Michael Murphy is a broker with Related Realty, the residential brokerage division of Related Midwest, and is principal broker for The Burnham Group.
Every week, we ask a real estate professional for their Short List, a collection of tips and recommendations on an essential topic in real estate. This week, we talked with Michael Murphy, a broker with Related Realty, who shared his top tools for lead generation.
7. I use Twitter often by incorporating RSS feeds from various sources. This allows me to keep in frequent contact with my current clients, and also get exposure to potential leads that might otherwise not know me.
6. Link your social media accounts so the thread is always consistent no matter where people are following you. I utilize social media many times throughout each day, including Twitter, Facebook (a separate business page from my personal page), Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn.
5. Go back to basics and farm your immediate neighborhood with regular direct mail pieces. Send something useful like a calendar or event schedule that people will keep on their desk or refrigerator.
4. One of the most unique new ways I reach current and new clients is through Paperless Post (www.paperlesspost.com, also available as a smartphone app). It is a nice way of sending customized, stationery-quality pieces to a smaller group.
3. Local, grassroots public relations is very effective. Get involved with a local school or CAPS program, advertise in the local church bulletin, and simply give back to the neighborhood you rely on for business.
2. Reward clients with a gift to thank them for a referral. Send a quick note along with a small token of appreciation such as personalized M&M’s (clients love these), specialty tea/coffee or even a nice gift certificate to their favorite restaurant.
1. Most importantly, be consistent. It’s not always possible to do everything I listed above, so, pick just one or two and do them consistently and do them well – I promise you will see results. Just be patient, and remember that most future clients either already have a broker or simply feel they are not in need of one yet. After they experience the attention you give them, they will call upon you when the time is right.
Michael Murphy is a broker with Related Realty, the residential brokerage division of Related Midwest, and is principal broker for The Burnham Group, consisting of agents with experience and expertise in the South Loop and Streeterville neighborhoods. During his more than eight years in the industry, Michael has worked with clients all over the Chicagoland region.