11 Ways to Use BiggerPockets to Become a Better Investor

With a diverse community as big as BiggerPockets, it’s easy to get lost or overwhelmed by the amount of Forum posts, blogs, people and information being shot at you as if out of a howitzer cannon. It can be daunting!

I want show that it’s easy to attack BP with a strategy to get the most out of the time you spend here and make a TON of money in the process. Why just aimlessly surf if you can implement some tips below and start connecting with players in your market and start doing deals (or do more deals!)? For everyone from the newbie sitting on the sidelines to the old veteran who has 100 deals under his belt, there are many ways you might not be using BP to its fully powerful potential.

I’m not the number one expert here; there are members who have leveraged their time on BP much more efficiently with much more benefit than I have. However, I do get asked about once a week how I’ve used BP to gain some level of success. Now I open the not-so-secret, sacred non-guru tome.

11 Smart Ways to Use BiggerPockets to Become a Better Entrepreneur

1. You Have to Participate

I know, it seems elementary, but every day make it a habit to go on the Forums and post. It’s a slow growth process. I’m not good at following this advice all the time, but starting here, I’m making a written goal effort to post a certain number of times a day on BP.

Go to the Unanswered Threads and post a response, go to the Rehabbing or Wholesaling or New Member Introductions thread and pick up on something interesting. Ask questions, answer questions, comment on blog posts, etc. I’ve been there since 2005, and over time answering questions, I’ve become an “expert” whether I like it or not. Obviously, this post is about leveraging BP, so I mostly do like it.

2. Meet with Local People for Coffee or Lunch

There are some big players in each market — many are on BP, some aren’t. I used to keep a weekly Thursday afternoon slot free and have probably met with 100 BPers. I ask them lots of questions and let them ask me anything they want. My goal is to connect with either established investors and provide service or see if there is anything they offer (deals, funding, contractors?) or connect with new investors and become a resource to bounce deals off of, give second opinions on ARVs, or buy their deals, etc.

I have picked up deals this way, have sold deals to newer rehabbers, sold deals as an agent for a few, etc. Just meeting BPers and establishing relationships has easily put $50k in my pocket over the last 3 years. Just look at the Thanksgiving Forum post about being thankful for BP — there are a bunch of investors who are doing deals with other members right here! What more motivation do you need?

3. Get Involved in a Local Meetup

Of course, that is — if there is one. If there isn’t, start one! I started the first BP local Meetup, and I get to talk to 10-20 investors a month at my Meetup — pure networking! No selling!

Starting a Meetup has made me the go-to guy in my area on BP for questions or deals. Not a bad place to be. And I’ve gained a number of new friends I’ve kept up with now… so business, friends, deals, and beer? Count me in.

4. Use the Marketplace

It’s a great place to sell deals or market services to the hundreds of thousands of BP members! I’ve used the BP Marketplace to sell deals before. Of course, you have to be a PRO member to post in the marketplace, but you don’t have to be a PRO to browse and find deals!

5. Build a Buyers List

BiggerPockets is a good place to find buyers and add them to your buyers list. Being a higher exposure member, I probably get 5 new buyers on my list each month. That may not sound like a ton, but I try and vet them early to see if they are real buyers. I sold a wholesale deal to a BPer who had his ducks in a row last year, and I made a quick $10k.

6. BLOG!

If you aren’t blogging, start one on the BiggerPockets Member Blogs. If you are, well, blog more and post them on BP. It is 2015; if you can’t see the value in building a blog and gaining followers (if your content is good), then I cannot help you.

7. Expose Yourself

Get active, contribute and connect. I was just talking to another BiggerPockets member over lunch today, and her deals are getting funded by another BiggerPockets member by just putting herself out there and asking.

Many are doing tons of deals, finding partners, private money, contractors, etc. You never know what the exposure on BP will land you: some members got book deals, some are taking on speaking engagements. Of course, you have to put the work in to contribute in order to reap the rewards of exposing yourself; otherwise, nobody will acknowledge or trust you.

8. Become a PRO Member

I can post my contact info, my company logo, have a intro video, and post in the Marketplace — among probably 20 other things I can’t think of right now. All of this helps with credibility. I can also check out EVERYONE who’s viewed my profile, as well as see all new members who registered in my area.

I get two weekly emails for each, and it’s been helpful in reaching out and growing a local community. Check out one of Brandon’s webinars for all the PRO benefits, but these are the ones I’m using to the max.

9. Filter the Vast Information

Speaking of the blog, it can be absolutely daunting to filter through this much information. Thankfully, you can search blogs for keywords you are interested in. Also, find 2-5 frequent bloggers who give great advice and stick with them. There is some pure gold in many of the best bloggers’ posts. Comment, ask questions, and get involved.

10. Pick Up the Phone

Schedule a few calls with guys and gals outside your area who are doing what you want to do. This is how I’ve expanded my friends and network outside my vicinity. Find the best, and start picking their brains. It’s a good way to extend your network, it always leads to great conversation and advice, and it could lead to referral deals or who knows what else.

11. Implement Keyword Alerts

Use the keyword alerts and set it up to your city and maybe your state and definitely your name because any time anybody posts anything with these keywords, you’ll get an alert .Sometimes I get turned onto either deals or questions that are hyper specific to my area.

Lately, I’ve been thrown off by another Anson here on the site with the keyword alert. I’m contemplating either a Highlander situation or an Anson-army-world-domination situation. Either way, I wouldn’t have known about it unless I had keyword alerts set up!

There you have it — 11 quick and dirty ways to kick off what is sure to be an amazing 2015!

What are your best BP tricks and tips?

Feel free to comment below as to how YOU are using BiggerPockets to kick more butt in 2015!

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.