One
of the easiest methods is simply taking out a classified ad. Many will
say that this is the oldest trick in the book or that it doesn’t work.
The truth is that it does work. If you know that you’re going to be buying
properties for the long term, just get a classified ad and leave it. You don’t
ever need to stop running it if you’re going to be a consistent real
estate investor. If you don’t get a swarm of calls right of the bat,
do not be discouraged. There is no way to tell when someone will see the
paper. It is purely a numbers game. The more people that eventually see your
ad, the
more calls you will get. People who want to unload their house in some way
will eventually read the paper. This is why it is important to leave your
ad in the newspaper every week. Over time it can produce a phenomenal number
of
quality leads.

Once
you place an ad in the paper, the key to success is actually answering
your phone. Many people
who place classified ads make a huge mistake by not
answering their phone. It is common sense really. If you’re paying the
newspaper to produce calls, you should at least answer the calls that they
deliver. Many people simply talk themselves into thinking that they are too
busy to talk to people. They think that any pertinent information can be left
on a voicemail. The only problem with this line of thinking is that people
don’t like voicemail as a whole. Some people are comfortable leaving
a voicemail, but the majority won’t. They may have just decided to call
on a whim. They may not really be sure if they want to sell their property
or not. If they don’t talk to a live person when they call, they’ll
probably talk themselves out of selling in the first place. This is why human
contact is so important. Once they realize that there is a real person on the
other end of the phone, they start to relate with you. This whole business
can be boiled down to relationships. If you can make them feel comfortable
with the process, they are much more likely to sell. In summary…answer
the phone when it rings.

Another
method of producing credible leads is through the use of “bandit
signs”. These are signs that you will have made and strategically place
throughout the city. These are usually 18” x 24” signs that you
can place at intersections. Another great place to put these signs is in the
yard of a property that you’ve purchased. As soon as you buy a property,
be sure to put up a sign. One of the neighbors may be looking for a quick
way out of their house. A simple sign could turn out to be a gold mine. The
important
thing to remember with signs is consistency. You should try to create your
own brand by using the same wording in all of your marketing. Put your business
name on the sign and make the design consistent on all of them. This helps
to create trust with the consumer. Once they see your signs a few times,
they grow to trust it.

Flyers are another extremely cheap method to produce real estate leads. Basically
all you have to do is make a flyer that says what you want and how you can
be contacted. Put on the flyer that you are looking to buy real estate. If
you want fixer-uppers, then say so. Put the flyer in a plastic protective covering
to keep it from getting wet. You can then put these flyers on every bulletin
board in town. There will never be a shortage of places to put the flyers.
Keep a stack of them in your car and put one up wherever you go. Think about
the wealth of flyers that you see on the bulletin board at Wal-Mart alone.
Restaurants and businesses throughout the city will have a similar setup. Laundromats,
pay phones, grocery stores, and even the courthouse usually all have places
that you can post them. The more creative you are the better.

You should also consider having some promotional items made. These are usually
inexpensive but they can produce a professional image in the mind of the consumer.
They can separate you from the competition. Pens, key chains, mouse pads, and
post-it notes are all examples of promotional items that you can give away.
You can leave them all over town like you did with the flyers. These can produce
many leads over time.

The last way to produce leads is through the use of business cards. Order
these things by the thousands and pass them out. Give one to everyone you know.
Leave stacks of them in strategic places. Give them to your kids to pass out
if you have to. The important thing is to not let them sit in stacks in your
office. Get them out to the public.

All of the methods mentioned above are ways that can put you in the elite
class of real estate investors. They are all designed to produce leads for
you. Remember that leads are the lifeblood of your business. Without them,
your business will surely die.