Circle Prospecting: You’ve Got Options

Who should listen: If you’re a real estate agent looking for tips about how to get enhance your circle prospecting and enjoy greater exposure, gather more prospects, and win more leads, then this week’s episode is for you.

Key idea: There’s more to circle prospecting than mailing Just Sold and Just Listed postcards . . . a lot more.

Action item: Implement a circle prospecting strategy for your (or someone else’s!) next sale or listing.

This week’s Silver Dollar episode offers listeners a variety of ways they can maximize the potential of their circle prospecting to build their databases and generate leads.

If you’ve been a real estate agent, then you’re familiar with circle prospecting. For you, this episode provides ideas you may not have considered but that you can easily use to augment your current strategy.

If you’re not a real estate agent but still provide a professional service to your clients, then circle prospecting may be new to you or, if not, something you hadn’t considered for your own business. The tips shared in this episode, with a little tweaking when necessary, might be something you should consider adding to your lead generation activities.

Options for improved circle prospecting

In real estate, it’s common for agents to send a Just Sold or Just Listed postcard to those living near the acquired property. But there are more ways—some initiated by newer technologies—to let neighbors know what’s going on.

Door knocking: Knocking on doors is a circle prospecting technique that gives you an opportunity to communicate your message and to meet with someone face-to-face. You already know that there is no substitute for in-person conversations—you can often get far more information talking with someone directly than, for example, exchanging emails, and you invite others to associate your face with your name. Try door knocking the next time you’re hosting an open house.

Phone calls: Probably the next best thing to a face-to-face conversation is having a conversation with someone over the phone. You can use one or more of the resources listed below to find landline and cell phone numbers, but understand that many “free” phone-lookup services will charge a fee if you want to view or verify the number:

• Whitepages (includes the option for reverse lookup)
• Intelius
• Swordfish
• Pipl
• Radaris
• Spokeo
• BeenVerified

Other services are up-front about their fees. These providers will typically have information that is more accurate and will have scrubbed their data against do-not-call lists. We mention a few reputable options during the episode.

Mailers: This category includes postcards, but you could also use an attractive template from Canva or another template site to create a letter or flyer advertising your listing or sale. Take this opportunity to include a call to action (CTA):

• Provide a phone number and ask recipients to call for an appointment.
• Add a landing page address where, in exchange for contact information, recipients will receive a “what’s your home worth?” report.
• Print a QR code that, when scanned, will take recipients to a page of images showcasing the listed or just sold home.

Voice mail drops: Companies known as ringless voice mail services will allow you to record a voice mail and send it directly to someone’s phone without having it ring. (It’s like cold calling without all the pressure!) Your message should be short; something like, “The house at 123 Main Street just sold. Do you know someone interested in selling theirs?” will get the job done.

In addition to these various options for improved circle prospecting, we also discuss some strategies for making circle prospecting more efficient, for collecting information, and for preparing to have conversations with prospects (when you get the chance).

Please enjoy this episode, and we’d appreciate it if you would give us a five-star rating and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. (Not sure how to leave a review? Click here.)

Connect | Resources

Ep. 133: How the King of Door Knocking Is Pivoting During the Quarantine