Agent Tips

9 Proven Strategies to Get Real Estate Leads in 2024

Agent Tips

By: Arizona School of Real Estate September 27, 2024

Lead generation is important to every real estate agent but vital for those new to the industry. After all, new agents don’t have a client base to depend on for new business. Here’s some advice for Arizona agents on how to get real estate leads.

Key Takeaways

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are crucial for reaching a broader audience. Creating targeted ads, engaging with followers, and sharing valuable content helps build brand awareness and attract leads.
A well-optimized real estate website focusing on local SEO can drive organic traffic and generate leads. Blogging regularly and creating high-converting landing pages with lead magnets can further enhance visibility and credibility.
While digital marketing is essential, traditional methods like attending local events, cold calling, and asking satisfied clients for referrals remain powerful ways to build relationships and generate quality leads.
Regularly analyzing the performance of lead generation efforts, from social media ads to email marketing, allows agents to refine strategies, invest in what's working, and continuously improve lead quality.

Why Real Estate Lead Generation is Crucial for Success

Real estate lead generation is crucial not only for “success " but also for your business’s survival. Before discussing strategies for getting real estate leads, let’s briefly review the sales funnel for real estate agents.

Understanding the real estate sales funnel

The real estate sales funnel is a step-by-step process that guides potential clients from initial awareness to final purchase.

At the top of the funnel, agents attract potential clients through various marketing strategies. As leads move down the funnel, they become more engaged, showing serious interest in buying or selling a property. The final stage is where a deal is closed, converting the lead into a paying client.

Understanding each stage allows real estate agents to fine-tune their approach to meet clients' needs at different points in the buying or selling journey.

A steady flow of leads is critical to sustain a real estate business. With a constant stream of prospects entering the sales funnel, agents can avoid having periods of low or no transactions.

A robust lead generation strategy ensures that new potential clients are always in the pipeline, helping to smooth out business cycles and provide consistent opportunities for closing deals.

The Evolving Nature of Real Estate Marketing

Real estate lead generation tactics have evolved significantly with technological advances. In the past, agents relied heavily on traditional methods like print ads, cold calling, and direct mail campaigns. Today, digital marketing plays a crucial role.

Does that mean you must scrap your plans for a direct mail campaign and billboards? No, those proven strategies can be successful in some local real estate markets. However, agents who embrace technology can reach a wider audience and provide a more personalized experience for their clients while capturing new leads.

Here are some ideas on how to get real estate leads for new agents in Arizona.

Strategy 1: Utilize Social Media Marketing

Social media has become indispensable for real estate agents looking to expand their reach and generate leads. Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer ways to connect with potential clients.

By crafting a strategic approach to each platform, agents can build brand awareness, target the right audience, and engage in meaningful conversations that lead to new business opportunities.

Leveraging Facebook ads

Creating targeted Facebook ads is one of the most effective ways to reach your local market. Through Facebook’s powerful targeting options, you can narrow your audience based on location, demographics, interests, and behaviors to ensure your ads reach potential real estate clients in your area.

Start by setting a clear goal for your ad campaign—whether it’s to generate leads, increase website traffic, or promote an open house.

Once your audience is defined, create compelling visuals and concise, action-driven copy that resonates with your target market. Ensure your ad copy speaks directly to your audience’s pain points and offers a solution, such as helping them sell quickly or find their dream home. Use clear call-to-action buttons like "Learn More" or "Contact Us" to guide potential clients into the next step of the sales process.

Building a presence on Instagram

Instagram is ideal for showcasing the visual aspects of real estate. It’s the perfect platform for sharing property photos, virtual tours, and community highlights.

To attract leads, focus on consistently posting high-quality, visually appealing content. Use a mix of property listings, behind-the-scenes videos, client testimonials, and local community features to create a well-rounded feed. Including hashtags relevant to your local market, such as #ScottsdaleRealEstate or #SunCityHomesForSale, can also help increase your reach.

Engagement is key on Instagram, so use features like stories, polls, and direct messages to interact with followers. Respond to comments and questions on your posts to build relationships with potential clients. Engaging with your audience creates a sense of community and will cause them to think of you when they’re ready to buy or sell.

