Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Overcoming Blocks to Lead ...

by Dr. Maya Bailey

Now more than ever people are struggling with lead generation and looking for solutions. Most real estate agents feel blocked when it comes to picking up the phone and calling prospective clients.

When you got into real estate, you didn't really get into real estate so that you could call up strangers on the phone and see if you could interest them in your services. You got into real estate because you love to help people buy and sell homes.

You have two businesses. One, the business that's easy for you, helping people buy and sell homes, working with contracts, negotiating with buyers and sellers and so forth. The second business you have that you haven't wanted to address is the business of lead generation, or prospecting.

Most people don't want to address this part of their business because it's just plain scary. The idea of setting aside two hours a day every day to call people you don't know makes most real estate agents get very anxious. Then they find things to do instead of lead generation like busy work. This is called AVOIDANCE.

The challenge is for you to admit this but without judgment or blame.

Most of you have been avoiding lead generation for quite some time. And by avoiding I don't mean that you've avoided it altogether, it's just that you've been doing it inconsistently and you're noticing that it isn't enough. Making a few calls a day can hardly be called lead generation. Gary Keller says in his new book Shift, "you can't sit back -- you must be more rigorous and resolute in your lead generation than ever before and more so than anyone else."

Agents who are succeeding in today's market are diligently prospecting up to three hours a day. Here are some common misconceptions that most real estate agents carry that keep them from effectively generating leads:

1. 1. Time: the first misconception that real estate agents have is that they don't have enough time to add lead generation into their schedule. By working on your time management skills, perhaps getting up a bit earlier, or re-arranging some of your routine, you can find 2-3 hours every morning for prospecting.
2. "I won't know what to say", coupled with fear of making mistakes. Keller says that, "prospecting is nothing more than a set of tasks and skills that are well documented." In other words, you can learn what to say, it's not a mystery, you just need to have scripts for different categories of people.
3. It takes money to make money. Some are afraid lead generation will cost them money and they're already feeling strapped. Lead generation does not require your money, just your time.
4. Telemarketer misconception. "I really don't like it when telemarketers call me, I always feel interrupted and disturbed. How can I do to someone else what I don't like done to me?"

When you call a client, you are calling to see if they might need some help from you. For example if you call someone in the category of for sale by owners, then you're asking them if they might be able to use your services. Your chances are very high that they can use their services. They didn't realize when they got into selling their home by themselves that it would be such a hassle. Usually they don't succeed and often they will hire a real estate agent to do it for them once they realize the value.

But how can they hire you, unless they know you exist and you're interested in helping them? It's your job as a real estate professional to let clients know that you exist and you have a desire to be of service. In fact the more your leading motivation is to help people, the more that will come across in your conversation.

Don't worry about rejection. You have an expertise in helping people to buy and sell homes. You can be proud of that expertise. When you do lead generation, you're exploring to see if you can find a match for someone who's looking for your expertise. If someone is interested in your services, you found a match. If they are not interested in your services, they are not rejecting you. It simply is not a match. Thank them and move on to the next.

Have you heard the expression, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care?" Express your caring and warmth through being in alignment with the intention of your heart, which is to be of service and help people.

If you are in alignment with your purpose, this will be reflected in your voice. The voice won't sound abrasive, it will sound invitational. It will have a lilt. People will be attracted to your voice and your energy, no matter which exact words you use.

For most of you, the most effective thing you can do is to invest in a coach or mentor who will help you to discover the self-limiting beliefs that are holding you back and also help you to install updated Empowered Beliefs.

Dr. Maya Bailey, Multiple 6 Figure Income Business Coach for Real Estate Professionals, integrates her 20 years of experience as a psychologist with 15 years of expertise in marketing. Her powerful transformational work creates a Success Formula for Real Estate Professionals ready to create a Multiple 6 Figure Income. To get your free report: "7 Simple Strategies to More Clients in 90 Days" and to apply for an Initial Complimentary Consultation, go to: http://www.90daystomoreclients.com

Published: April 18, 2013

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Source: http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20130418_leadgeneration.htm

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