It is said that 90% of what you say has nothing to do with your words and everything to do with your tone and your body language. As real estate agents, we have to better understand how we come off to people and master the art of “what do I do with my hands.” So let’s break down a couple of body language tips you can start being aware of during your door-knocking sessions so you can turn more opportunities into closings. 

What do I do with my hands? 

Our hands usually make things awkward a lot of the time and the reason is simple.  Your hand gestures are the most fluid things we possess.  When we're explaining something we usually use our hands to emphasize and highlight our points and desires. We're going to want to keep our hand gestures to a slightly moderate and relaxed movement. We don’t want to overdo it on our first substantial meeting – and we don’t want to look like a robot soldier either. Loosen up a little.

Another thing that you want to avoid is putting your hands behind your back or in your pockets. Some people might see this as threatening and that is not the look we are going for when trying to win listings. Trust me.  

Some other key things to look out for and avoid are crossing your arms, pointing, and keeping your hands in a fist. Those are all seen as combative and stand-offish. Keep your palms out and visible while speaking and if you most point use your whole hand to do so. 

How should you stand?

As we mentioned before, we are not robot soldiers so avoid a rigid stance. Try to keep a bounce in your knees and avoid slouching as that is not appealing.  Stand square with purpose close enough to the door that it can swing open and far enough back that they can hear you clearly. I knew an agent that used to step way too far away from where he would almost have to scream “Are you looking to buy or sell in the near future?” Don’t be like him! 

What should you do with your eyes? 

This is the most intimidating thing about in-person sales. Looking your prospect in the eye can be one of the most difficult things a salesperson can do. Don’t worry with the following tips you will be a pro in no time. 

They say the eyes are the window to the soul and it’s true. So try to make as much eye contact when speaking to the prospect. I try to stare into one of their eyes and/or the upper cheek. I make it a focal point. It is okay to occasionally look away as long as you bring back your gaze. 

One big thing to avoid when door-knocking is wandering eyes. Make sure you maintain eye contact with the prospect and do not look into the house, backyard, or at the car in the driveway while you speak. It is awkward and a sure-fire way to mess up that interaction. 

If you follow these body language tips I guarantee that you will be able to build more relationships which will lead you to more deals closed. So, go out there knock on some doors and for the love of everything good keep your hands out of your pockets.

Let's settle the debate: Which one is better? Facebook Ads or Cold Calling when it comes to generating leads for your real estate business. Personally, I'm a big fan of Facebook Ads, but I've also seen success with cold calling.* In order to answer this question we actually need to explore 3 other questions that will help us answer it.

*Cold Calling, for the purposes of this article/blog/video, means prospecting for Expireds, FSBO's or Geo/Circle Prospecting.

#1 Which One Costs More?

I can tell you with honesty and experience that Facebook Ads are going to cost you more per lead. You may come across some agents who shout from the social media roof tops that they're spending pennies on the dollar "98 cents per lead!!" with their Facebook Ads. Today, especially with all of the iOs changes from Apple...this is less likely. You're probably going to wind up spending closer to $2 - $8 per lead. In some markets and with some ads, you could even spend $15+ per lead. That's STILL GREAT!

It's especially great if you compare it what you'll be paying per lead if you subscribe to a service like Zillow Premier Agent, Realtor.com, or Bold Leads.

Cold Calling on the other hand, means you can subscribe to purchase a list of homeowners every morning and for the number of contacts you make versus what you're spending per contact....now THAT is leads for pennies on the dollar.

#2 Which One Requires More Time?

Facebook Ads are definitely more of passive lead generation strategy. Yes, you do need to make time to call and follow up with the leads you receive, but you're not sitting there attached to a dialer all morning.

When it comes to Cold Calling you'll want to make sure you're focused on this activity for at least 3 hours a day for a minimum of 4 days a week in order to see results.

#3 Which One Requires More Skill?

Now this question is definitely up for debate...but my vote is that BOTH of them do. Here's the thing, if you don't have the ability to convert then you're going to have a hard time finding success with either option.

Cold Calling is going to lead to more practice converting leads into appointments. If you have a large or unlimited Facebook Ads budget then you'll get a fair amount of practice there too. 

Truth be told, you're going to build your database a lot faster with cold calling than you would with Facebook Ads.

The Verdict

Even though I love Facebook Ads, and I believe they work (they've worked for me and Alex), I have to say that Cold Calling wins this battle. It's important to understand that if you're looking to be successful in your real estate business the idea is to build your database. I'd actually recommend doing BOTH!

