How To Get Clients on BiggerPockets Without Ever Asking For It

[Jonathan Greene]

I've been on BiggerPockets for around ten years. I've made hundreds of friends and sourced more clients than you can imagine from doing one thing - adding value in the forums.

I never once said I was an agent or where to find me. I never once asked for anyone's business, or DM'd someone to ask for business. I always allow people to reach out to me. I always answer questions in the forums without asking on my behalf. I am not hard to find if someone wants to work with me.

As someone who has run an on-market real estate team with as many as fifty agents in the past, I can tell you that the problem is that real estate agents are lazy and unfocused and want the low-hanging fruit with limited work. When you see real estate agents in the forum asking for business and providing no value or proof of value, the value proposition should be obvious.

If you want to work with investors, find my other post in this forum. It explains how to do it without being annoying or spammy. It all comes down to being interested, not interesting, and constantly adding value based on your market and area knowledge, nothing else. If you are always dishing out assistance, people will return the favor down the line.

[Scott Allen]

@Jonathan Greene what you're saying is incredibly true about adding value. When people see that you say/comment something that is actually insightful and can help them - they'll usually reach out to you on their own if they have more questions or need more guidance. 

Just like you said with most real estate agents as well - many are incredibly lazy, unfocused, or just simply have no idea what they are actually doing. I think the worst are the ones that will say they can do something for you or bring something to you then do nothing at all/fail to follow up or stay in touch (lack systems, organizational skills, and actual work to produce). Some agents are just too good at giving first impressions but lack the actual work ethic to do what they say they're going to do. Of the fifty agents that you used to work with - did they ever have to come in to the office or was an office not really necessary in order to function at a higher capacity? Personally, I think most agents fail because they lack an environment to work within that actually wants them to be successful (no where to go and actually work if they want to work or learn the business). There is no such thing as just simply being lucky. The harder you work, the luckier you will get. 

If you are working with investors, many are similar and many are different. What's important to keep in mind and find out up front in my opinion is what their goals are, what they're to get to, and how they can grow from there (Can you actually help them or not?). I think a great part about the business that let's it function the way it does is that not all agents and not all clients are always a good fit for each other. While one agent is out partying, slacking, or maybe doing their other job because they're not all in on being an agent - another agent is working, easily reachable, or willing to do what they're supposed to do.