New in Town? 3 Ways to Make Connections and Generate Business

How one brand new agent started building her database and closing leads within two months of getting her real estate license

It’s only been two months since Majbrith Brody hung her newly-minted license on the wall at Baird & Warner’s Libertyville, Ill., office, and she also has three deals under contract. And while this would be a major accomplishment for any new agent, Brody was a stay-at-home mom for 12 years, has two young daughters—one of whom has autism—is going through a divorce, and has only lived in her current town for four years.

“I’ve wanted to get licensed for so long, but my daughters’ needs came before mine,” says Brody, who is originally from Denmark, and who lived in China for four years. “Now that I’m going through a divorce, I have to be able to provide for myself and my children. This is my chance to realize my dream.”

generate business

After pairing up with another new agent/mom who previously worked in law enforcement, Brody started looking for ways to build out her sphere of influence in a town where she had very few contacts. Here are three ways she’s doing it:

  • Create enticing packages for specific groups. Brody is putting together a campaign to help law enforcement professionals buy homes. “We reached out to loan officers, home inspectors, attorneys, and home warranty firms,” says Brody, “and we put together a package that basically translates into a $2,000 savings on all of those services.” To promote the package, Brody plans to do “roll calls” at local police stations, meet with officers, offer them the package, and “see where that takes us.”
  • Leverage grassroots marketing techniques. Brody recently placed an order for black and yellow (Baird & Warner’s colors) ice cream scoops. Now she’s going to use them to drum up more business. “I’m going to go around and personally knock on doors in my neighborhood,” she says, “and offer people the ‘market scoop’ (e.g., a flyer that includes market statistics, trends, and information about Brody and her services) with my little ice cream scoopers.”
  • Utilize online marketing tools. Brody set up a Facebook page that she uses to share short market and trend articles. “I’m sharing whatever is out there right on my business Facebook page,” she explains. “My goal is to help buyers and sellers get educated on what’s going on in our market while also getting myself in front of them. Social media is a great place to reach a lot of prospects without having to invest too much money.”

To agents that need help building out their own networks, Brody says the key is to keep your enthusiasm levels up and to stay persistent. “If you stay on target and keep yourself focused, you’ll eventually succeed,” says Brody. “I never expected to have three deals done within six weeks, but that progress really solidifies my decision to get into real estate.”