Are you looking forward to a prosperous fall and winter season – or are you worried because your real estate client pipeline is not yet full?
It’s never fun when you can’t look forward and see money coming in, but it’s even worse during the holiday season, when you want to buy gifts, entertain, or perhaps go somewhere fun.
Some believe that “No one wants to buy or sell homes during the holidays.”
It isn’t true. It’s only true for agents who don’t make the effort. In fact, some agents tell me that the holidays are one of their busiest times.
If you want your real estate client pipeline filled before winter, now is the time to act.
Here are 7 steps you can take to make that happen.
1. Reconnect with your past clients and those in your sphere of influence.
If you’ve had a busy summer, you may have been lax in staying in touch with those valuable people. Change that, starting today! Remember that when nurtured properly, those people can become your personal gold mine. Some will become repeat clients and some will send referrals – but only if you treat them well.
Nurtured carefully over time, these people will help keep your real estate client pipeline filled year-round.
Do a fun or informational mailing to every person on those lists, AND start making phone calls. Don’t call to ask 
for business – just call to stay in touch. Ask how their summer has been and if there’s anything new and exciting in their lives. They will naturally ask you how you’ve been doing in return. THEN you can talk about your own work and ask if they need your help or know anyone who might.
How many calls can you make in a day and still get your other work done? Do it!
If you’ve been out of touch for several months, get back in the groove with my keeping in touch letters. Then put those folks on your list to get your market reports, at the very least.
If staying in regular contact is difficult for you during busy times, consider using letters such as my Event-themed staying in touch letters. Programmed into your auto responder, these letters will be a monthly reminder that you’re there, ready to help when needed. And, because they’re fun and sometimes silly, they’re the kind of messages that will be forwarded on to others.
2. Begin prospecting to your niche in earnest to fill your real estate client pipeline with the clients you most want to serve.
Begin regular mailings to everyone whose address or email you have. Then put capture boxes on the relevant web pages to expand your lists.
When buyers let you know they’re searching for a home, begin sending my “Nurturing Buyer Leads” letters and reel them in with good information. Remember that the content of your letters must be informative or entertaining – not merely a sales pitch.
You can attract homeowners in your niche in the same way. When they use your “What is my home worth” function, begin mailing to them with regularity. Use my Seller Advice Letters, or write your own.
You can also offer special reports to appeal to buyers or to sellers, so they will opt in and give you their contact information.
Use your social media accounts to invite even more prospects to visit you and order the special reports.
3. Choose a geographic territory, make it your own, and start prospecting
You already know that to develop a territory, you must become the expert – knowing about everything from the school district boundaries, to the cost of utilities, to the HOA regulations, and much more.
After that, make yourself visible. Go to yard sales, attend school sports events, spend a little money in the local shops and cafes – always while making conversation with the people you meet. Remember to wear something that identifies your profession.
When there’s a new listing in the neighborhood, inform the neighbors – even if it isn’t your listing. Use these Just Listed letters to make the announcement and show them why a new listing nearby means NOW is a good time for them to list.
Meanwhile, begin mailing regularly. If you don’t love to write, use my Geographic Territory Farming letters.
Add a P.S. to the letters, inviting them to your site for a special report, so you can capture email addresses. Then begin sending your market reports and news that affects the neighborhood.
For instance – let them know about a new business opening nearby, tell them about a fundraiser for a non-profit you support, or remind them about an issue coming up at a City Council meeting that they might want to attend.
In short – stay in touch while showing them that YOU are the agent in the know about their community.
4. Reassure potential sellers that yes, the holidays are a good time to have a home on the market.
Many believe that “No one buys houses during the holidays.” That just isn’t so. Some agents report selling more in November and December than in summertime.
Other agents back off and quit marketing entirely. That lack of competition makes it even easier for you to fill your real estate client pipeline in November and December.
Use my Holiday Listing Letters to show sellers why this is a good time. You can write your own, but at only $17 for 5 letters, why would you take the time? Begin using this prospecting letter set in mid-to-late October.
5. If you haven’t been blogging, or haven’t been consistent with blogging, get moving!
This one might or might not fill your client pipeline for the fall and winter, but over the long haul, if you’re consistent it will bring you business.
Go to https://activerain.com/blogsview/5406554/ask-an-ambassador—a-winning-ticket to read how one successful agent deems blogging his “Winning ticket.”
Add information that links back to your community pages to capture the attention of both the search engines and the buyers who will be in town to find a home during Christmas break.
6. When you get a new listing, go all out to market it well.
- Get excellent photos, even if you need to pay a photographer.
- Write property descriptions that put the reader in the house, seeing its best benefits and features.
- Send the listing to all the real estate portals.
- Upload ALL of the relevant information.
- Use social media and your blog to create some excitement about it.
- Invite the neighbors to a private open house, just for them.
- Inform everyone on your mailing lists, including future buyers and sellers.
Remember that word of mouth advertising and client referrals can be more effective in filling your client pipeline than any marketing you can do – so do all in your power to “Wow” those clients.
7. When you have happy clients, ask for a testimonial.
I know – it’s hard to ask. But do it anyway. Post the best testimonials on your website and social media pages and include them in your listing presentations.
8. Be grateful for the customers and clients you have now, and for each new one who comes along.
Having gratitude for what you already have brings more of the same to you. It’s a basic principle of the Law of Attraction. So give genuine thanks for every listing, every buyer, and every past client and person in your sphere who refers others to you.
It might not bring instant results, but then again it might. If you make gratitude part of your daily life, it WILL bring you more abundance in the future.
Agent on the phone Image courtesy of podpad at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Newsboy Image courtesy of vectorolie at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Niche graphic courtesy of Stuart Miles at freedigitalphotos.net
