WELCOME 

The Leading Edge

What’s the one thing we can’t get enough of?

The one thing we need so desperately?

The one thing that makes all the difference?

I hope y’all didn’t guess star sweaters because the correct answer is leads.

Every agent out there knows that leads are a crucial part of building a successful business, so today’s let’s talk about maximizing them.

Also, award yourself some bonus points if you’ve ever thought, It takes brass balls to sell real estate. (Those who haven’t been around since Jesus was a baby might not appreciate all my Glengarry Glen Ross quotes in today’s newsletter, so put that film on your list of things to watch.)

This doesn’t have to be you.

THE REALITY OF REAL ESTATE

First Prize Is a Cadillac El Dorado

Sometimes the biggest solution to our problems is sitting right there and it’s so obvious we don’t even realize it. So, let’s all take a step back and get some perspective. Leads are the foundation to growth, right? And we are all looking for the secret to generate more leads, aren’t we?

Well, what if I told y’all the secret is not so secret at all?

One of the easiest, yet most effective ways to generate more opportunities is simply being available. Yes, ma’am, it’s as simple as that! Think about it—real estate has never been more global. With that, opportunities present themselves around the clock, which is why being open and available for new business 24/7 is key. And that’s where my friends at SignMore come in.

Working with SignMore, y’all can extend your reach, with top-rated, five-star property receptionists here and ready to help you capture every new inquiry in real time, 24/7.

Oh, my stars, I could not be more excited to give y’all a 30% off promo on your first three months of SignMore’s Best Value Plan.

This post is sponsored by SignMore, but as always, the thoughts and opinions are all mine.

ONCE UPON A TIME WITH GLENNDA

Second Prize Is a Set of Steak Knives

We’ve established how important it is to capture leads once generated. When opportunity knocks, make sure someone is there to answer the door!

But what if you’re struggling to generate those elusive leads? And you’ve cold-called and door-knocked and sent a whole forest’s worth of postcards, yet the crick is still running dry? Then what?

Here are five quick and dirty ways to lure leads into your gingerbread house, outside of getting referrals from your past clients. (A client referral is a no-brainer right there. When y’all have a satisfied customer ready to champion your services, put them to task!)

Network, network, network. If you do not already know every professional in your geofarm, I’m talking mortgage brokers, home inspectors, and financial planners, get thee to a Rotary Club meeting immediately.

Speaking of getting into the community, you’d best be attending local events. Make sure you’re there at open houses, home-buying workshops, and the above networking events, but that’s not even the half of it. If someone is opening an envelope, you are there. If the junior high is putting on what promises to be a cringeworthy version of Rent, you park yourself in the front row and smile big, even though the show may feel like it takes 525,6000 minutes to sit through.

Create yourself a lead magnet. Oh, my stars and stripes, I have spoken at length about the ROI from those water bottles with my picture and contact info on them. Figure out what your version of water bottle is, whether it’s an ebook or a checklist or a, well, a water bottle, and pass those out like Halloween candy.

Partner up with other businesses. Imagine how many qualified leads are walking into your local hardware stores or interior design shops or other home-related businesses. I’m talking about synergy here! Buddy up and cross-promote! Remember, together, we’re better.

Figure out how to make social media work for you, in a way that feels organic. For me, that’s been through all the platforms, although TikTok is the strongest. It’s now super common for my team and me to get leads which then become appointments, then sales, which is a sea change from three years ago. We also get comments within the video from people saying, “We’re moving to Atlanta, we want you to be our real estate agent.” We get direct messages through Instagram, DMs on our website. Some days, I can’t even believe it’s all real and I have to pinch myself.

I cannot even tell y’all how many listing appointments TikTok has generated. For those who say it’s a kids’ platform, the short answer is yes. The longer answer is, and so what? What’s so funny about these appointments is, it was the kids who said to their parents, “Hey, I found this real estate agent on TikTok, you should talk to her.” Breakfast cereal and toy companies have known this fact for years—kids influence the parents’ buying decisions.

If you’re like, “Well, Glennda, I’ve seen what works for you—how do I make it work for me?” Here's my advice for diving in: the easiest place to start is live video. I started with Facebook Live because that's where people know, like, and trust you already. That's where you're gonna get the least amount of hate. If you start on the platform where most of your contemporaries are, then you're gonna have a much safer space.

Start with live video because if you're shooting video, you can distract yourself, thinking, My hair doesn't look right, no, that doesn't sound right, I messed up on that word, let’s start again. Then it’s delete, delete, delete, and you'll never get it done. Whereas if you just start on live video, it's in the moment and people love it. And you can just be yourself. It's very authentic, and you don't have the luxury of critiquing it. So, that's what I love about live video. If you're just starting, I would say definitely start with live video.

Now, I didn’t go from posting a video and getting a million leads. It was a slow, steady climb, but I committed and stayed consistent, and it worked for me.

I promise if you’re authentic and committed and real, it can work for you, too.

GLENNDA’S GURUS

All that Glitters Actually Is Gold

No one loves something sparkly or metallic more than I do, so I could not be more delighted to introduce y’all to this week’s guru, Gary Gold.

Now, how do we know Gary Gold? Well, from the record books, of course! First, he sold the Playboy Mansion (yes, that Playboy mansion) which set the record of being the first residence to sell over $100,000,000 in Los Angeles. Then he upped the stakes by selling the historic Chartwell Estate for $150,000,000. And yes, I double-checked, all those zeroes and commas are correct. Talk about your shining star! This golden man has set records left, right, and center, so enough intro, let’s get to our interview!

GLENNDAISM

Never Forget

“Coffee is for everyone, but it tastes best at the closing table.”

Glennda Baker