Engaging with LinkedIn

LinkedIn offers a professional environment in which to connect with potential clients and other industry professionals. Begin by optimizing your LinkedIn profile with a professional headshot, a detailed summary, and a list of your real estate services. Consistently post industry-relevant content, such as market updates, homebuying tips, or success stories, to showcase your expertise and stay top of mind.

LinkedIn groups are a powerful tool for networking with other professionals and potential clients. Join local real estate or homebuyer groups to share your insights and engage in discussions. Participating in these conversations can help build your credibility and create valuable connections.

Using LinkedIn’s advanced search features, you can also connect with relocation specialists or investors who might need your services.

Strategy 2: Optimize Your Real Estate Website

Your brokerage will likely assist you with your real estate website. However, it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of website optimization.

SEO basics for real estate websites

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for ensuring your website appears in relevant search results when potential clients are looking for real estate services. Don't feel bad if this information makes your eyes cross. SEO is complicated and is often handled by a professional.

Local SEO is essential for real estate websites because most people search for agents or homes in specific areas. To boost local search visibility, ensure your website includes the name of your city or neighborhood in headings, content, and URLs. Additionally, optimizing for mobile devices is crucial, as more users browse real estate listings on smartphones. A mobile-friendly site ensures a smooth user experience and improves your SEO rankings.

Creating a high-converting landing page

A high-converting landing page turns website visitors into leads. The key elements of a successful landing page include a clear, compelling headline, an eye-catching image or video, and concise, valuable copy. The goal is to quickly communicate what you offer and why visitors should hire you as their Arizona real estate agent.

Lead magnets are highly effective in capturing visitor information. Examples of lead magnets for real estate agents include free home valuations, market reports, or a downloadable guide to buying/selling a home. Use a prominent call-to-action (CTA) button to encourage visitors to fill out a form in exchange for your lead magnet. They'll receive helpful content, and you'll receive their contact information.

Importance of blogging

Blogging is a powerful tool for building authority and driving organic traffic to your real estate website. By addressing common client questions, such as “How to prepare your home for sale” or “What to expect during a home inspection,” you can provide valuable information that keeps visitors on your site longer and positions you as an expert in the field. Blog topics should be relevant, timely, and optimized with keywords that potential clients search for within your targeted audience.

Consistent blogging is also essential for improving your search rankings. Search engines favor websites that regularly update their content, and a blog is an easy way to keep your site fresh. Each new post adds another page to your site that can be indexed by search engines, increasing the chances of attracting new traffic. Over time, a well-maintained blog can help you build trust with your audience and generate high-quality leads.

Strategy 3: Leverage Email Marketing

Collecting email addresses from potential leads is crucial. You can gather email addresses through website forms or hosting events and open houses where attendees provide contact details. Another effective method is using pop-up offers or newsletter sign-ups to capture emails directly from your website visitors.

Creating effective email campaigns

To craft emails that convert, focus on personalization, clear messaging, and a call to action (CTA). Segment your audience to send tailored content, such as market updates or property recommendations, based on client preferences. To boost open rates, use engaging subject lines like "Your Dream Home Awaits in Phoenix" or "5 Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Home." Of course, ensure your email content delivers value with relevant insights or offers.

Nurturing leads through email automation

Email automation allows you to set up drip campaigns that keep you top-of-mind with leads over time. Use pre-scheduled emails to provide valuable information at different stages, such as initial introductions, market insights, and timely reminders about upcoming listings or events. This automated approach ensures consistent communication without overwhelming your leads.

Strategy 4: Network within the Community

Of course, only some of your lead-generation efforts will be online.

Steven Rosborough, a Luxury Real Estate Sales Director at RealtyGen, offers this advice on getting leads.

"Many agents think by setting up a website with basic internet leads that they are going to thrive. The reality is that most top brokers implement a number of strategies to drive business and take a very active role in their success," Rosborough said.

Rosborough recommends getting out in the community and cold-calling. "We use a multi-pronged approach to generate leads - but for new agents, I always recommend the tried and true method of cold-calling. Hate it or love it - it works," Rosborough said.

Here are some additional ideas for garnering leads by getting out in the community.

Attending local events

Choosing suitable networking events is vital for building connections. Attend community events, real estate-related expos, or local business mixers where potential clients or industry contacts may be present. Focus on having natural conversations, providing value, and leaving a memorable impression with business cards or follow-up information.

