How To Create A Real Estate Lead Generation Strategy – Part 1
You have your own real estate business – you’re making moves! But now it’s time to generate some new real estate leads – online. It’s time to pivot your business to a real estate lead generation strategy that works online…but where to start?
Your audience has no desire for you to buy their attention –
They want you to earn it!
By creating engaging content, being there for your leads, and pushing them through sales funnels, you have a fantastic start at building online relationships – the key to a successful online real estate lead generation strategy.
Businesses use lead gen strategies to find prospective clients and to convert those prospects into sales.
Ultimately, this type of strategy encourages your ideal audience to go from point A to point Z in the most direct and easy to follow method possible that doesn’t hassle them.
Sound impossible? It’s not with these 9 easy steps:
- SWOT analysis of competition
- Identifying GAPS
- Creating a schedule
- Assigning a responsible person
- Accessing training
- Finding a scheduling tool that works for you
- Creating a content calendar based on your SWOT strategy
- Go easy your first month – don’t burn out
- Check your social Insights
For this part one blog, we’re focusing on points 1 through 5. Stay tuned for part 2!
#1. SWOT analysis of your business and yourself
The first question you may be asking is, “What is a SWOT analysis?”
A SWOT analysis determines your company’s current position or status before you begin on a new strategy.
Probably guessed it by now, but SWOT is an acronym! It stands for “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.”
The SWOT analysis step is an important step in determining (1) what needs to be worked on, (2) what needs to be fixed, (3) the order which it needs to be worked on.
Basically, a solid SWOT keeps you from going crazy when you start creating your real estate lead generation strategy by allowing you to follow a path toward an end goal.
You can use this analysis to determine your company’s pain points as well as what you do best.
At the end of the day, a SWOT analysis comes alongside your business to decide the best way to get the edge on competition and compete successfully in the busy market.
A SWOT analysis is completed by listing out the following:
- Strengths: It’s time to brag! List out all the things that your company does the BEST above all your known competitors. It could be packaging, it could be marketing, it can be anything! Think about what makes your business unique and noticeable.
- Weaknesses: Time to take a step back and see how your business practices may miss the mark. All businesses have weaknesses. Examine the resources, procedures, and people that keep your company running.
- Opportunities: Now to look at the positives. Opportunities are chances for you to grow, expand, or discover something to claim for yourself. These can include anything from having a positive impact to checking in with your community.
- Threats: Identifying things that can harm your business and be detrimental are your threats. Check out your competitors to see what they’re doing and if it can ultimately impact you in a negative light.
#2. Identifying GAPS
Next up is a different kind of analysis known as a GAP analysis. This analysis exists to assess where you are currently, where you want to be, and how you can close the gap in between and what steps can be taken.
You can implement a GAP analysis by performing the following:
- Where you are now: Review your business and talk through problems (HINT: You uncovered a lot of these in your SWOT analysis under Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)
- Decide the future: The future of your business represents ideal conditions and what you want your business to look and act like.
- Identify the gap: Most companies have a deficiency – a gap – that keeps them from going from present to future. Common GAPS include: learning a new skill, acquiring more funds, or hiring help.
- Evolve: A plan is set into place to redesign your processes and ensure they line up with the new steps. Figure out your gaps and then think through ways to solve this as quickly and economically as possible.
Your real estate lead generation GAPS analysis should be focused primarily on the channels and mediums where your audience spends the most time.
There is no need to create a TikTok strategy, if your audience is on LinkedIn.
#3. Creating a Schedule
Are you tactile or digital?
Your answer to that question will determine which schedule may be best for you.
If you’re tactile, a physical calendar that you can write on may be the best option for you.
If you like digital, a nice app for a digital schedule will help you with creating and posting.
No matter which route you go, creating an content schedule and goal schedule based on your SWOT and GAPS analysis will be your best option to push people down the funnel and to produce the applicable content your company needs to expand.
Project management tools like Asana, Trello, and Monday.com are great for fleshing out schedules and are ideal goal development.
If you have a nifty emailing campaign, automating emails to go out the beginning and end of the week may be a fantastic option.
On the other hand, if you prefer posting blogs for lead gen, a weekly blog will boost your SEO and let your clients see you on social media.
Keeping everything in a schedule of WHEN and WHAT to post will help things flow smoothly and seamlessly.
#4. Assigning a Responsible Person
Do you have team members? Then it’s time to assign roles!
Think about all your goals – increased online presence? Okay. What channels best resonate with your audience?
Do you want to have blogs on your site? Train an employee to write them or hire a real estate blog writer.
Are you wanting a stronger social media presence that feeds your sales funnel with interested prospects? Who on your team LIVES AND BREATHES social media? Passion is key.
If you don’t have someone on your team, consider a freelance social media manager or hiring an agency to post and engage audiences FOR you.
Looking for direct sales (bottom of funnel fruit)? Who can run traffic for paid ads?
Facebook ads, Google ads, and YouTube ads are great traffic options, as well as many more!
Take each member of your team and determine who is the best fit in each area of need.
Delegating to specific team players will take more off your plate and allow for everyone to be vital to the company.
How do you equip your people? Play to their strengths, always.
If Susan is a good writer, give her the chance to write that blog and learn. Send her valuable classes online she can take to structure her writing style and become an even more beneficial member to your team.
#5. Accessing Training
Training doesn’t have to be overwhelming or confusing!
If your real estate agents or employees are deficient in specific skills but want to learn, you can provide easy and accessible training.
The top 4 basic skills for a successful online lead gen program are:
- Social Media
- Paid traffic like Facebooks Ads (specifically courses that address the real estate industry as they have a “special category” limitation on their ads)
- Basic SEO and Local SEO
- Copywriting
You can take online courses piece meal to fill in your GAPS, or purchase an all in one course. A lot of realtors learning new digital marketing skills benefit from having a “tech coach” of sorts, to help them overcome hurdles when they get stuck.
If you think that might be helpful to you or your team, check out groups like this Realtor Digital Marketing Coaching Group.
Summary
Creating a real estate lead generation strategy sometimes is presented as difficult, time consuming, and out of reach. Truthfully, it doesn’t have to be!
A well done strategy for lead gen can be implemented and used without too much irritation if you follow a plan.
If you need help understanding how content is still king, let’s talk about it.
After all, 81% of businesses say that their blog is important in generating leads.