Look at Facebook Ads as a supplement to your daily prospecting activities. Cold Calling is the equivalent of eating your dark leafy greens for a balanced diet, and running Facebook Ads would be like taking a daily vitamin!

Interest in learning how to run your own Facebook Ads? Sign Up for FREE here.

Door Knocking has been around since the beginning of time - well the beginning of doors & sales... Many do it, but not many sales professionals do it very well. In my career, I have closed hundreds of thousands of dollars that are directly tied to my door-knocking efforts. However, there is one method that outshines the rest and that is the Open House Door-knocking Strategy. With this strategy, you can build relationships, find buyers, and find sellers, all while marketing and branding yourself the community that you are targeting. The strategy is a 4-step process that anyone can start weaving into their business immediately and start seeing results. 

Do Your Homework. 

The first step in this strategy is to map out and research the area that you will be door knocking. I usually pick out 300-500 homes around the open house. I also use tools like Remine to find out which homes have high equity and/or are in pre-foreclosure. This will help me pinpoint and markdown any homes that have a high probability of wanting to sell in the near future. 

Create Your Marketing Material(s) 

Now that your homework is done, it is time to get your marketing assets in order. I usually have two assets with me for this strategy a fire flyer and a thank your letter or card. If you are not familiar with a fire flyer it is basically a handwritten letter that breaks down some type of announcement with a call to action. You'll photocopy it to be able to send it out to multiple households.

Example:

Hey there, 

I actually have a property that I'm having an open house at this weekend [Insert Date and Time], If you know someone that's looking to move into the area I'll be happy to schedule a private showing for them

P.S.  if you're looking to take advantage of the market, please shoot me a text or call at [Insert Number] =)

Your Local Realtor, 

[Insert Name] 

Those letters will be used for prospects that you have not been able to meet in person during your door-knocking campaign. The Thank You Card or Letter is a pre-formatted handwritten letter that is pre-stamped (USPS stamps). If you have a good conversation with someone and/or they express interest in selling or buying in the future you will send the thank you letter/card immediately after your door-knocking session. This will help you stay top of mind and leave a lasting impression. 

Do The Groundwork. 

Now that you have everything prepped, it is time to go out there and promote your open house and speak to the neighbors. I have a script that I use and you are more than welcome to tweak it and use it however you want. 

--- Script is shared in the video above.

Time To Take Inventory. 

Once your daily door-knocking campaigns are done make sure that you keep all the people you meet in your CRM. Remember, fortune is in the follow-up and lasting relationships are built with communication. Make sure you keep detailed notes on your potential clients and keep tabs on them. If you stay in contact diligently, when they are ready they will reach out to you. 

So there you have it, that is my exact Open House Door Knocking Strategy. If you follow the steps above I can guarantee success as long as you stay consistent at it.

Now go out there and build the relationships and community around your expertise. If you have any questions connect with me here. Wishing you many accepted offers, closings, and happy clients! 

Fire Flyers are one of the most simple and effective ways to brand and market your real estate business. It only requires 4 things: Paper, Pen, Business Card, and a Printer for multiple copies. No designing, or complicated campaigns. Just simple mailers that convey what you can do, and what you want – which is more business.

Due to the personal nature of a handwritten letter, more prospects are likely to read through your messaging which by the law of numbers will up your conversion ratio. 

Just like many marketing strategies, there are right ways and wrong ways of using them. I’ve used fire flyers for years and have figured out many do’s and don’ts to the method. If you get this right, and become consistent with your efforts, I can almost guarantee hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of commissions. 

Fire Flyer Don't #1

Do not overcomplicate the message! You do not want a 2-page detailed essay on why you are trying to get the prospect’s attention. You want to keep it short, concise, and straight to the point.

Example: 

Hey there [insert prospect's name if possible], 

My name is Alex. I'm a local Realtor® and I sold the house right down the block at [Insert Address]. I have a couple of buyers that are interested in moving into the area. [Short Direct Story] Would you happen to know a neighbor looking to sell? Are you yourself looking to take advantage of the market? If you are, or you know somebody, please give me a call or shoot me a text at [Your Number].

Your Local Realtor®, 

[Sign Your Name] 

Fire Flyer Do #1 

Attach a business card to the base of the flyer. You can also design a footer that has your picture and information on it in case your prospect wants to reach you in alternative ways. Having your information on every piece of marketing and branding that you send out is mandatory. Fire flyers are no different. 

