How to not lose a lead & getting more in IL..?

[James Shin]

Hi all,

I recently got my real estate license in December. I helped a client buy a home and is scheduled to close next Tuesday. Everyday I'm worried it is going to fall through because of the mortgage but that is another story.

Anyway, the brokerage I am at provides leads to us through the website. Some of the leads are reassigned to me from other agents not wanting to work with them but some are new and browsers.

Sometimes these leads provide us with a phone number to contact them at but for the most part, it is an email. And sometimes even then the email is fake.

I do not want to rely on my company to provide me the leads that I need to grow my business. I've read a bunch of threads on here and also scoured the internet for advice but all seems the same. I'm 27 and need buyers/sellers to take me seriously.

Is there anything that anyone is doing that is not the "traditional" form of marketing? I'm not looking to send direct mailers that is going to be thrown in the trash or pay to be on Zillow competing with 10,000 other Realtors in my area.

Also, is there some kind of script or phrase used today to light a fire under buyers butts to help them speed up the process from just browsing to let's buy yesterday?