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30 Growth Hacks that Will Generate More Business Next Season

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Broadpoint Properties Cal BRE #01324959

real estate agentsAs real estate professionals whose earnings are always dependent upon the size and quality of our sales pipelines, we’ve got to be thinking at least one season ahead. With Fall now in full swing, it’s time to start establishing a pipeline that will result in more winter closings. To see more business during this historically slower sales cycle, it’s important to amp up your game right now. Unfortunately, there is no magic button. There is no way to crack the code of real estate except to keep plugging away with your systems and processes no matter the season and no matter the market.

30 Business Growth Hacks

Do you want to increase your closings next season? Are you not sure where to begin? Here are 30 growth hacks—things you can be doing right now—that will help you to generate more fall business:

  1. Make warm calls to past clients, friends, and relatives. Ask if they know anyone who is considering buying or selling a home in the near future.
  2. Send texts or make calls to Internet leads already in your pipeline to see if they are still interested in buying or selling.
  3. Mail postcards offering a free comparative market analysis to everyone in your sphere of influence.
  4. Send Just Listed cards for your new listings.
  5. Send Just Sold cards for your recent closings.
  6. Send a free offer for a home valuation to your entire geographic farm.
  7. Invite the neighbors to an upcoming open house.
  8. Hold an open house.
  9. Knock on some doors.
  10. Drop off small gifts (such as Poinsettias) at the homes or offices of your top 25 referral sources.
  11. Take someone to lunch.
  12. Set appointments for coffee with loan officers, title and settlement officers, attorneys, inspectors and anyone else you know that might be able help you with co-marketing or generating new business.
  13. Get more active on social media.
  14. Start an Instagram page.
  15. Start a YouTube Channel (or add videos to your existing channel).
  16. Create a drip campaign for your sphere of influence.
  17. Boost a post on Facebook.
  18. Add every new person you meet to your database.
  19. Write and mail 10 personal notes per week.
  20. Create a hyper-local blog. Add posts weekly.
  21. Create a hyper-local Facebook page.
  22. Volunteer or sponsor an event or activity at the local elementary school or public park.
  23. Start an expired campaign.
  24. Start a FSBO campaign.
  25. Start a pay-per-click campaign.
  26. Create a campaign to seek reviews and testimonials.
  27. Update all of your online profiles.
  28. Host a client party.
  29. Rinse and repeat.

What’s Number 30? Get your free copy of my 2016 Real Estate Business Planning GuideWhen it comes to real estate, business ebbs and flows with the seasons and with the sales cycles. If you want to have a constant flow no matter the season, you can refer to this list of growth hacks that will help you not only this fall and winter, but throughout the entire year.

Comments (44)

Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

Love your list ... over the years I have done most of these items and so I've bookmarked and will be reviewing and implementing a number of these that I've set aside in the last few years.  Thanks so much for the nudge.

Dec 04, 2015 12:04 PM
Bruce Hicks
Best Homes Hawaii - Honolulu, HI
Your Best Hawaii Realtor!

Melissa Zavala this is a very comprehensive list that any agent can learn with and expand their business.  Thank you and happy holidays!

Dec 04, 2015 12:37 PM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Melissa, we should all keep your list front and center on our desks.  Every action on your list is worthwhile.

Dec 04, 2015 02:23 PM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Melissa Zavala I am not so much into 'Just Listed' or 'Just Sold' postcards.

However, your #1 is indeed #1.

Referrals can bring more than 80% of your business.

Dec 04, 2015 03:09 PM
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Melissa Zavala Thanks for the great to-do list for keeping in the minds of our clients; past, present and future.

Dec 04, 2015 08:38 PM
Greg Mona
West USA Realty - Scottsdale, AZ
Professional Real Estate Representation for YOU!

Great post Melissa Zavala .  Quite simply, you get out of your business what you put into it.  As others have already commented, if you did all of most of these things on a regular basis you would surely have success.  The question is: Are you willing to do them? 

Dec 04, 2015 10:56 PM
Ron Aguilar
Gateway Mortgage Group - Saint George, UT
Mortgage & Real Estate Advisor since 1995

How can agents work in their business and also work on their business? These are very good suggestions and some agents will simply bookmark and never return to it. What if every agent was a top producer? Is that possible? hmmmm...

Dec 05, 2015 02:01 AM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

I love your list, Melissa Zavala .  This seems daunting, but I think could easily be managed with "scheduled chunking".  Thanks for the post, Melissa.

Dec 05, 2015 04:05 AM
Luis Carrillo
Realty Master & Associates - Riverside, CA
Your Realtor for Life

Melissa Zavala all great ideas. We sometimes forget to do the thing that got us here. Good reminder and stay focus. 

Dec 05, 2015 08:42 AM
Raul Rodriguez
Covenant Partners Realty - San Antonio, TX
Looking out for the client's interest and not my p

Being successful requires good planning and follow through...it doesn't just happen.

Dec 05, 2015 08:53 PM
Kathleen Luiten
Resort and Second-Home Specialist - Princeville, HI
Kauai Luxury Ocean Home Sales

I'm a fan of Life Hacks so your title is a winner with me. Thanks for posting a good list of To Do's to prep for winter sales.

Dec 06, 2015 03:43 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Melissa

You can't go wrong with a list like this, even if you just take on a few things you are sure to see some improvement in business in the new tear

Jeff

Dec 06, 2015 05:19 AM
Kathy Booth, Setting the Stage
Setting the Stage - Newmarket, ON
Home Staging and ReDesign Professional

Great suggestions, thank you!

 

Dec 06, 2015 06:15 AM
Robin Hobbs
Front Gate Realty - Madison, MS
REALTOR

This is a great list! I follow many of your suggestions myself but I hate to admit without consistency. But your post has inspired me to get back at it and stick to it. Thanks!

Dec 07, 2015 03:37 AM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate-Kansas City Homes - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

All good ideas...just need the time to get it all done!!

Dec 07, 2015 08:23 AM
Dan Derito
Success! Real Estate - Brockton, MA

This is an excellent list of things that anyone can do.  There are several that encourage mailings, which is always a good place to start. People do like to get mail.

Dec 07, 2015 12:42 PM
Ginny Gorman
RI Real Estate Services ~ 401-529-7849~ RI Waterfront Real Estate - North Kingstown, RI
Homes for Sale in Southern RI and beyond

Oh Melissa Zavala I read this and forgot to comment I was so overwhelmed by the great list...it will keep me busy through the snow & sleet!  Have a great year end!!

Dec 09, 2015 08:32 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Melissa,

Looks like you can be busy for more than a year with all these great ideas.

Dec 13, 2015 02:45 PM
MaryBeth Mills Muldowney
TradeWinds Realty Group LLC - Braintree, MA
Massachusetts Broker Owner

Thank you Melissa Zavala, I am printing out this list, it is perfect as a road map to continuous sales!

Jan 02, 2016 01:46 PM
Eva B. Liland Century 21 Doug Anderson
Century 21 Doug Anderson - Lancaster, CA
Glad to be of Service 661-714-1643

Great list Melissa. I've read somewhere else that if you do not collect testimonials, add that to your list. Testimonials can be letters or cards received but also testimonials done by you by using podcasts or videos, posting them all on your own website.

Jan 29, 2016 10:33 PM