Fire Flyer Don't #2 

Please do not type up a message. The whole point of this marketing piece is for it to look handwritten. The goal is to get people to read it. I’ve had many agents on my team attempt to type out the Fire Flyer because of their insecurities in regards to their handwriting. This is a mistake because your conversion ratio is going to drop. You might as well just send out postcards instead.  

Fire Flyers Do #2 

Make sure you follow the Law of Numbers. Although Fire Flyers will help you have a higher conversion rate (since they are hand-written), you still want to try and get in front of as many people as humanly possible.

I also highly recommend utilizing Fire Flyers while Door-knocking. The two methods create a marketing synergy that will allow your personality and individuality to shine through. 

Fire Flyers Don't #3 

Do not send out this message multiple times throughout the year. Your goal is to make the prospect feel that you are reaching out to them individually. If they get the feeling that you are copying and pasting the message, you are going to lose the desired effect of the Fire Flyer. Although that repeating method may work with post-carding it will hurt your chances of getting business with the Fire Flyer method because prospects will be less likely to read through your messages if they see them as "spammy." 

Fire Flyers Do #3

Having a campaign is paramount. You should have a text campaign, email campaign, and postcard campaign. A Fire Flyer campaign is necessary to maximize your results. Having different templates could really add to your marketing tool kit. I recommend having ones for just sold, just listed, a buyer looking to move into the area, an open house, and an under contract letter template at the ready.

Imagine a prospect receiving multiple handwritten letters about what’s going on in their real estate market. It will do wonders for your business. 

If you are looking for a new marketing and branding method, utilizing Fire Flyers might be a good idea to add your personal flair to your marketing plan. In a market flooded with real estate agents sometimes utilizing methods that seem outdated, old school, or “too time-consuming” might make all the difference in your business. Now go write out that one handwritten letter that might change your business forever. 

Real estate is a contact sport figuratively speaking, and every good contact sport usually requires a team. A career in real estate is not any different. Having a Referral Team that shares opportunities with each other is imperative in growing one’s business. You don’t have to go at it alone. Here are five real estate professionals that you need on your team to grow your business and career. 

Professional Number One: 

The first professional that you need on your real estate team is not someone that you would probably think about, but it's The Accountant. You need an accountant on your team, not only to go over your finances, but also to stay on top of your particular bills and bookkeeping. An accountant is the first person that prospects usually go to when figuring out their finances. If someone is looking for a property, they might ask their accountant for advice. So it's a good person to have as a point guard for your referral team. 

Professional Number Two: 

The second professional that you want your team is an obvious one, The Mortgage Professional. About 90% of people who are purchasing a home require financing. Most prospects are going to go to a bank and they're going to get assigned a loan professional. So, if you have a good relationship with a lot of loan professionals, you are setting yourself up for many opportunities. The real estate agent and mortgage professional have a very cohesive relationship. You can also partner with a mortgage professional to split marketing costs. You can get up to 49% of your marketing covered by a loan professional (in most states, check the rules in your state). 

Professional Number Three: 

Professional number three is a must-have. You need at least one Contractor on your team. We have to add immense value to our repertoire for our clients and a contractor can definitely help that happen. If you have the vision to create an experience for your clients, a contractor can make it happen whether it be creating the bathroom of their dreams, the kitchen of their dreams, or just turning a bleak space into a vibrant one. A contractor will bring any prospect back to earth. Listen, we live in the "HGTV world". It's an experience that you definitely want to be able to provide for your clients. They may not be able to always refer you clients, but they can give you referral fees for sending them clients, which is awesome. 

Professional Number Four:

Whether you're in an Attorney state or not, you need attorneys on your team. At a minimum, you will want Estate Attorneys, Divorce Attorneys, Real Estate Attorneys, and 1031 Exchange Specialists. These attorneys are potentially great referral sources for your clients and if you develop a great relationship with them, you will receive some solid deals from them as well. Personally, in my business, I've had great experiences with this. Recently, I actually had three deals close through an estate attorney that I followed up with. It is a good idea to make them the backbone of your real estate team. Attorneys are a must. 

Professional Number Five: 

Sometimes you get clients that really want to buy a house, but they can't, due to their credit not being up to par. Why not send them to a Credit Repair Specialist? Guess what, there's a lot of people who go to a credit repair specialist just because they need to get their score up in order to buy a house. If those individuals are not represented by a Realtor®, now you have an in. When it comes to collaborating a credit professional is a great option. 

So there you have it – those are the five professionals you need on your Real Estate Team in order to generate business and to add immense value to your clients. Now it’s time to go out there and make the connections that will change your business forever.