How to Get Listings: Cold Call Success in Real Estate

Wondering how to get listings more effectively? If the thought of another cold call makes you shudder, you’re not alone. Admittedly, cold calling isn’t much fun — that is, until you get to “yes.” Then it’s a blast. Plus, it’s cost-effective and you can do it even if you have no existing network. Nowadays, modern technology will make your next cold outreach a bit warmer. We have the top tips and tricks for successfully winning listings through cold calling below.

How to Get Clients in Real Estate

There are several ways to find potential clients. You can search public records, but that’s both time-consuming and inefficient for a targeted campaign. Some agents scour MLS for upcoming expired listings. Others look for clients who have an active Zillow Make Me Move page or simply drive through hot neighborhoods and introduce themselves to the residents at properties that they’d love to represent should the owner decide to sell. You can also buy leads inexpensively through an online lead generation platform, targeting homeowners in a particular area of the city. Once you have a name, address, phone number or email, you have enough information to get started.

Who's Calling Me?

Search any phone number to learn more about the owner!

But hold on — you can’t just start calling without a game plan in mind. First, you’ll want to do some research on your prospective client. You’ll have greater success if you know more about the people on the other end of your cold call.

Create a Profile for Your Ideal Customer

As a savvy marketer, you know that the more you know, the more success you’ll have. If you haven’t already created a profile (or profiles) for your ideal client, you should do so. It’s much more difficult to reach the target if you don’t know who it is. Certainly, you want clients who are motivated to sell right now. But beyond that, who is your target audience? Consider how you have been successful in the past. Do you appeal to a certain age, life stage, family type, economic group or profession? Narrowing your focus doesn’t mean you only accept Gen Y-ers and turn away Millennial Hipsters. It does, however, provide direction for your outreach efforts.

Research Potential Clients

Once you create a profile, you’ll want to understand your prospect’s life stage. This goes beyond simple demographics, such as age, family size and household income. People within the group of relocating home-owners may look very different demographically. So it’s critical that you examine both the demographics and the life cycle. Consider two demographically diverse potential buyers who want to sell their homes. One is a young couple, new parents, in their 30s and the other a single professional executive in her 50s. Although both want to sell a home, they have very different needs and expectations. You must think critically about each situation.

You can gather some information by simply Googling your prospect. But with just a little more research, you will have a greater probability of finding clients who are likely to need your services. Using a people search engine like Spokeo, you can build a spreadsheet (or go old school with a stack of index cards) to collect information.

Using a reverse address search, Spokeo provides valuable information that can prepare you to anticipate concerns and handle objections. Beyond that, Spokeo can provide you with clues to determine whether a prospect might be in need of real estate-related services and allow you to provide maximum value to them. You can find available info including:

Personal demographics: Age, marital status, educational level, members of the household
Real Estate data: Property ownership status, estimated home value
Housing situation: Neighborhood information, housing type
Social interests: Social media profiles, online product reviews
Legal records: Marriages, divorces, court records (additional fees apply)

Put on your marketing hat and read between the lines. What does the information tell you about their potential as a client? Add this information to your spreadsheet.

Develop Your Pitch

Before you pick up the phone, prepare a script. Keep your introduction brief and get straight to the point. Once you have told them why you are calling and have permission to continue, immediately provide value. If you know, for example, that the prospect has been unsuccessful in selling their home in the past, briefly demonstrate to them that you understand their situation and tell them how you can help. Do not bash other real estate agents. Tell the prospect a little about your sales history and success rate, but keep the focus on their needs.

The Role of Email

You may also want to send a real estate introduction email prior to your call, so when you reach the prospect by phone, let them know that you are following up on the email. The key here is to not send a generic cold email. Instead, you should use the customer profile you created and the research you did on potential leads through Spokeo to tailor the message for each client. This will demonstrate that you are entirely focused on the prospect and their unique needs.

Refine Your Technique

As you work your way through your list, take notes during each call about the script. Refine as you go, developing your script to handle similar objections in the future. Once you have a new client, continue to use the information on Spokeo to deepen the connection and further the relationship. Then watch your success rate soar and your referrals take off.

Note: Spokeo is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Do not use this site to make decisions about employment, tenant screening, or any purpose covered by the FCRA.