Sellers are elusive, and finding them before they’ve signed on with another agent can seem impossible. But as FSBOs and Expireds become less and less common, and just 12% of sellers use their previous agent* to buy or sell a second time around, it’s important to get in contact with new listing opportunities before they meet with a competing agent.
Active Rain agents are the cream of the crop and several "Rainers" recently shared with us their top tactics for identifying and drawing in seller leads in today’s fast-paced real estate landscape. What we heard was a mix of new and updated ideas that ranged from title company referral partners to smart, seller-focused content that gives homeowners a reason to offer up their contact information.
1. Target local sellers with Facebook ads
"By using Facebook ads targeted towards a seller-heavy demographic and landing pages to capture lead information, I have grown seller leads by 10x over last year. Facebook ads are so easy to set up and they are quite effective when they’re specific enough to catch the eye of a potential seller.
With landing pages that capture lead information such as first name, last name, email address, address, and/or phone number, it has become easier to get quality leads. When taken to these landing pages, the prospective seller gets an offer such as “Free Home Valuation,” “How Much is My Home Worth?” or a free guide – I use “9 key words that help sell homes faster and at top dollar.” He/she fills out the contact form, which can be as basic as first, last name, address or more detailed to include email and phone number. In order to get that information, you have to make your offer seem genuine and stand out."
-- Sean Scullion, Novato, CA
2. Write and share seller-focused original content
"For sellers leads, what works for me is to post content like 'Top 5 mistakes sellers make,' 'How to get
your home sold in easy three steps,' and 'Top 10 ideas to get your home ready before showing.'
-- Beth Atalay, Clermont, FL
3. Be yourself and draw in people with common interests
"I have Facebook business pages -- "Kathy Schowe" for real estate, "Kathy's Kitchen" for cooking and recipes, and "365 things to do in Palm Springs" for sharing current events and promoting local businesses and news. The key is to not bombard your followers with real estate, but don't be afraid to share your successes and your challenges. Keep their interest with your interests... and be interested in them!"
-- Kathy Showe, La Quinta, CA
4. Show off your love for the industry (and chat with strangers!)
"I love real estate and I talk about it to everyone I know and a ton of strangers I meet daily. And I ask for referrals to anyone they may know in New Mexico and anywhere in the United States who wants to sell their home in the next year. I ask for their name and/or address and I immediately follow up. It is that simple."
-- Emily Medvec, Santa Fe, NM
5. Build trusted parterships
"I’ve also been really fortunate to have worked with a Probate Attorney who moved down to my area; I helped him and his wife purchase a home. He and I became great friends and he’ll refer business to me as often as he can."
-- Jeremy Cupp, Bentonville, AR
Want to learn more than 30 ways to identify, capture and win over seller clients?
The above examples are all straight from a new realtor.com eBook that details how top agents win over sellers in today's fast-paced, tech-first world. Download the ebook for free right here.
*Source: 2015 National Association ofREALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
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