Congratulations! You have finished your real estate courses and passed your state real estate exam, and you are on your way to becoming an official licensed real estate agent and getting your first real estate client!
Take a moment to enjoy this! You have taken the first steps towards creating your dream lifestyle through real estate.
Now that you are a licensed real estate agent, you are probably wondering how to get your first real estate client as a new real estate agent so that you can start your new business right out of the gate.
Although there are many lead generation strategies out there for real estate agents, in order to get your First Real Estate Client, you need to be creative in order to not feel discouraged or risk losing a lot of money at the very beginning of your real estate journey.
Momentum
Getting your first real estate client as a new real estate agent is the most important and also the hardest task in your real estate career.
Starting your new real estate journey with a bang is important! It not only helps you build momentum but also shows your potential clients that you are serious about your business and that you are ready to help them with their real estate needs.
Momentum is vital in business, especially in the beginning. Once you have landed your first real estate client as a new real estate agent and have closed your first deal, you will have both the energy and credibility to work off of to build more business in the future.
It is a fact that getting your first real estate client is harder than getting the next 100 clients in real estate.
What New Real Estate Agents Need to Focus On
Answering the question of how to get your first real estate client as a new real estate agent will be different than answering the question of how to generate 100 real estate clients in a year.
You will not and should not be trying to use the same strategies that a top producing realtor or team leader is using to generate clients because you will never beat them at their own game.
This is important for new real estate agents to remember. It is always easier to win by being different than to win by being better.
Therefore, your focus as a new real estate agent should be on lead generation strategies that are tailored specifically for you and that is exactly how we made our top 12 list.
It is important for me to note that none of these strategies are costly, they do not require anything unusual or for you to put in massive amounts of work or stress, they are simple to apply, but they do require you to put forth the effort and to follow through with persistence.
Table of Contents
12 tips To Get Your First Real Estate Client: How to get your first client as a new real estate agent:
1. Sphere of Influence
2. Host Open Houses
3. Participate in Referral Lead Generation Programs
4. Partner With Wholesalers/Investors
5. Partner With Lenders
6. Warm Market Referrals
7. Leverage Other Agents’ Listings
8. Create and Optimize Your Google My Business Page
9. Attend Real Estate Meet-Ups
10. Start Your Own Real Estate Meet-Ups
11. Offer Free Consultations or Market Analysis to Prospective Clients
12.Facebook Communities
When you’re just starting out as a real estate agent, the task of getting your first real estate client can seem daunting. But if you follow these eleven tips, you’ll be on your way to landing that first real estate client in no time!
Get a Free LEAD GEN Training for New Realtors so that you Can Land Your First Real Estate Client and Start Building Momentum Today!
1. Sphere of Influence
One of the best and easiest ways of how to get your first real estate client as a new real estate agent is to tap into your sphere of influence.
Your sphere of influence is basically all of the people that you know who could potentially need or want real estate services.
This could be friends, family members, former co-workers, or even people you have connected with through social media.
The best part about tapping into your sphere of influence is that you already have a preexisting relationship with these people and they are more likely to trust you and your abilities as a real estate agent.
Real estate is a relationship-based business and your prospective clients are always looking to work with someone that they know that they can trust. Most of the time, clients will actually work with an agent that they like and trust over an agent that might have a better track record.
It is important that you offer value to your sphere of influence by talking about the things that you are learning about real estate.
Be upfront with them and let them know that you are not an “expert”. Since your sphere of influence already knows you, the best way to gain their business is by being yourself and expressing your excitement about learning the things you’ve learned in real estate.
Some things you can do are:
-posting about the cool things you are learning about real estate on social media
-talking about something important you learned in real estate to your friends or family
-telling your co-workers about your new journey in real estate
Just to cap off this section and to show you how important SOI marketing is for new agents, I want to share with you a quick case study of how to get your first real estate client as a new real estate agent through SOI.
An agent who is a close friend of mine got his first real estate client from talking about real estate at work and has gone on to close over $50 Million in real estate transactions in only his first full year in real estate!
Want to Learn How to Generate Leads for FREE And Build a Sustainable Real Estate Business That Will Give You Both Time and Money Freedom So That You Can Live a Lifestyle That You Never Need a Vacation From? Click Below to Learn More About How You Can Join Our Incredible Group!
2. Host Open Houses
As a new real estate agent, one of the best things you can do to get your first real estate client is to host open houses.
When you host an open house, you are essentially putting your services and expertise on display for all to see.
You are also giving people the opportunity to meet you in person and ask any questions that they may have about real estate.
Open houses are also a great way to generate leads as people who attend will often provide their contact information in order to receive more information about the property or to be notified of future open houses.
Listing agents are always looking for new agents to host open houses for them and this can be a great way to get your foot in the door.
When you host open houses it is important for you to take the task seriously and have the right systems in place to build relationships with potential buyers or even sellers and be able to stay in touch with them after the open house.
3. Participate in Referral Lead Generation Programs
Another great way to get your first real estate client as a new real estate agent is to participate in referral lead generation programs.
