MARKETING CORNER

5 Places To Generate Leads Outside The Office

By Anna Spooner on December 2, 2015 - Real Estate Marketing Magazine

As a Realtor®, you’re likely skilled in communicating over the office phone with clients. You’ve probably answered hundreds of emails in the past week. Your online lead generation techniques are, no doubt, primed and seamless. But even in a marketplace that is increasingly moving towards online communication as a means of contact with clients, leads developed outside the office hold tremendous value. Here, I’ll outline five places you can generate leads as a Realtor® outside the office environment.

Chat with vendors

Industry trade shows offer you the opportunity to meet with others in the real estate marketplace, as well as professionals within related fields such as construction. These events can be an environment in which to exchange business cards with construction business leaders and to highlight your recent success to promote your realty business. By talking to contractors, title companies, inspectors and other people in the know, you can score some solid leads and get your name out there. A great benefit of talking to vendors and people in the industry is that you can build long-term relationships, which is key for any Realtor®.

Local business associations

If you aren’t going to local business associations, you are missing out on plenty of opportunities. Not only can you find other like-minded business people to share strategies with, you can find potential clients. Attending these events allows you to stand out when compared to a Realtor® who only has a website and Facebook page. Use the opportunity to chat with people and get ideas flowing. Share tips and ideas about real estate, and ask people what their current needs are. This unique venue will help you connect with prospects in a way that has very little competition from other Realtors®.

At School Events

As a Realtor® you likely have deep roots within your local community. These roots can be harnessed to further develop your business. Many Realtors® are now working with local schools to help engage students within the learning process. You might use your knowledge of the marketplace to speak at career days for high school students. Or you might organize a school fundraising event. With the latest tools for organizing groups on social media, this type of initiative is rarely expensive or time consuming. You’ll be seen as a local business leader within the community and you can use this role to maximize contacts with parents, teachers, and a variety of other possible prospects.

At a Local Organization through Sponsorship

Your investment in the community can have recurring value for your real estate business. One way to make this happen is through sponsorship. Of course, it’s important that you carefully select the sponsored organization. You could have sponsorships at events like 5K runs or fundraising for a local fire departments. You might also consider sponsoring a local animal shelter event as well, or events that are targeted at your specific farm neighborhood or demographic. These events allow you to connect to prospects in a way that is focused on charity rather than sales.

The World is Your Office

Although it can sometimes be uncomfortable, talking to strangers you meet can be a rich source of leads. You need to keep your business mindset on, and make sure your professional business cards are ready. Realtors® offer a very real and important service that people need when they are buying and selling a home. When you engage people and offer your services, you’re doing them a big favor and saving them a lot of heartache down the road. See everyone you meet as an opportunity for a connection and conversation, and then keep those relationships going. You never know when someone is ready to buy or sell, or who they might know that’s ready for a real estate transaction today.

These techniques can help you expand your real estate business and build significant connections throughout your local community, without sitting at your desk all day. What are your go-to lead generation techniques outside your office? Let me know in the comments below.