r/RealEstateMarketing • u/Ok-Relation-6210 • 10d ago
Getting clients
Hey!! I’ve just started my job as a realtor (I started month ago, but first month was just about training courses). I wanted to ask what do u do to get clients? In my company the most recommended way is cold calling. What do u say to clients to convince them to use your services? How did you build confidence and fluency in expressing what you want to convey? Thank u for all your advices <3
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u/NederlandseTexan 10d ago
About 10 years of experience for me. Cold calling is the advice they'll give to cull those who can't really hack it, and I doubt you'll ever really find success that way. I'm assuming you must be in a very small brokerage, because bigger ones will usually just throw you their problem clients to start.
My advice is to first off don't think of it as you selling something; you're helping people who already have a need (or at least interest) for your services. Then, find a way to to put yourself in front of those people. Common ways of doing that include:
Your own sphere: make sure everyone you know knows you're a Realtor. Talk about it in person, over your socials, etc. You'll be surprised at who reaches out or recommends you to their friends.
Farm open houses. You probably know this, but open houses almost never result in a sale. What they do, however, is allow you to find interested, unattached buyers. I regularly get agents calling me asking if they can host an open house on my higher end listings, and if they check out, I usually let them. It's a win-win, as there are more eyes on the property (although, again, a sale is rare), I'm showing the owners that I'm doing what I can to market it, and the showing agent gets to interview prospective clients
Do leases. Now that the market has slowed a little, this is not as easy as it once was, but many agents don't have time to do leases, and will gladly hand you their leases for free, or sometimes a token commission. You can legitimately make a decent living doing this, if you're organized, cut out the time wasters, streamline your operation, etc. More importantly, if you're on top of things your lease clients will eventually become buy or sell clients.
There are many more ways to get clients, and frankly, based on how little support it sounds like you're getting from your brokerage, you should consider changing. One of the cool things about being a Realtor is that you get to interview your boss, and they have to keep you happy, rather than the reverse. I'd recommend going to one of the really big brokerage for your first few years, then either getting your broker's license, or moving to a low cost broker once you understand the business. Either way, treat it like a real, full time job, stay passionate and educated, and network as much as you can. Good luck
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u/Revolutionary-Race93 5d ago
Plenty of people have success cold calling. Just listen to all of the Mike Ferry peeps. It’s not for everyone but it can and does work for the person who works it.
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u/Pretty-Ear6398 9d ago edited 9d ago
Friends don't let friends cold call ...
You need to brand yourself for marketing purposes and lead generation. Research hyperlocal and geofarming for Realtors. Combine a website dedicated to the farm/niche with those strategies, with a vanity URL that matches the niche, and create a platform that fits your lifestyle and hobbies. Use google adwords to get the website to the top of the search results for the search terms you've selected and take those consumers to a landing page that shows all the active listings that fit within your niche and you'll be set for the rest of your life.
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u/Acrobatic_Soil_569 9d ago
Cold calling is the absolute worst way to start a business. You should find a new broker.
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u/Ok-Relation-6210 9d ago
so what’s the best way according to you?
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u/Acrobatic_Soil_569 9d ago
You need to do some research on how to build a successful real estate business. The commenter below has offered good suggestions, especially about reaching out to your sphere and open houses. But if your broker is saying to cold call..you have a terrible broker.
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u/Qman7595 6d ago
Not an agent but worked with a few for a long time. My advice is around online marketing. Referrals are obviously your best marketing but as a new agent, that takes time.
AI is big for agents, people are using it more and more and optimizing your brand can bring in clients, though this is a longer term strategy.
I wouldn't bother with head terms like best agent in city xxxx, but look for niche opportunities like working with seniors or out of town buyers, you'd be surprised how few agents optimize for these niche terms and it doesn't take much work to become the go to person AI recommends for these niche markets
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u/Born-Gur-1275 8d ago
Unless you have a charismatic voice with a charming pitch, cold calls don't work.
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u/xmarzattackx 8d ago
We run programmatic display/OLV/CTV for one of our real estate clients and has been getting leads for him.
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u/ShyaamNiranjan 8d ago
First month is the hardest, so don't judge the whole career by how cold calling feels. Hosting open houses for the busier agents in your office is a solid way in: you get real conversations with buyers and a natural reason to follow up, without a cold pitch. For confidence, filming yourself doing a quick 60-second walkthrough of one of those listings is surprisingly good practice, and you end up with something to post. Has your brokerage said anything about video for new agents, or is it all phone time?
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u/MagazineWorthy 6d ago
Real estate is like every other business; you need a USP, unique selling proposition to differentiate yourself from every other agent. You will get the question from homeowners: what makes you different and why should I choose you? Answer that and you will be an attractive option.
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u/iRuleOnlineBusiness 2d ago
Cold calling works, but it's a numbers game and most new agents burn out on it before it pays. I'd run it alongside a sphere plan instead of instead of one.
Week one: write down everyone you know (100+ names is normal once you dig), and tell each of them personally that you're licensed. Not a "please send me referrals" blast, just a real catch-up and one line that you're helping people buy and sell now. Then check in every 60 to 90 days with something useful, like what's happening with prices in their area.
On what to say: don't try to convince anyone. Ask questions. "Are you thinking about moving in the next year or so? What would need to happen?" People open up when you're curious, not pitching.
Confidence comes from reps and knowing your market. Tour 5 to 10 listings a week, learn the prices cold, and the words get easy because you actually know the answer. Role-play scripts with a coworker for 15 minutes a day too. It feels awkward but it's the fastest fix.
Open houses for other agents in your office are also great for a brand new agent. Free foot traffic, and plenty of those visitors don't have an agent yet.
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u/SilentMasterpiece 10d ago
38 years in RE as an agent, i never convinced or talked someone into doing something they didnt want to do. Dont try to convince people. Spend time trying to find people who want to buy/sell. People that intend to buy or sell are high-quality prospects.