Looking for realtor advice!

[Andrew McManamon]

Hello BP, I’m a real estate agent and I have been one for about 3 ish months. I haven’t had my first deal yet. I’m struggling to work with my SOI since they are the same age as me (20) they aren’t looking for homes now. I let them know all the time so they know to use me when they decide to buy a home. Does anyone have any advice of how to get started, I’m getting a little discouraged.

[Cara Lonsdale]

@Andrew McManamon I am sorry to hear you are discouraged.  What does your Broker and/or office coach say would be a help to launch your business?  Those people are there to ensure that you succeed.  If you are not experiencing their support and direction, you may want to consider a change there for starters...

In terms of giving you some ideas, I think I can help.  Depending on your $$ situation, some of these things will be grass roots efforts that require your time and effort, but little to no money.

• Pull Comps for a specific neighborhood and make copies with your contact info on it.  Take the comps and walk the neighborhood.  When people open the door, say, "Hi, I'm Andrew, and I am your local RE specialist.  There have been some good sales that have driven up prices in the area, and I wanted to be the first to let you know, and bring you the information. (Hand them the comps page)  Here, this is for you.  If you have any questions about it, or want to talk about the value of your home, please don't hesitate to call."  Then LEAVE (unless they ask questions or engage you in conversation.)
• Schedule an open house in that same neighborhood.  If you don't have a listing, choose a house for sale and approach the listing agent for permission.  Put out signs and walk the neighborhood 3 days prior to the open house to let neighbors know. "Hi, I am Andrew, your local RE Specialist.  I am going to be holding an open house on XX Street and wanted to invite you.  Here is your invitation (create a flyer with open house info to pass out), and I hope to see you.  By The Way, if you know of anyone that would be a good fit for this community, invite them to join us! See you Sunday (or whenever the open house is)."
• Go to a Community event - engage in the neighborhood activities.  If nothing is going on, CREATE something.  People always like to gather for picnics, BBQs, carnivals, etc.  Make something up.  Get a permit from the city (It's like $60 in our city to reserve a park ramada/area).  Make it something that you can repeat annually like a Chili cook off, or Holiday decorating contest.  I know an agent that started a Hot Wheels race where people can bring their own Hot Wheels and race them down this ramp that the agent brings.  He brings a whole box of extra cars in case someone comes without a car.  The kids love it!  He is going on his 5th year with it.  Get your local lender/credit union/title company/home warranty rep involved.  Together, you can put on a great event.  Plus, it gives you an opportunity to engage with the community, and identify YOU as the area specialist.  If it's too cold outside, bring it to an inside venue!  Contact a local church, school or community center where you can use their facilities.  Have a Lego Building contest or a craft making activity.  Wear your Realtor name tag so that you are easily identified.  Engage the community by enlisting some of them to be judges for the events that require judges.  Have a jelly bean counting contest where people can guess how many are in the jar, and have to write their contact info on a card in order to have a chance to win a prize that you provide.  CALL EVERYONE that submits a card, and thank them for coming to the event.  
• Go to networking events.  Your local chamber of commerce should have regular meetings where you can mingle with other business owners (who most likely ALL buy and sell houses, as well as invest).
• Try a targeted Adwerx online campaign.  They are zip code specific, and you can target the zip code that your neighborhood is in to gain extra exposure to those people.
• Go To FSBO open houses. Every agent calls these people, but RARELY do agents GO to their open houses or engage with them DURING their process. BRING THEM AN ITEM OF VALUE! It could be a guest register, or nice flyers of their property, or a sample of a purchase agreement (write sample across it so it can't be used). I like to give them a copy of the Seller Property Disclosure statements (called SPDS in AZ). They usually are not farmiliar with them, and appreciate the gesture. Call a couple of days after the open house to ask them how it went, and if there was anything they might need for the next one that you could help them with. If and when they aren't able to sell their home, they will think of you first because you offered the HELP instead of just badgering them with calls to list like every other agent.
• Start a newsletter.  There are many templates online that may even have content auto-populated for you.  Just add your contact info.  Walk the neighborhood similarly to how you did with the comps.
• Go down to wherever your city handles Trustee Sales.  Mingle with wholesalers, flippers and people buying houses (and even the ones who didn't win the bid).  Introduce yourself and give them your card in case they need marketing help when it comes time to sell.
• Ask your preferred lender for leads.  If you have a relationship with a lender for getting your clients pre-qualified, turn it aorund and ask THEM for RE leads.  Same with the Title company or other vendors you use.
• Befriend mobile notaries in your area.  These people conduct most of the signings for refinances as well as closings happening.  You may think you are too late at that point, but you would be surprised at how many people are refinancing to reposition themselves for a move, or are buying investment property.  So, those people would be a good resource for new clients that the mobile notary can refer to you.

If you have money to spend, I would invest in a marketing campaign within the neighborhood as well as an online campaign.  Engage them with a contest like a chance to win movie tickets, or a gift card to a local eatery.  Have them submit their entries online, and again, CALL EVERYONE of the submissions to thank them for their participation in your contest.

There are also lead services you can pay for.  Some are paid for by the lead.  Others area a paid service that brings leads in to be exposed by your page.  Either way, this can help too.

I don't want to harp on this too much, but honestly, your broker/coach should be "Coaching" you through this process.  At KW, we have so much great training for this EXACT issue.  Training like IGNITE or LAUNCH.  They are both great platforms for helping new agents (or re-igniting seasoned agent's) business.  If you aren't getting the kind of guidance you want, you should consider a change.