9 innovative strategies to get more real estate seller leads in 2024


Looking for more listing leads? With low housing inventory nationwide, agents are using innovative ways to find real estate seller leads and convert them into listings. While marketing to your sphere of influence, networking, and direct mail campaigns work, they can be time-consuming and they don’t always yield quick results. To help you snag more listings, we updated our list of proven strategies to win more real estate seller leads in 2024.

Summary
  1. Generate seller leads with AI: Use Top Producer
  2. Improve your social media strategy: Use Coffee & Contracts
  3. Drive leads to home valuation landing pages: Use Market Leader
  4. Target FSBOs & FRBOs: Use Lofty
  5. Rank your website on search engines: Use RealGeeks
  6. Conduct virtual open houses: Use Matterport
  7. Leverage email marketing to your sphere: Use Lofty
  8. Become your area’s favorite local real estate agent: Use Parkbench
  9. Use virtual networking to expand your reach
  10. The full picture: How to get more real estate seller leads

1. Generate seller leads using AI

Artificial Intelligence (or AI) is changing the way agents work in so many ways, and that includes how we generate seller leads. By analyzing hundreds of relevant data points, including market trends, historical sales data, consumer behavior, credit card debt, and more, AI tools can forecast which properties are more likely to be listed for sale in the near future.

Data analysis allows real estate agents to focus their marketing efforts (and budget!) on homeowners who are more likely to sell, thereby optimizing their lead gen strategy. Let’s be honest, spending money on lead generation can get expensive. If there’s a way to ensure more bang for your buck, we are all for it.

2. Drive leads to home valuation landing pages

It’s the 21st century. If you’re a real estate agent without a web presence, you may want to consider another career. According to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), 70% of broker/broker associates and 69% of sales agents have a website. If you want a shot at generating seller leads online, you need one, too.

To drive sellers to your website, create custom landing pages that offer free home valuations and describe the services and expertise you provide to home sellers. Then, drive traffic to your home valuation page using social media or targeted advertising.

Social media marketing is a powerful tool for real estate agents, with both free and paid options. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer an opportunity for brand building and direct engagement with potential sellers. By maintaining active profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, you can showcase your listings, share success stories, and provide valuable market insights in a visually appealing and engaging manner.

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As an added benefit, social media provides a space for client testimonials and reviews, which are invaluable for building an agent’s reputation and encouraging referrals. In a competitive industry like real estate, leveraging social media marketing is essential for agents to stay relevant, connect with their community, and ultimately, generate more real estate seller leads.

I’ve been building my social media presence consistently for about three years now and am finally at the point where people recognize me in my neighborhood, at open houses, and at Realtor® events. I mean, having pink hair doesn’t hurt, but I think it’s a testament to the work I’ve put into my Instagram account.

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3. Target FSBOs & FRBOs

Targeting For Sale By Owner (FSBO) and For Rent By Owner (FRBO) listings are part of a surefire strategy for finding homeowners who may be open to listing their property. After all, they’ve already expressed an interest in selling or renting their property. To convince clients to list with you, you’ll need a well-honed sales pitch explaining the benefits of working with you.

Tailor your pitch to address the unique needs and challenges of homeowners trying to sell or rent a property on their own. As a licensed agent, you’ll give their listing broader market exposure and more polished marketing, not to mention your expertise with negotiations and tricky closings. To get started, here are the most effective strategies to find and convert FSBO and FRBOs:

  • Cold calling
  • Door knocking
  • Prospecting letters
  • Postcard campaigns

If you plan to target FSBOs and FRBOs, you’ll need plenty of patience and a thick skin. As with all successful prospecting strategies, consistent follow-up is key.

5. Rank your website on search engines  

In an era where most homeowners start their selling journey with an online search, your web presence is not just a nice-to-have, it is essential. By sharing relevant content and local market analysis, you can position yourslef as knowledgeable and trustworthy.

You may have heard about Search Engine Optimization (or SEO). Use an SEO strategy, you can significantly increase your visibility to homeowners looking to sell, thereby generating more seller leads and listings. An attractive website lets you showcase your clients’ listings professionally, as well as your track record as an agent — both important factors that potential sellers consider when choosing an agent.

For a website to be effective in helping you find motivated seller leads, it needs to be optimized, usable, and ideally connected to an IDX feed. Consider your website just as valuable, and probably more so, than your actual business card.

6. Conduct virtual open houses

Leveraging virtual open houses and tours through platforms like Zoom or Matterport can significantly enhance your ability to generate seller leads. You’ll impress potential home sellers with your polished property marketing. These virtual events allow to reach a wider audience while engaging with potential sellers in a dynamic, interactive environment. 