These programs are essentially a system where you will receive leads for free from a company then pay that company a percentage of your commissions if you turn that lead into a closing.
The best part about these programs is that the companies that offer them have already done all of the work in terms of creating a system and finding people who are interested in buying or selling a home.
This is a great option for new agents to get their first real estate client as you are not responsible for generating the leads yourself and do not have to pay upfront for the leads.
All you have to do is follow up with the leads that you receive and turn them into a closed transaction.
The important thing to remember with these leads is to follow up. Most of the leads that you will receive from these companies are not ready to buy immediately and take follow-up over a long period of time in order for you to turn them into a client.
There are many companies that offer referral lead generation programs and it is important for you to do your research in order to find the right one for you.
4. Partner With Wholesalers/Investors
One way for real estate agents to get their first real estate client is by partnering with investors.
When agents partner with investors, they are essentially giving the investor a referral for every seller lead that they are given.
This is a great way for agents to get listing leads right off the bat.
Investors are always on the lookout for new agents to partner with and can be a great way for you to get your first real estate client.
Real estate investors and wholesalers only want to buy properties that are not bank financeable so that they can buy the property at a discount and fix it up to flip or keep as a rental for profit.
But many real estate investors do so much marketing to homeowners that they will come across motivated sellers who own properties that are in great shape and ready to be listed on the MLS for full retail value.
Since real estate investors can not capitalize on those seller leads, most of the time they will simply cast them aside or throw them away.
As a new real estate agent, you are in a great position to take advantage of those leads by partnering with wholesalers or investors.
This strategy has worked so well for new real estate agents that an agent once received a list of over 3000 leads from one wholesaler!
Get a Free LEAD GEN Training for New Realtors so that you Can Land Your First Real Estate Client and Start Building Momentum Today!
5. Partner With Lenders
One way for new real estate agents to get their first real estate client is by partnering with lenders.
This is a great way for agents to get buyer leads right off the bat.
Lenders are always on the lookout for new agents to partner with and can be a great way for you to get your first real estate client.
Real estate lenders in your area come across buyers who are looking to purchase a home all the time and sometimes these buyers do not have a realtor that they are working with.
If you build relationships with these lenders then they will most likely refer them to you as the real estate agent of choice to work with.
You can also get more creative with your lender partnerships and have a local lender pay to run your Facebook or Google ads to generate buyer leads where then you will refer all of your buyers to that particular lender.
Building relationships with local lenders is one of the best ways for new real estate agents to get their first real estate client.
6. Warm Market Referrals
Telling everyone that you are a real estate agent is one of the best ways to get your first real estate client.
Your family and friends are the best people to start with as they know you the best and will be more likely to refer you to their friends and family members.
One of the reasons why it is so important for you to ask for referrals is that most people will not refer you on their own.
You have to be proactive and ask them for referrals if you want to get more business.
It is important to remember that you do not have to only focus on referrals from within your state. If you know a family member or friend in a different state make sure you let them know that you are a real estate agent. You never know when they might come across someone who either owns property in your state or are looking to relocate to your state.
You can also build relationships with other agents in other states as well and become their primary referral agent in your area.
For example, if you live in Florida and know another realtor in California, you can build a partnership with them so that they refer you any leads that they have worked with in California who are moving to and looking to buy a home in Florida.
7. Leverage Other Agents’ Listings
As a new real estate agent, one of the best ways to get your first real estate client for free is by marketing other agents’ listings.
This is another great way to get buyer leads right off the bat for no additional cost.
By marketing other agents’ listings, you are piggybacking on their hard work to generate buyer leads based on interest.
You can do this by creating a marketing presentation for the property and then marketing it to your sphere of influence, and social media followers.
When you are marketing other agents’ listings make sure that you are not infringing on their copyrights by using their photos or logos. Always get permission first and stay within compliance.
The 2 best platforms for you to market other agents’ listings are Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.
8. Create and Optimize Your Google My Business Page
As a new real estate agent, one of the most important things that you can do is to optimize your Google My Business (GMB) page.
When you create your GMB page make sure to include as much local content as possible.
This will help you to show up in local Google searches for potential clients who are looking for a real estate agent in your area.
In addition to including local content, you also want to make sure that you are actively using Google My Business Posts.
Posts are a great way to engage with potential clients and showcase your knowledge and expertise in the real estate industry.
Optimize Your Website for SEO
As a new real estate agent, one of the best things that you can do to get more leads is to optimize your website for SEO and connect that back to your GMB to capitalize on local google searches for real estate agents.
SEO is the process of optimizing your website so that it appears higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
When you optimize your website for SEO, you are making your website more visible to potential clients who are searching for a real estate agent in your area.
There are many different ways that you can optimize your website for SEO, but the most important thing is to make sure that you are including the right keywords in your website content.
Since Google loves local content, whenever someone searches for the phrase “real estate agent” on Google, they will be shown the first 3 GMB listings in their local area on Google Maps every time.
