Tag: expireds

It takes as many as eight touches for a homeowner to decide if they’re going to hire you as their agent. So if you’re only relying on a few phone calls to find listings, your pipeline could be at risk of drying up. This is why diversifying your touches is vital for staying top of mind. Top agents have identified mailers as one of the top ways to maintain constant contact with your target market. Mailers allow you to build credibility and find listings without cold calling. Use these mailer strategies to spread recognition for your business and land more listings.


Step 1. Decide Who to Mail
Step 2. Determine your Mailer Script
Step 3. Magnify Your Mailers

Step 1. Decide Who to Mail

The first step to staying top of mind with mailers is deciding who you want to send them to. These lead types are most popular for sending mailers: 

GeoLeads™

Sending mailers about Just Listed and Just Sold properties is one of the simplest ways to showcase your value as a hard working agent. With REDX GeoLeads, you can drop a pin or draw a boundary around a property you’ve recently listed or sold and instantly get the names and home addresses for each property. Use this information to send out mailers about how much homes are selling for to quickly establish yourself as the neighborhood expert.

FSBOs

For-Sale-By-Owner leads are one of the most time-sensitive lead types to send mailers to. With inventory at an all time low, you’ll want to get your mailers out quickly. FSBOs can be stubborn, so be sure to include the benefits and net proceeds of selling with an agent. Consider including a testimonial from a past client who was hesitant to sell with an agent at first, but ended up having a great experience with you.

Expireds

Sending mailers to current and old Expired listings is a great, non-invasive way to stand out from the competition and find people who want to re-list. Old Expireds are especially hot because of the low inventory market, and REDX allows you to filter your leads to include homes that expired a few months (or years) ago. Send them a mailer so they can visualize your value and better understand why they should hire you to get the job done. For more tips and tricks on mailing Old Expireds, check out this podcast interview with Mail Master Jim McCord. 

Sphere of Influence

The best businesses are built on repeat and referral business. That’s why staying top of mind with the people who know, like, and trust you has the power to beat out any other mailer method. Letting your sphere of influence know you value your relationship with them while also sharing valuable information about the market ensures they won’t list with anyone else when they’re ready to buy or sell. Consider mailing your sphere monthly newsletters with local market info, business collaborations, and home anniversary congratulations to provide constant value and stay top of mind. 

Step 2. Determine your Mailer Script

After you’ve chosen the leads you want to mail, it’s time to decide what content to include.

If you’re a REDX customer, Vortex™ will automatically populate a pre-written script for your mailers. Each lead type has at least one pre-written script that was carefully crafted by industry leading experts. You can even personally brand each mailer so the receivers know it came from you or your office. Here is an example of our Expired mailer template:

That being said, there is no one right way to script a mailer. You can edit the pre-filled scripts to fit your tone and message or completely start from scratch. The most important thing when writing a mailer is to make a genuine connection with your audience. The goal is always to fill or nurture your pipeline with solid leads, but establishing a simple connection with someone and adding them to your database can also reap major benefits down the road. 

Because your space is limited when writing mailers, make sure the value you bring as an agent is highlighted clearly in your messages. Consider the difference between saying “My name is John Smith and I’ve sold 45 properties this year!” and “You have a lot of equity in your home and I want to help you cash out!”

The trick is to focus on what you can do for the homeowner and not make it all about yourself. No one will care about who you are until they know the value you can offer them.

Be sure to keep your message simple. An overcomplicated, text heavy mailer is sure to make homeowners lose interest in your content and will likely land your mailer in the trash. 

Step 3. Magnify Your Mailers

Now that you have your leads and your script, it’s time to spruce things up. Adding personalized content to your mailer leaves a friendly impression that homeowners won’t forget. 

One of the most powerful pieces of personalized content is social proof. Social proof like testimonials from previous clients creates trust even without an established relationship. That’s why Google reviews are so popular because you don’t have to use the service to know what kind of value you’ll get.

Another great way to magnify your mailers is to include photos. Whether it’s a photo of a home that just sold, a listing you’re trying to sell, or one of yourself, adding visual elements to your mailer can turn a bland sheet of paper into an eye-catching marketing piece.

You can also try including a market snapshot in your mailers. This quickly tells the homeowner that you are knowledgeable about the market, making it easier for them to see you as a genuine expert. Include information like average sales price, number of properties sold in the last six months, the highest sale price in an area, and more.

Another popular way to add value to your mailers is to send them something they’ll want to keep. Whether it’s a local sports team schedule, a recipe, or a list of the best local restaurants, send something they’ll want to hang on their fridge or put on display. This puts you at the front of their minds every time they walk through their kitchen or entry way.

Magnifying your mailers is one of the best ways to separate yourself from the competition. To learn how to create your own custom templates with REDX’s Mail Merge feature, watch this clip from REDX’s own Corryn Bostic as she gives a step-by-step training on how to utilize the tool. 

Start With Mailers, End With Listings

Now that you know which leads to send mailers to, what you want to say, and how to stand out – it’s time to start mailing! Whether you’re a solo agent or part of a team, using mailers will diversify the way you reach out to contacts and help you stay top of mind with more and more homeowners. