5 Things Not To Do as a Real Estate Agent on an Investor Site

[Jonathan Greene]

If you want to build a better business as an agent on the biggest investor site in the world, follow these tips:

1. Never include a call to action in your reply to a forum post. Your signature and profile are on every post. You build a stronger business by allowing clients to approach you based on your advice and expertise.

2. Never throw your city into a conversation about another city. For example, if someone asks about DFW, don't chime in about Houston. Focus your energy on what you know about Dallas, or stay out of the discussion.

3. Don't DM people without an invitation. Allow them to DM you on their terms. If you want to connect on the site, send that with a note without a call to action.

4. Answer posts with your experience as an investor or with investors. Be specific and give verifiable numbers. This builds trust over just throwing out blanket statements. Investors here are looking for agents who invest or work with multiple investors who would give you a recommendation. All investors know a million agents. They don't need another bad one.

5. Never talk about being an agent unless the question explicitly concerns that. Don't recommend yourself. Your profile and signature will say what you want it to say. Be an asset instead. Play the long game and build relationships with people without asking for their business. This is the backbone of trust for your business.

[Becca F.]

Quote from @Mike Dymski:

Does that type of marketing actually work?  It's obvious and a big turn off to smart people (for them, it's anti-marketing).  It's all over the forums; so, it must work or it is just a waste of time for the poster and readers.

I think this type of marketing does work, sort of like the old school telemarketers. For every 100 hang ups or no answers, they might get one person who will listen to them and be able to sell them something. 

All the DMs from agents, licensed real estate and a few from disposition (something involving wholesaling??) agents, that I've received, they are always the ones to initiate the contact with me on BP. A few of the more "out in left field"  messages include someone double messaging me within a 24 hour time period asking if I'm interesting in investing in STRs - my answer is no and I think that's a bit aggressive, not even giving me a day or two to reply to the first DM. A more recent one is asking if I want to buy on the East Coast...no again. For the areas I may be interested in investing (Nevada, Arizona, and Sacramento) I have talked to a few agents. 

 I try to look past the sales pitches. I've learned very valuable information from the experienced investors on BP - some of whom I've talked to by phone or gotten on Zoom calls and they have saved me from making offers on anymore bad deals.