. On top of that you will stay ahead of your competitors who are not even considering video marketing and other forms of real estate focused digital marketing channels for their overall lead generation.
7. Localized digital billboards
Local digital billboards can also be an effective way for you to reach your ideal target audience and generate inbound leads. This real estate advertising method can be highly targeted by serving to specific zip codes or other areas that you may have property you are looking to promote.
Let’s take for example you’re an Orlando based commercial real estate firm and you have an industrial office park to lease in Orlando, Florida. One of the ways to gain both increased brand awareness and more inbound leads can be through these localized digital billboards.
Since the digital billboards are localized they give you the ability to target specific areas that are important to your firm like we talked about earlier. Your advertisement will reach people within the Orlando Florida market and will be shown at the most optimal times so people are encouraged to reach out to your agency and inquire about the office park.
8. Divorce Leads
This could be a very uncomfortable situation for some in the real estate business. They also can be an excellent way to find new leads. Relationships don’t always work out and divorces do happen. If you are going to work divorce leads for real estate then you need to understand that these types of leads require both compassion and understanding.
These types of clients are likely in a bad situation mentally and are not very happy over the fact that their relationship is in shambles and they are being forced to significantly change their life which may be resulting in the sale of their home or commercial property.
Finding ways to help them through their situation from an understanding point of view can be a great way to get your foot in the door responsibly and while also listing their home or commercial property. Divorce leads can be highly motivated clients for those working in either commercial real estate or residential real estate.
If you choose to work divorce leads please consider getting certified as a real estate collaboration specialist. This certification will better equip you to understand these types of clients and serve their needs better!
9. Become a regular at your favorite restaurant
Do you have a restaurant or other food based establishment that you typically take your potential clients to? If so this could be a great opportunity to generate quality inbound leads. We say this because you can build clout with the restaurant staff, gain access to the best tables and appear to be well connected in your local community, a factor highly important in the real estate business.
When you regularly visit your favorite restaurant you will likely encounter other regulars that frequent The establishment themselves so when they are ready to buy or sell a property you will become the perfect person for them to contact!
10. Expired listings
Want to generate more real estate leads? Then reach out to expired listings by pulling them from the MLS. If you’re going to use this method for lead generation you will need to be understanding that these types of sellers are likely frustrated with their current real estate agent.
Perhaps they could be very discouraged, they have not sold their home and they were counting on money from the sale of their house. They could also be under a lot of stress due to that complication.
Start a conversation with these potential prospects by explaining you understand the reasons why they are frustrated then share ways why you and your firm are unique, ask them questions and explain how you would do things differently to sell their home or CRE property quickly!
11. “Leads From FSBO For sale by owner listings”
Many people want to list their home for sale by owner (FSBO) because they would like to sell without having to pay a real estate commission. And while this can work for some people, according to the most recent data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) less than 10% of for sale by owner listings will sell Within the desired time frame. Also according to NAR FSBO listings typically sold for less money then those that utilized agent assisted home sales.
12. Non real estate networking events
If you go to a real estate event, it will be filled with other real estate professionals. Every real estate agent or broker knows exactly what they’re doing and why they’re there. They are trying to get new leads! You cannot stand out in a room on your own. Everyone looks the same and is going after the same types of people.
So without being overly pushy at networking events. These can be a great way to generate quality real estate leads.
These events are also great ways to meet new people! Not everybody is ready to buy or sell a house or is looking for a commercial property at the time of an event. But perhaps 60 days down the road they may be.
13. Estate Liquidators
Estate liquidators can be a very valuable resource for quality real estate leads! Estate liquidation professionals will have very valuable information and a consistent steady stream of sellers. In order to make the strategy work, you will need to establish a productive relationship with them. Show them why you are valuable and provide reasons as to why they should open up their database.
14. Build unique partnerships in related Industries
Unique partnerships and related Industries can also help generate new real estate leads. But what are these specific unique partnerships you should look to develop? They are insurance-based, personal bankers, commercial lenders, bakeries, landscapers, cleaning services, staging experts, and title companies! Each one can be used and are needed by both the commercial and residential real estate industry alike!
Personal Bankers
Purchasing a home is often one of the largest financial investments anyone will make within their lifetime. Personal Bankers can run financial numbers and also double check affordability. This can help guide potential buyers to the best loan options.
Commercial Lenders
Commercial loan officers can also be an integrated part of the real estate purchasing process however most buyers do not have these types of connections readily available. By building relationships with commercial lenders you can suggest to them buyers when they are ready to make an offer!
Bakeries
Everybody loves sweet treats, bakeries have something for everybody! Connecting with the local bakery could never be a bad idea as a local real estate agent irrespective of servicing commercial or residential properties. A bakery’s sweet treats can help keep you or your firm top of mind with both past and potential clients. You can also utilize bakeries to make open houses or parties an unforgettable experience!
Insurance companies
Having homeowners insurance or commercial insurance is a must! So having connections within the insurance industry can help facilitate these transactions smoother. Working with local insurance companies is a win-win situation for both professionals.
Landscapers
Commercial and residential real estate companies need to keep their properties curb appeal in Tip-Top shape to make them desirable assets to investors, people looking to buy, or people looking to sell. Landscapers are critical in this process of curb appeal.
Cleaning Services
Regardless of who you are, nobody wants to enter a home or commercial property that is not kept clean. So partnering with professional cleaning services can be a great way to generate new leads.
Staging Specialist
A staging specialist works wonders for both commercial or residential companies. Whether you’re trying to gain new leases for your industrial office park or you are trying to make a great impression for a home you are showing to a potential buyer you need a specialist who understands how to stage these types of properties using the most beautiful up-to-date interior design trends! A staging specialist will help to sell the vision of living or leasing a property.
Title Companies
Another very important partnership in real estate are title companies. Having a few go to title companies for various different types of situations is an excellent way to not only generate new real estate leads but also help to service your customers more efficiently.
The smooth easy process of working with your firm will surely leave an unforgettable experience for them. Since title companies and real estate go hand in hand after you establish these partnerships you can contribute to each other by providing referrals and leads.This partnership is important because all parties will stand to gain a lot from establishing these types of relationships.
Please make sure to use the recommended disclosures required for partnerships under applicable laws.
15. Use coming soon signs
Utilize coming soon signs to generate interest in a listing that you currently have or one that you are about to put on market. You never know who is watching or who may be in the market to buy a house or commercial property. Using a coming soon sign can be a great way to build anticipation before a piece of real estate hits the market.
16. Cold call
Called calling is still a very effective way to generate new leads for a real estate business. The cool thing about cold calling is it works no matter if you are an agent, broker, or agency. It also works whether you are in residential or commercial real estate.
The problem and the benefit is most people hate cold calling and because of this most people will not do it at all.
If you have thick skin and you’re willing to withstand lots of No’s hangups, and very aggressive prospects, using the cold call for new inbound leads can work wonders!
17. Local Chambers of Commerce
Real estate, no matter if it is commercial or residential, is a regional business meaning people want to do business with others who are involved in their local community. That is why joining your local chambers of commerce could be an excellent way for you to find new deals, increase your brand awareness and increase your leadflow.
18. Use a housewarming party
Housewarming parties are a really unique way to generate additional leads. You never know who somebody knows – a client that you have just serviced could know a hundred people or more and all of those people may be looking to buy or sell a house or commercial property! Creating a quality house or property warming party provides an opportunity to meet new potential buyers or sellers of real estate.
If you choose to utilize the housewarming party method, make it memorable!
19. Door to door
Another thing people really hate besides cold calling is to go door-to-door to find new leads and for good reason door knocking is absolutely brutal. Who wants to answer the door for a stranger at their home? Absolutely nobody! The Cindtoro team and others largely think it’s a widely accepted truth among all people that when somebody comes to your door you don’t know, you would rather not open the door and your guard should be up.
Nonetheless, if you can withstand everything that comes with door to door and you can do it in a community that allows for solicitation, it could be a good way to generate new leads.
20. Expired listings past a year
While we talked about the use of expired listings a bit earlier we want to cover digging deeper into the world of expired listings. Many real estate brokers or agents will be utilizing this method based on newly expired listings.
However, it is highly likely that very few real estate professionals consider checking with sellers who’s listings have not sold past a year. It is highly possible that these potential clients may have run into issues like bad timing, or they established relationships with an ineffective real estate professional.
21. Referrals from previous happy clients
No matter what type of business you have referrals from past clients / word of mouth marketing is a major key to scale your business. According to new updated statistics for 2024 from NAR 39% of sellers who used a real estate agent found their agent through a referral from friends or family and 26% of those people use the agent that they previously worked with in the past to buy or sell a home. 73% of people surveyed would use the same real estate agent again!