You can capitalize on this by optimizing your website and Google My Business Page with local specific keywords so that you are one of the top 3 results on Google whenever someone in your area looks up the phrase “real estate agent”
Get a Free LEAD GEN Training for New Realtors so that you Can Land Your First Real Estate Client and Start Building Momentum Today!
9. Attend Real Estate Meet-Ups
Real estate is a business that thrives on networking and meeting new people.
One of the best ways for you to get your first real estate client as a real estate agent is to attend meet-ups with other agents, investors, and professionals in your area.
There are many different types of real estate meet-ups that you can attend, but the best ones are the ones that are relevant to your market.
For example, if you live in a market that is saturated with multi-family investments, then you would want to attend meet-ups for real estate investors and professionals.
The best way to find out about local real estate meet-ups is to do a Google search for “real estate meet-ups + (your city)”
Get Involved in Your Local Real Estate Community
Another great way to get your first real estate client as a new real estate agent is to get involved in your local real estate community.
There are many different ways that you can get involved in your local real estate community, but the best way is to join a local Realtors Association.
When you join a Realtors Association, you will have access to many different resources that can help you to grow your business, including:
– A listing service that connects you with potential clients
– A referral program that connects you with other agents
– Education and training opportunities
– Networking events
– A real estate magazine or newsletter
When you join a Realtors Association, you are also joining a community of professionals who are all committed to advancing the real estate industry.
This is a great way for you to build relationships with other agents and expand your network and knowledge.
10. Start Your Own Real Estate Meet-Ups
If you want to take the previous strategy of going to real-estate meetups to the next level, you should consider starting your own real estate meet-ups
Real estate agents can start their own real estate meet-ups to help them get more leads and build credibility in the industry.
When you start your own real estate meet-up, you are in control of the content and the direction of the group.
This gives you an opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise with your guests and connect with potential real estate investors.
The best way to leverage local meet-ups is to do them consistently either once a week or once a month at the same location.
Some of the best places to promote these meet-ups is on:
meetup.com
eventbrite
Biggerpockets
Hosting your own real estate meet-up is one of the best ways on how to get your first client as a new real estate agent.
11. Offer Free Consultations or Market Analysis to Prospective Clients
One of the best ways to build your real estate credibility with your leads and sphere of influence so that you can get your first client as a new real estate agent is to offer free CMAs and consultations to your prospective clients, friends, and co-workers.
When you offer a free CMA or consultation, you are giving potential clients a chance to see your skill set and how you would go about helping them with their real estate needs.
This is a great way to show your leads and sphere of influence that you are knowledgeable in the industry and that you are serious about helping them with their real estate needs.
When you offer free CMA or consultations, make sure that you have a system in place so that you can follow up with those leads and turn them into clients.
Doing free Market analysis and consultations for prospective clients is also a great way for you to practice and hone your skillsets as an agent.
12. Facebook Communities
As a new real estate agent, one of the best ways to get your first client through Facebook is by leveraging Facebook groups.
This strategy can be implemented in many different ways and on several levels. For example, you can start your own group and invite people from your sphere of influence or join an already existing group.
The best way to find groups is by using the search bar on Facebook and typing in keywords such as:
– “(local) Real Estate Group”
– “Property investors”
– “Home buyers”
Once you have found a group that is relevant to your target market, join it and start contributing valuable content and discussions.
Another way to use Facebook groups to get your first client as a new real estate agent is by joining groups that are specific to the niche you want to specialize in, such as:
– Luxury Real Estate
– Commercial Real Estate
– Property Management
By joining relevant Facebook groups, you will be able to connect with potential clients who are looking for real estate services in your area of specialization.
Starting Your Own Facebook Group as a New Real Estate Agent
Joining Facebook communities are a great way to get your first client as a new real estate agent, but starting and running your own Facebook group is an even better way to generate your first real estate client.
When you start your own Facebook group, you are in total control of the content and the direction of the group, much like running your own local meet-up, except running your own Facebook Group is free, more convenient, and can generate leads for you 24/7.
Having your own Facebook Group is extremely important for agents who want to engage with their potential clients on a deeper level and nurture relationships with them over time.
When you start your own Facebook group, make sure that you:
– Pick a Niche for Your Group
– Write a good description of your group
– Add a profile picture
– Post valuable content on a regular basis
If you can do these things, you will be able to create a successful Facebook group that can help you get your first client as a new real estate agent.
Are You Ready to Crush it As a New Real Estate Agent?
Becoming a real estate agent is an exciting time, but it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Many agents struggle to get their first client.
Don’t worry – by following and implementing the tips we have laid out for you, you will generate your first client in no time!
Remember that also having a great team and brokerage behind you that supports you with a great system in place will help you succeed.
Want to Learn How to Generate Leads for FREE And Build a Sustainable Real Estate Business That Will Give You Both Time and Money Freedom So That You Can Live a Lifestyle That You Never Need a Vacation From? Click Below to Learn More About How You Can Partner With Our Real Estate Group!