Every agent needs to have a lead list. Its purpose is to provide you with a compilation of potential customers you can contact to generate business. Network referrals, previous customers, and friends and family members could be among them. 

If you're a new agent, your lead list may be blank, but everyone starts somewhere. This post will give you ideas on creating a lead list to help you launch your career as a real estate agent.

How To Create A Lead List?

1. Understand Who Your Target Market Is

Knowing your target market isn't a direct way to generate leads. Still, it may help you focus on the leads that are most appropriate for the business you run. Determine your target market, location, and the kind of homes you wish to sell. 

2. Contact The People You Know

Make connections with coworkers, friends, and family. Inform them of your decision to start a new career. Find out whether they are aware of anyone who would be interested in purchasing or selling. 

Organize the contact details of your clients, prospects, and influential people. A good real estate CRM makes this easy as updates and reminders can be scheduled regularly. 

3. Go To As Many Networking Events As Possible

Events offer great networking. Meet prospects and professionals who can refer clients at Chambers of Commerce and real estate conventions. Prepare business cards to distribute at events and collect as many of the business cards as possible in your database.

4. Lead Sheets for Purchases

Agents may buy database leads from lead generation companies. Make sure that you research the business before buying. Lots of companies give unqualified leads and going through them will reveal old leads. 

However, companies can't guarantee exclusive leads and other agents may have contacted your prospects. They may have signed elsewhere. Nonetheless, lead sheets can still be profitable. You can buy lead sheets once or subscribe to a service to collect them. The key is carefully choosing which lead-generating companies to work with.

5. Take Advantage Of Social Media

Social media marketing generates excellent leads. It's crucial to master each social media network. 

Follow these guidelines:

• LinkedIn offers real estate agent groups. Join for networking and leads.
• Facebook works well for posting, advertising, and lead generation. You can maximize it by joining city-specific real estate pages. Keep contributing to these groups by giving advice and chatting. 
• Slack users can participate in business and technology groups that offer networking opportunities.
• Instagram can boost your online presence. Show your value to generate leads and use hashtags to boost exposure.
• Meet Up will keep you informed about networking events that take place both in-person and remotely.
• Quora lets you show off your knowledge by answering questions. You may convert contacts into qualified leads.

6. Organize Free Workshops

They say the best things in life are free, and you can take advantage of this by giving a free real estate workshop. They can learn real estate-related matters in exchange for their contact details, which you can add to your lead list.

7. Provide Free Resources

Free resources are strategically like free workshops. Offer whitepapers and other downloads. Give a free online home assessment. Ask for contact info to access services. Build your lead list quickly using this method.

8. Reach Out To For Sale By Owner (FSBO)

Many use this method to avoid agent fees. They can keep commissions. This house-selling approach seems reasonable. Many find it too much trouble. Finding buyers, holding open houses, and handling paperwork can be challenging. Give FSBOs a call and tell them how you can help. If you have a lead list, you can use that to remain in touch. Later, they may need your help.

9. Contact For Rent By Owner (FRBO)

FSBOs closely resemble FRBOs. Instead of selling, the owner rents. Except that, they may face FSBO-like challenges. Finding renters may be challenging. Property management would also be difficult. Contact them to offer renter-finding assistance. You can also include property management. 

10. Consider Hosting An Open House

This one presents a dilemma. You cannot have clients if you lack leads. Also, it is impossible to hold an open house without clients.

However, agents with some prior experience will find this strategy helpful.

Make sure you provide a sign-in sheet for those attending your first open house. You can show them a similar home that would be of interest to them even if they may not want to buy the one you are now showing. You can, in any case, add their contact details to your list of leads.

11. Organize And Host Events

Attending events is a fantastic method to meet new individuals. By hosting events, you can network even more effectively. You can stand out as a leader in your neighborhood by focusing your event on a local cause. The best part is that there is no limit on the events you can host. Doing it consistently can help you become a neighborhood real estate expert.

12. Include Expired Listings

Expired listings usually occur when a real estate transaction goes wrong. It's possible that the sale of the house or the deal is through before the agreed-upon deadline.

Many times, home sellers with expired postings may still wish to sell. However, they fear running into the same challenges if they try again.

As an agent, you must update your lead listings by adding expired listings. You may use this to contact sellers and discuss what went wrong and what you can do to help improve the situation, motivating them to re-enter the market again.

13. Collaboration with Divorce Attorneys

Those going through a divorce frequently may have to sell or relocate swiftly. A divorce attorney can help provide worthwhile leads by connecting you with divorcing spouses needing an agency. 

14. Work With A Probate Lawyer

When someone dies and leaves no will naming an heir, their property is listed under probate. A real estate representative will be enlisted to document the house and give prospective purchasers a tour. Collaborate with a probate attorney to guarantee you are the first agent on the list.

15. Get Started With BPO Databases

Lenders and banks will request broker price opinions (BPOs) from homeowners experiencing payment defaults. They signify that the lender intends to hold a property foreclosure.

Being informed about BPOs can help agents in two ways:

• To know the value of the home, the lender needs an agent. Though low-paying, it's becoming popular.
• Agents can provide homeowners with a fair price to sell their house and avoid foreclosure. In addition to that, you can assist them in locating a new place to live.

If you want to be the first to know about homes on the edge of foreclosure, look through web listings and sign up for databases maintained by BPO.

16. Distribute Postcards

Using real estate postcards to advertise your business and seek consumers is effective. They are inexpensive and profitable. When you mail, people may contact you to join your lead list. If all goes well, they may buy or sell.

17. Stay Updated On Baby Announcements And Weddings

Although it might appear far-fetched, this strategy has the potential to work. Follow #wedding, #newborn, and #engagement using social media. Follow city and neighborhood hashtags, especially those related to these terms, to validate their relevance.

Expectant or engaged couples may hunt for a home shortly. Congratulate them and offer the opportunity to locate them a home when they're ready. To follow up, use any contact information you come across. When they're ready to look for a house, you will be the first person they think of.

18. Knocking On Doors

Although knocking on doors requires a lot of work, it's a great way to get leads. Visit neighborhoods with high home sales door-to-door. Inform homeowners of sales and offer house evaluations. They may sell after being astonished by the value of their home.

Door knocking is challenging because many individuals are out and will slam doors. However, it's cheap and could yield high ROI. It will generate leads for your list.

19. The Cold Calling

Another tricky lead-generation method that can pay off is cold calling. For the most accessible phone numbers, use an old-fashioned phone book or search online for local contact information. Your calls will go better with a script that promotes your business.

You can have a lead list of interested contacts. Use FSBO, FSRO, and expired listings for warmer cold-calling. To do this, you need leads.

20. Become A Thought Leader

Becoming a thought leader in your industry can build your network and have a lead list. Signing up for PR email lists is the easiest. These platforms seek expert quotes constantly. Scanning them for contributions takes minutes.

Additionally, you can submit a guest blog request to reputable websites like Urban Land, BOMA, or Forbes. It will be quite easy to gather leads once you establish your brand.

Lead generation might be difficult for rookie agents. You may make a list that advances your company by using the advice in this article. Which are you going to incorporate into your marketing plan?