10 Insanely-Effective Prospecting Ideas For Real Estate Agents

Finding new clients and leads as a real estate agent is absolutely essential when it comes to building your business and creating a steady pipeline. These 10 Realtor prospecting ideas will help you expand your client base, build your credibility, and strengthen your brand in the community – and they’re all simple to implement! We even give you a bonus advanced idea at the very end! Let’s get started.

READ: Crazy Good Real Estate Email Newsletter Ideas

1. Social Selling

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, social media is the business card. Your social accounts are the best place for you to showcase your expertise and what makes you unique as an agent. People work with those they know, like, and trust, and social media helps you check those boxes. Harness the power of social media with focused posts and captions that engage your ideal client and showcase your own brand of awesomeness (we help our members do this at Restate Social with done-for-you posts so you never have to wonder what to share online!)

2. Host Networking Events

We don’t mean events where you meet other real estate agents… that’s not going to help you when it comes to getting new clients! Host networking events for friends, acquaintances, and potential clients with short get-togethers that allow you to stay top of mind with the people you already know and even meet a few new faces. One of our favorite ways to do this is with a short 2-hour cocktail party where you invite everyone on your list – from clients you’ve worked with, to neighbors, to acquaintances from church – and encourage them to bring friends.

3. Host Virtual Events & Webinars

In-person events not your speed? Or perhaps you just want to switch it up and attack lead generation from every angle, we respect that.

A great prospecting idea is to host virtual events! Not only does this allow you the opportunity to reach more people than you otherwise would in person, it also gives you a medium to show off your expertise and knowledge. You can even record the live event and share it later on Youtube and across your social media platforms and website so you can reach even more interested buyers and sellers.

4. Door Knocking

While it’s a traditional approach, many people enjoy the process and success can be found with it. We recommend bringing flyers or postcards to hand out. We also have custom door hangers our members love available on Restate Social!

5. Sending Postcards & Mailers

Reach potential clients in your target market with a classic postcard or newsletter mailer. Direct mail isn’t dead, and many agents find success using this strategy. Sending something physical in the mail helps you stand out from the noise recipients might be finding online, and it’s definitely more cost effective than trying to show up in the first ranking spot on Google.

6. Ask For Referrals

Past clients are one of your best lead sources. Don’t hesitate to ask for referrals from past clients, as well as friends and family. You’ll also want to ask for reviews so you can share their experiences and use it as social proof – after all, everyone checks online for reviews these days!

7. Contact FSBO (For Sale By Owner) Listings

FSBO properties present a unique opportunity for real estate agents to demonstrate their value and expertise. When you reach out to FSBO listings, you can offer valuable insights into market trends, pricing strategies, and negotiation skills that can make the selling process smoother and more profitable. By building relationships and showing your dedication to helping sellers achieve their goals, you position yourself as a trusted resource in their real estate journey.

8. Collaborate With Local Businesses

In today’s hyperconnected world, building strong community ties can significantly enhance your reputation and client base. Partnering with local businesses such as coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques allows you to tap into their customer base and gain valuable referrals. Hosting joint events or promotions with these establishments can create buzz and engagement within your community, putting your name on the radar of potential buyers and sellers. It also showcases your commitment to supporting the local economy, building trust among residents. By fostering these partnerships, you not only expand your sphere of influence but also establish yourself as a real estate professional deeply rooted in the community, making it more likely that clients will turn to you for their real estate needs.

9. Write an Email Newsletter

Email newsletters serve as a direct line of communication, allowing you to share valuable market insights, neighborhood updates, and exclusive property listings with your audience. By consistently delivering relevant and informative content, you establish yourself as a knowledgeable and trustworthy real estate expert. Email newsletters also offer the perfect platform to showcase your success stories, client testimonials, and personalized tips, reinforcing your credibility. Over time, this consistent outreach can nurture leads and turn them into loyal clients.

Read our recent blog post on how to create the ultimate email newsletter so you can turn cold leads into happy clients!

10. Make a Lead-Generating Website

Another amazing digital idea, making a lead generating website is one of the best ways to create a hands-off pipeline driven by your social media and online marketing efforts. A professional website that has a contact capturing form allows you to connect with those that have visited your website so you can learn their goals and give them more information about the local market.

Some great ways to capture leads on your website are:

Having a pop-up to join your email newsletter
Including a listing search option on your website (IDX search works great) that requires the visitor to enter their contact information to view the results
Offering a lead magnet such as a free home evaluation or a buyer guide in exchange for an email address (we help our members do this every month on Restate Social, we even create the lead magnet!)

Once you have these leads and their email addresses, you can continue to market to them. Which brings us to our next prospecting idea…

11. Advanced: Focused Ad Targeting

Once you have your emails collecting from your website lead form, you can create a Facebook ad that targets these individuals, as well as people that are similar to them. This is called a “Lookalike Audience” on Facebook and is a secret many digital marketers utilize to reach more people that might be interested in their product or service. You’ll also want to target those on your email list and those that have visited your website, this helps you to stay top of mind for those that have connected with you already, and allows you to re-connect with those that saw your website and for whatever reason didn’t give you their contact information.

To create a highly-effective ad targeting your three groups of people (those on your email list, the email list Lookalike Audience, and those that visited your website but didn’t connect with you, follow these steps.

Create and install a Facebook Pixel for your site. You can learn more about that here (you will need a Facebook Business Manager account).
Go to your Ads Manager Account dashboard and select Audiences from the left-side navigation.
Create a new custom audience from your installed Pixel, this should be everyone that’s visited your website.
Create another audience, this time selecting Lookalike audience and select “Custom Source.” Then select “Customer List.”
Now, you will upload your email contact list, following their formatting requirements.
Lastly, you will create your third audience: those on your email list. Click Create audience again, then Custom Audience. And again, you will follow the steps to upload a “Customer list.”
Finally, you will create an ad targeting all 3 of these audiences.