8 Clever Ways to Land More Clients

Getting the attention of today's buyers and sellers isn't easy. And with plenty of competition in the marketplace, getting your marketing to stand out from the bunch can be a challenge.
The following prospecting ideas come from real estate professionals across the country who are finding that a little creativity can go a long way in nabbing customers' attention. Plus, you needn't break the bank to do it. Whether it's a simple giveaway to respond to everyday problems or hosting an event, here's how they are staying top-of-mind and landing more clients.
Get inspired for your business with some of these ideas.

Josh Anderson, e-PRO  ♦  Keller Williams Realty, The Anderson Group  ♦  Nashville, Tenn.
Prospecting idea: Marketing to local dog parks with dog treats and toys  Cost: About 25-35 cents each for dog treats and postcard  What he does: Anderson strives to get to know the dog-park regulars in his community. He'll leave treats on cars at the park once or twice a month along with a marketing postcard, which either shows his and wife's photo and contact info or promotes their mobile real estate app to view properties.  Why it works: One way to clients' heart may be through their dog. When Anderson and his wife got a dog, they visited parks and quickly realized how loyal dog owners are.

Barbara J. Nelson  ♦  Coldwell Banker Snow & Wall  ♦  Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Prospecting idea: Open house/garage sale combo  Cost: Free   What she does: Buy some old stuff ... or a house. Nelson and the owners of her listing will hold a garage sale to attract attention, promoting it with signs around the area. She also holds an open house for the property at the same time.  Why it works: "People will not follow an open house sign they happen on, but people will always follow garage-sale signs," she says. Her open houses then will attract nearly 50 people. Plus, she and the owner can make a few extra bucks from the yard sale.

Beau Beery, CCIM, CPM  ♦  AMJ Realty Inc.  ♦  Gainesville, Fla.
Prospecting idea: A contact strategy he's dubbed "Sophisticated Targeted Cold Calling"  Cost: 43 cents per flyer; about $1 total per mailing  What he does: Beery, a commercial practitioner, will drive a specific corridor, note every business, and list their contact info (found via www.switchboard.com) on a spreadsheet. He then figures out who owns the property. He sends fliers to the ones who lease. A week later, he'll call the ones he hasn't heard from to find out their lease end date.  Why it works: "You get to see the building they're in so you can talk intelligently about it when you're on the phone with them," Beery says. 

Steve Hoem  ♦  Edina Realty  ♦  Maple Grove, Minn.
Prospecting idea: Big Red gum and a tip schedule attached to business cards   Cost: 20 cents for the gum and glue dots (excluding cost of business cards)  What he does: Hoem wanted his business card to be more than just a card, so he attaches Big Red gum to his business card; his company is known as "Big Red." He also includes a tip schedule on it, which helps calculate how much tip to leave on dining bills. Hoem aims to give out 10 business cards a day.  Why it works: "I thought in order to give people a card, it needed to be something of value," Hoem says. Plus, the idea is memorable. When people see him around town, they say: "You're the gum guy."

Sue Monroe  ♦  RE/MAX Southeast Inc.  ♦  Denver
Prospecting idea: Water bottles with her name, company name, and Web site address  Cost: $209 for 100  What she does: She hands them out to people at her local gym. She includes her RE/MAX Southeast logo, along with her name and phone number, on both sides of the water bottle. She made sure the water bottle was small enough to fit into a vehicle's cup holder, too.  Why it works: "It's practical and people love them!"  

Nancy Muslin  ♦  PRO-Formance Realty Concepts  ♦  Surprise, Ariz.
Prospecting idea: Sponsors a softball team  Cost: $1,500 for her own softball team  What she does: Muslin sponsors a men's softball team, the Nancy's Dream Team. For the cost of sponsorship, she gets a banner in the field and jerseys for the team. She also sponsors the community's pickleball tournaments and distributes luggage tags and water bottles with her marketing info. And she’s very active in her community, participating in everything from a drama club to swim and dance teams.  Why it works: "It's about getting to know people, enjoying similar activities, and creating relationships," Muslin says.

Bryce Fuller, e-PRO  ♦  RE/MAX North ♦  Northbrook, Ill.
Prospecting idea: Neighborhood BBQ  Cost: Less than $100 for food  What he does:  Once a year, Fuller holds a BBQ for his neighbors. He'll go door-to-door to personally invite each person in the subdivision. Besides serving food and offering tours of his own home, he'll provide a neighborhood market analysis.  Why it works: "This paints me as the neighborhood expert," Fuller says. "I feel that no other agent should know as much about my subdivision or be able to provide the same level of service as I can. The BBQ allows people to approach me, get to know me, and ask me questions." He usually gets 2-3 listings a year with this approach.

Terri Lee Campbell  ♦  Elite Pacific Properties  ♦  Honolulu
Prospecting idea: Distributes a 6'' x 6'' shammy that's used to wipe clean sunglasses  Cost: $400 for 250 shammies  What she does: Campbell hands out the sunglass shammies to friends, colleagues, and potential clients she encounters. The shammy says "SEE ME ... Terri Lee Campbell RA ... Clearly the REALTOR® For You." It also includes her phone number, e-mail address, and company logo.  Why it works: "In Hawaii, everyone owns sunglasses or reading glasses," Campbell says. "Every time someone cleans their glasses, they'll be reminded that I'm the real estate agent for them."