Partnering with local businesses

Forming partnerships with local businesses can benefit both parties and expand your reach. Consider collaborating with home staging companies, contractors, or moving services to cross-promote each other's services. For instance, offering discounts or shared advertising with these partners can increase visibility and attract more leads from each other’s customer base.

Strategy 5: Invest in Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising allows you to appear at the top of search results for specific keywords, driving highly targeted traffic to your website. PPC ads work by bidding on keywords like "real estate agents in Tucson" and paying only when users click on your ad, making it a cost-effective lead generation strategy.

Setting up a Google Ads campaign

To create a Google Ads campaign, select your target keywords, set a daily budget, and design ad copy highlighting your services. Choose keywords that are specific to your area and client base, such as “luxury homes in Paradise City.” Be mindful of your budget by testing various keywords and monitoring the results to ensure your campaign delivers a solid return on investment.

Tracking and analyzing your PPC results

Measuring the success of your PPC campaigns is crucial for optimizing performance. Use Google Analytics or your ad platform’s dashboard to track key metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and cost per acquisition. Based on this data, regularly adjust your keywords, ad copy, and targeting to ensure your PPC efforts remain cost-efficient and effective.

Strategy 6: Ask for Referrals from Satisfied Clients

Word-of-mouth marketing is compelling. Client referrals are one of the strongest sources of leads for real estate agents. When a satisfied client refers you to their friends, family, or colleagues, it builds trust and credibility instantly, often leading to higher-quality leads with a higher chance of conversion.

How to request referrals

Asking for referrals should be done in a polite and timely manner, ideally after closing a deal or receiving positive feedback from a client. You can use scripts like, "If you know anyone looking to buy or sell in the area, I’d love for you to pass along my information." A personalized thank-you message post-transaction can also be an excellent opportunity to request referrals.

Providing incentives for referrals

Consider offering incentives, such as gift cards, discounts on future services, or donations to a charity in your client’s name to encourage more referrals. Referral programs can be highly motivating when clients feel they’re being rewarded for helping you grow your business.

Strategy 7: Create Virtual Tours and Online Open Houses

Virtual tours allow potential buyers to explore properties remotely, expanding your reach to out-of-town clients and those who cannot visit in person. Virtual tours and online open houses will allow you to interact with those in the market for a home.

To host a successful virtual open house, start by promoting the event across your social media and email lists. Use a reliable platform like Zoom or Facebook Live, and prepare to walk participants through the home in real time. Be sure to answer any questions that arise during the tour to create an interactive and informative experience.

Strategy 8: Utilize Real Estate Portals and Directories

Being present on popular real estate platforms like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Trulia is essential for maximizing visibility and earning leads. After all, these portals attract millions of visitors.

To make your listings stand out, include high-quality photos, engaging descriptions, and critical property details. Use professional photography and highlight features that differentiate the home from others on the market. A well-written listing description can also help buyers imagine themselves living in the property.

Leveraging reviews on real estate portals

Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on platforms like Zillow and Google. Strong reviews build trust and credibility, making potential leads more likely to choose you as their agent. A good reputation online can be a deciding factor for clients comparing multiple agents.

Strategy 9: Use Data to Refine Your Lead Generation Tactics

Tracking the sources of your best leads—whether from referrals, PPC ads, social media, or open houses—allows you to understand which strategies are most effective. Analyzing this data will enable you to allocate more resources to the tactics that generate the most valuable leads.

Regularly reviewing the performance of your lead generation efforts helps you identify what's working and what needs improvement. If specific strategies are underperforming, adjust your approach by tweaking your messaging, targeting different audiences, or trying new platforms.

Tools for tracking and analysis

Use tools like Google Analytics, CRM systems, or real estate-specific software like BoomTown or CINC to monitor and analyze your lead generation efforts. These platforms help you track key metrics, such as lead conversion rates and return on investment, enabling you to make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement.

Learn more about lead generation by taking professional development courses with the Arizona School of Real Estate & Business. Our instructors offer helpful seminars for beginner and experienced real estate agents. Check out our Arizona real estate professional development courses and sign up for one today.