Following a busy spring and summer, agents can typically look forward to a breather in August as last-minute vacations and back-to-school prep commences. These days, nothing is typical.
The recent modest uptick in supply spurred eager buyers to continue making offers, sometimes sight-unseen. What late August and early fall will look like remains to be seen.
But whether sales rise, fall, or remain steady, prospecting should always be part of the picture. Why? Because clients buy second homes, they make referrals, they change their minds and move again. Effective prospecting is about forging and sustaining relationships that outlast market trends.
At Weichert, prospecting is a critical part of our sales recipe and we coach heavily on a variety of ways to master it. We support our agents’ efforts with direct mail programs and design libraries, social media content, scripts, how-to-videos, and a how-to guide for brokers to host iCall sessions with their teams. While you likely have your own tried-and-true sales prospecting techniques, there’s always room to mix it up, experiment with new ideas, or put more focus on neglected tasks.
Here are some sales prospecting methods and ideas to motivate your next move.
1. Phone a friend
Not just to text, but to actually talk. Real estate coach Leigh Brown suggests making at least one call a day to the clients who already know and appreciate you. Easy, right? All year long, people are engaged in a wide variety of real estate activities. From renovating to refinancing to making repairs, people love to talk real estate. This is an easy in that reminds past clients that you’re always available to give advice, you’re here to help their friends and relatives, and you’re genuinely interested in their well-being. Win-win.
2. Carve out your niche
Building a specialty real estate business takes time and creativity. Slower months are a great time to study for designations such as Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert (CDRE™). A rigorous certification like this allows you to help clients through the legal, financial, and emotional implications of parting ways while protecting assets. Along with promoting new qualifications, make sure to network with other professionals in this area such as divorce attorneys and get added to niche listings such as divorceforce.com. Whether your passion is seniors, international clients, or any other specialty, prospecting efforts should make it easier for your target audience to find you.
3. Go big in the “off season”
Blooming gardens and home sales go hand in hand for good reason. But there are certain advantages to selling in winter –– if you have the right strategy and mindset. For clients holding out until spring, remind them that the off-season comes with benefits: less competition, a quicker closing process, and motivated buyers who are ready to move. When you incorporate this message into your marketing materials during slower months, you’ll attract clients who are on the fence about listing. You can also get creative with staging by making the property extra cozy and welcoming. Think warm blankets, a glowing fireplace, and hot beverages (not to mention stunning photos for your portfolio).
4. Sample new sales prospecting tools
Everyone at Weichert has access to myWeichert® powered by kvCORE technology platform. It’s a prospecting powerhouse that combines AI, marketing automation, and complete mobile access to help agents stay in front of past, present, and potential clients around the clock. We also embrace lead-gen technologies that offer optimum ROI. According to real estate coach Beverly Ruffner, Facebook Messenger ads can deliver an open rate that’s 242 percent higher than email. Is there a sales prospecting tool you’ve been meaning to try? Put it to the test and measure results (today!).
5. Lean on trusted colleagues
Sales prospecting isn’t always a favorite activity, but it can be less daunting if you lean on colleagues for help. At Weichert, we’re all about learning and growing. So, along with all of our on-demand and live educational opportunities, we’re always sharing ideas across national offices. We communicate regularly to share what works, brainstorm new ideas, and help each other ditch time-wasting tasks. The way we talk to prospects changes quickly these days. From promoting video showings in the midst of the pandemic to explaining what iBuyers can and can’t do, conveying up-to-the-minute expertise is essential. Leaning on one another keeps us on the cutting-edge.
6. Always remember your why
You’re honest, hard-working, a true expert in your field. Why wouldn’t others want to benefit from your experience? (They would, so don’t you forget it.) While prospecting requires consistent effort and discipline, the right mindset is critical, too. Never think of prospecting as a bother. By letting everyone in your community know about your services and expertise, you’re educating them about their real estate options, which are often far outside the scope of what they imagined. Regular prospecting helps establish you as an authority in your region. That’s good for you, your neighbors, and the future of your city.
Have your sales prospecting methods gotten stale? Would 500+ new colleagues help inspire your outlook? At Weichert, we make even the challenging aspects of real estate a team effort. It’s one of the many reasons we’ve been leading the industry for 50 years. Learn more.