Knowing these statistics it is incredibly important that the people you are servicing have a quality experience working with you or your firm. if you burn a bridge you may not be able to cross it again!
22. Contribute to Industry related real estate publications
Potential real estate clients want to feel comfortable that the people they have chosen to represent them are both knowledgeable and competent. They want somebody who understands both the ins and outs of the real estate business.
By contributing to industry publications, blogs, and magazines they can become an excellent way to demonstrate your real estate expertise and overall credibility.
By connecting with reputable publishers and producing thoughtful content together you can establish yourself as a local Authority within the real estate space for your target market!
23. Get a professional real estate website
At Cindtoro we have often said that having a website means you have just hired one of your hardest working employees. A website is an excellent way for you to generate new leads because it will generate them 24/7 even while you sleep.
A website is a great way to make a first impression with potential clients no matter if you are in the commercial or residential space. You can show your expertise, the types of real estate that you work on and how you service clients.
Important note: no matter what type of business you have a website will not work if you do not have any website traffic! So you’re going to need to invest into things such as real estate SEO, or some other form of advertising solutions that are mentioned within this article to gain the quality traffic to your new website.
24. Organize educational events
Have you considered organizing an educational event similar to how financial planners host dinners at steakhouses? If not, you definitely should! Hosting quality educational events is a great way to put a unique spin on your real estate marketing efforts.
if you choose to host an event to make it worth your attendees time. You can discuss things such as what the current market looks like, things that affect the buy or sell of a home or other aspects relating to commercial or residential real estate.
25. Handwritten notes
When was the last time that you received a handwritten note? it’s probably been forever! Many people do not write handwritten letters anymore and that is a real shame because one day it could be a lost art form. By writing handwritten notes you can generate quality leads through standing out and being unique among other real estate professionals within your local market! Pick up your pen, paper and an actual stamp and send a note to a past or present client. Thank them for choosing you as their trusted real estate advisor!
26. Join or create a LinkedIn group
There are lots of real estate networking groups you can join on LinkedIn already. Since people join the group to find new inbound leads everybody knows why each other is there. But if for whatever reason there is no LinkedIn group that services your sector of real estate, create one! You will not only get the benefit of being a moderator of this group, but you’ll be able to also use your privileges as a moderator to drive the conversation forward making it beneficial for everyone involved.
27. Leverage Real Estate Listings Websites
Signing up for relevant real estate listing websites could be a way to generate quality leads. However, it is very important to note that the leads that come from these types of websites typically are “ lower quality” mainly from people who are just looking at houses or commercial property. They may intend to buy or may never buy.
So if you’re going to utilize this method please understand that the quality of leads may not be what you are expecting. But nonetheless something you should be still interested in.
Websites like Zillow, homes.com, Loopnet and others are examples of real estate listing websites.
28. Use an open house
Using an open house is a great way for lead generation, especially for residential real estate agents. This approach must be done, however, using a highly tactful manner. Many potential buyers who go to open houses may not have a realtor yet. As a best practice for realtors it is not exactly a great look to go to somebody else’s open house to look for new home buyers.
29. Have a specific niche
If you don’t already have a real estate niche, you’re going to want to develop one. Having a niche is important especially when generating the right type of leads so you can service the type of real estate you are looking for.
There are many types of real estate niches to pick from here are a few:
- Historic homes.
- Mid-century modern homes.
- Luxury homes.
- Neighborhoods.
- Student rentals.
- School district.
- City or town.
- First-time homebuyers.
- Condominiums or apartments.
- Distressed properties.
- Senior homes.
- Vacation homes.
- Land.
- Commercial real estate.
- Industrial real estate.
- Property rights.
- For Sale By Owner (FSBO) properties.
30. Hire A real estate marketing agency
The Cindtoro team understands that this list is extremely extensive and could be overwhelming for people to digest. Even after reading about all of these methods for lead generation you may still not know where to start to put together an effective strategy. So one of the best ways to generate quality real estate leads would be to hire a marketing agency that can handle all of these advertising / promotion endeavors for you!
What should you be expecting with these inbound marketing strategies?
One of the biggest things you should expect out of any of these inbound marketing strategies is the amount of time that it will take to generate the high quality leads. Many of these methods will not be instantaneous; they require a thoughtful approach and a long timeline because it will take a few months to saturate the market with your company and overall brand message
How long should you expect these inbound strategies to take
As a good rule of thumb you or your real estate company should expect positive movement Within 4 to 12 months of starting an inbound marketing campaign for your company.
