How to Find New Clients for Your Real Estate Business for Under $10,000/month

Real estate doesn’t happen without clients. This is a highly competitive industry, though, so finding a steady stream of new clients can prove to be a challenge all its own. Fortunately, you also have access to a wider range of tools and resources today, making it easier for you to find those clients than you might have anticipated. Some people assume that real estate is a business that always has clients because people always need a place to live. 

That’s a fair statement, but just because the industry has clients doesn’t mean that you are getting any of them. So, what can you do to boost your client base? The short answer is a lot, and probably a lot more than you think with your current budget. Although the tactics discussed here will work a little differently for everyone, they are some of the best options when you want to get more business without spending a fortune. 

And since many of the services available today are scalable and can be outsourced, you can even choose how much you spend on the different solutions that you select. Read on to learn more about the best tactics and what they have to offer. 

Tactic #1: Build your professional network 

Cost: Free, unless you pay for networking events, memberships, etc. 

Real estate is an industry where networking is a critical part of the process. You are not going to find a successful realtor, investor, or other real estate professional who doesn’t have a strong network of connections. Connect with other real estate professionals, investment companies, lenders, and anyone else who could help you by bolstering your reputation and providing you with a new source of clients. 

Attend home shows, first-time home buyer clinics and expos, and other events where you can build your professional network while also getting the word out about your real estate business. You won’t have to spend a dime here unless you pay for tickets or booth space at an event or if you join professional associations that have membership fees, and so forth. Otherwise, all this takes is some of your time. 

Tactic #2: Solicit reviews and testimonials 

Cost: Free, unless you offer incentives 

Word-of-mouth marketing is still one of the most valuable methods in real estate. This is an industry where people are always asking their friends and family for referrals, recommendations, and suggestions on who’s best to work with for buying, selling, and so much more. Leaving it up to people to review your business on their own is tricky because you can’t guarantee that they’ll take the time to do so. 

However, if you promote reviews and referrals, or even offer some type of incentive, you may have an easier time of getting people talking. You don’t even have to make a big deal out of it. When you’re done with a transaction, just ask the client, “Hey, would you mind sending me (or posting, etc.) a review about my service?” Usually, most people will be happy to spread the good word. 

Tactic #3: Do a local SEO audit 

Cost: $250-$5,000

Local SEO is the bread and butter of your real estate business. Even if you invest or otherwise work in multiple states or cities, you need to make sure that you’re reaching all of your local audiences with your online presence. Take the time to set up location pages for each location that you serve (if there are multiple) or simply list the areas you do business in on your website so that people know whether you can help them or not. 

You’ll also want to do a content audit of your website and a full audit of your entire online presence off-page (outside of your website). This includes things like directory listings, social media pages, and so forth. The goal is to ensure that everything is properly optimized and designed to meet the growing demands of those who are looking for local businesses. Hire an SEO expert for this, it’ll be worth every penny. 

Tactic #4: Get engaged on social media 

Cost: $0-$1,000

Realtors and real estate businesses need to be active and engaged on the various social media platforms if they are going to maximize their reach. Social media gives you a place to connect with your audience, but it also allows you to use the platform to showcase your successes. You can connect with other professionals here, too, so this can go toward your networking strategy in addition to helping generate clients. 

Make sure that you’re utilizing social media. See what other successful real estate businesses are doing that works (and what doesn’t). This is a great place to showcase your transactions and highlight the clients that have helped you become successful. Read up on the value of social media and you’ll quickly see how critical it can be to your success in real estate. 

Tactic #5: Outsource like you’re still a small business 

Cost: $250-$5,000 

For less than half of your monthly budget, you can outsource a lot of the tedious work that comes with real estate so that you (and your agents) can focus on the clients at hand and continue to build on your success. Some companies and business leaders errantly think that as they grow, they will outgrow outsourcing and eventually take on everything themselves—but why should you? There are plenty of services out there already doing what you need to be done and you can hire them at a fraction of the cost. 

For example, if you want to guarantee that you’ll never miss another potential opportunity, you can enlist the assistance of a 24/7 answering service. When you choose to do that with the virtual receptionists from Smith.ai, you will also get assistance for things like lead screening and intake, appointment scheduling, and support for your live website chat. Need some help with outreach campaigns to get leads in the first place? We can do that, too. 

To learn more about how Smith.ai can help your real estate business, schedule a consultation or reach out to us at hello@smith.ai.  

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