Virtual open houses that you livestream or broadcast after the fact on social media, for example, will demonstrate your presentation and marketing acumen to other potential sellers, and help them to get to know you better.

6. Leverage email marketing to your sphere

In the days before the internet, many agents would regularly send postcards and letters via USPS to their targeted neighborhoods. These days, agents use similar strategies to land themselves in the inboxes of potential sellers.

Combining old-school tactics with digital campaigns

A personalized postcard or market update letter combined with an integrated email campaign is sure to resonate with many homeowners. Integrating direct mailers with your email campaigns using the same branding, messaging and personal feel can be a potent approach for connecting with potential sellers in your farm area. Just as direct mailers like postcards can offer a personal touch, you can craft email campaigns with a similar level of care and local relevance.

As one example, when crafting client emails or newsletters, be sure to include some recent micro-market data like the average local selling prices and photos that depict your client’s zip code. As another example, use custom graphics or a personal signature within the email’s design to evoke a sense of familiarity and personal connection.

This approach resonates with your recipients on a deeper level than the typical generic mailers some agents send out. If a potential client feels like you’re addressing their specific interests and needs rather than just blasting the same bland email to your entire sphere of influence, they are more likely to take notice and hopefully give you a call!

Audience segmentation & CRM tools

One of the advantages that email marketing has over traditional marketing is the ability to segment your mailing lists. With old-school snail mail, you could choose your recipient lists based on zip code or their gated community (shout out to Florida agents!). Now, you can tailor your email messages to potential sellers, condo owners, retirees looking to downsize, or growing young families. Each group has unique concerns and goals.

With email marketing, there are many tools that can target neighborhoods and drill down to include lists of absentee owners or people with massive home equity who may be ready to sell. Working with segmented lists, you can target specific demographics or neighborhoods messaging that addresses their pain points.

There are numerous tools available to real estate agents hoping to find new seller leads through email marketing. These include CRMs with email marketing features like Market Leader, Top Producer, Zurple, and Lofty.

The feedback I typically hear from agents when choosing one specific platform over another is that they prefer its user interface. Since this is a matter of preference,  I encourage you to take advantage of some free trials and webinars to get a sense of the specific CRM tool before handing over your credit card.

7. Become your area’s favorite local real estate agent

Community engagement has always been a crucial piece of the puzzle for real estate agents in their quest for seller leads. By participating in community events, networking with locals, and offering value through local real estate workshops or seminars, agents can foster trust and recognition within the community.

The challenge is that you are only one person and can only be in so many places and attend so many local events. This is where technology can help you find seller leads. There are, of course, the local Facebook groups and apps like NextDoor where neighbors virtually gather to ask questions, share helpful information, and even market goods and services.

Savvy agents also leverage paid neighborhood community sites like Parkbench. These pay to play online communities ensure that there is only one real estate agent per community, theoretically increasing the chances of neighbors choosing you to work with.

As an agent, participating in any type of online community enhances your reputation and also places you top-of-mind when homeowners consider selling. Through community engagement, you can also gain a deeper understanding of the local real estate market and the concerns of potential sellers, which is invaluable for tailoring your services and marketing strategies.

A strong community presence allows agents to generate organic referrals and testimonials, which are often more compelling and cost-effective than other lead generation methods. In a competitive market, community engagement can significantly differentiate you from other agents, making you the go-to person for homeowners looking to sell, thereby generating a steady stream of seller leads.

8. Use virtual networking to find seller leads

You’ve heard of networking groups, networking events, and networking clubs. What about virtual networking? Believe it or not, virtual options have become a pivotal part of the real estate industry, especially since online interactions often precede face-to-face meetings.

LinkedIn, for example, is a powerful platform for online networking where you can connect with potential sellers, join real estate-focused groups, and share insightful content to demonstrate your expertise. Additionally, platforms like Zillow and Realtor.com offer forums and networking opportunities for agents to engage with property owners and other real estate professionals.

Participating in online forums and communities like BiggerPockets or the National Association of Realtors (NAR) online forums can provide valuable networking opportunities and insights into the real estate market. You can share the insights you’ve gained in your local Facebook groups. Try answering questions in the comments sections and share your contact details with potential sellers near you.

The full picture: How to get real estate seller leads

The tools we’ve shared here will help you cast a wider net to generate qualified real estate seller leads from a variety of sources. We believe that the best approach to building a successful real estate business is one that nurtures relationships while leveraging the power of technology. By embracing digital tools, engaging with your community, and offering value to home sellers, you can build a robust pipeline of potential sellers who will think of you when they’re ready to list their home.

Most importantly, you’ll need to foster trust with potential sellers. An authentic agent who listens and cares about each homeowner’s unique needs will win more listings — it’s as simple as that.





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