I talk to a lot of real estate agents who don’t have a consistent flow of business.They’re doing maybe two deals in one month, then nothing for three months, then one deal and nothing, then another two deals… that sort of thing.It doesn’t usually take long to figure out why their business is so sporadic.They start asking questions like:
Can you recommend a good lead generation service?
Do you know of a good website?
Can you help me figure out how to get more listings?
Do you think I should start going after FSBOS (or expireds, short sales, foreclosures, etc.)?
Should I start blogging (or farming, cold calling, networking, etc)?I hear these questions, and I know what’s wrong.These are questions agents have when they don’t have a formal marketing plan. They’re relying on luck.They get an occasional referral from a close friend or family member, an occasional floor call that pays off, or an occasional open house lead, etc.When they look back at the past few years and the source of their clients, it’s random. They got lucky.But WAIT!You’re probably thinking (I would be) that real estate leads do come from everywhere. Top Realtors will tell you that they get business out of left field. Their source of business chart looks like a freeform mind map.But there’s a difference between how top agents get random business and how struggling agents get random business.Top agents make their own luck by using a consistent marketing plan. Some of their business STILL comes from random sources… but that’s a side benefit to having a steady flow from their targeted sources.It’s like putting a bunch of fishing poles in the water in multiple strategic locations, using the right three kinds of bait… versus putting poles all over the lake using whatever random bait looked good to you and hoping for the best.Successful real estate agents do active, specific, targeted marketing.For instance, they know that the vast majority of home owners prefer to do business with an agent that was referred to them or that they have built a relationship with personally. So they seek strategies for consistently building relationships with home owners and centers of influence.Or top buyer’s agents know that the vast majority of home buyers don’t really care who their real estate agent is. So these agents seek strategies to rake in as many buyer leads as possible and learn how to do lead conversion.3 Real Estate Marketing Must-HavesWhen choosing a real estate marketing method, make sure of these three things:1. You like doing it. Or at least be sure you don’t despise it. If you get sick to your stomach when you think of doing cold calling, don’t do that.Choose real estate prospecting that matches your personality. If you’re highly social, you might enjoy networking and hosting events. If you’re techy, you might enjoy internet marketing. If you love physical exercise and talking to people one-on-one, you might like door canvassing. If you love public speaking, you might like running real estate workshops.2. You have the skills you need to do it well. Most of the time, agents focus on skills for doing the prospecting itself, things like: How many visits to the FSBO should I make? What is the best door canvassing script? What’s the best website?But they forget the most important skill of all–how to convert the lead into an appointment and the appointment into a signed commitment. Compare these two sentences:
My goal is to get 30 leads this week.
My goal is to ask for 10 appointments this week.Which focus will result in more clients? The second, right? I talk to plenty of agents who are great at generating real estate leads. But they don’t know how to generate appointments.3. You are using resources wisely. Your resources include time, money, and energy. Your choice of marketing has to balance all three.If you have a ton of money, you can run an effective radio and television ad campaign.If you have no money, but a ton of time (because you have only one or two clients per month and you don’t have kids or other distractions), you can do just about any form of free marketing, like door canvassing, cold calling, networking, running workshops (when you use strategic alliances), etc.If you have a modest budget and modest time, you can consider things like internet marketing combined with workshops, or direct response mail combined with door canvassing in a neighborhood.Ultimately, real estate agents who generate and convert more real estate leads have a specific marketing plan designed around their personality, skills, and resources. And then they stick to it.

Many real estate investors have come to me with the same concern… they know they need to take their investing to the next level so they can obtain that bigger cash flow they’ve been thinking and dreaming of… but they don’t have a clear plan on just how to do it.If you have you been thinking about taking your investing to the next level, this article is for you.Getting your real estate investing to that next level means venturing into new and possibly unfamiliar territory… But, in order to reap those rewards… it’s got to be done. Many investors stick with the same types of deals they did when they first started investing. There is nothing wrong with that… Unless you are looking for that something bigger.The following is a list of 6 tips to help you take your real estate investing to the next level…Tip #1: Go After Bigger FishThink back to why you first got into real estate investing. I started investing because I wanted to make some serious cash, and I was tired of struggling financially. I started like many investors do-dealing in single-family properties. Then I decided I wanted a better cash flow and I wanted it fast. I went after bigger fish.Commercial property investment deals offer some of the greatest cash flow and returns for your investment dollar. The number of units, and the size of the properties can bring the largest returns for the amount of time and money you invest in any deal.Tip #2: Continually Educate YourselfTo get to the next level in your real estate career, you must continually educate yourself. Education and information enables you to find solutions to any challenges that may come up as you’re doing deals. Education also helps to eliminate unnecessary risk. Unfortunately, many investors believe that their lack of knowledge prevents them from doing the tougher types of deals, like large multi-unit residential or commercial properties. It doesn’t take much to get yourself informed and educated. Read books; attend seminars; talk to experts; and never hesitate to ask questions.Tip #3: Get a MentorA good mentor helps you gain practical experience much quicker and more easily then going it alone. Books and courses are important. But a mentor helps you navigate deals, and overcome any challenges you face along the way. Mentors can serve as your safety net for when you head into that real estate investing territory you are unfamiliar with. If you are serious about taking your real estate investing to the next level, a mentor is necessary. A mentor will get there quicker and with much less risk than going it alone.Tip #4: Utilize a Team of ExpertsThere are many people who shun the idea of new investors taking on the risk of large, complicated projects like large apartment houses or commercial real estate investments. They are right. Very large investments are not for very inexperienced or novice investors. So why not let the experts be your experts. Your team of experts works to eliminate the risk associated with your inexperience and lack of knowledge. You can get to the next level in your real estate investment career when you put together a team of people with the expertise you lack, people who already know how to navigate their way through a big and very profitable deal.Tip #5: Develop Marketing SkillsMarketing is necessary for any business. In fact, businesses lacking a marketing system fail. In order to successfully take your real estate investing business to the next level, you must develop your marketing skills and put them into action. A very good way to start marketing your real estate business is by using direct mail. Then, when you begin to receive responses to your direct mail efforts, get yourself networking at places like local investment clubs as well as with bankers and lenders. This is an easy way to get started-take one marketing strategy, learn and hon it. Then start working other forms of marketing (networking, for example).Your business will get to the next level only when you start learning about and utilizing successful marketing strategies.Tip #6: Have a Can-Do AttitudeAttitude makes all the difference… especially in real estate. A person who thinks s/he can’t do a deal because it’s bigger than he or she is used to, cannot and will not get his or her business to the next level. The wrong attitude can doom you before you even try. Conversely, a person who is hungry enough for success will attain it simply because he or she doesn’t given up.No matter where you are with your investing, these tips can help you take your real estate investing (and cash flow!) the next level. Multi-unit residential and/or commercial real estate can definitely be the right vehicle(s) to provide some of the greatest cash flow in the industry.When you combine education, expert assistance, marketing, and the right attitude, you have the makings for conquering bigger investments successfully, and therefore achieving bigger and better cash flow deals. Your next step is to take action.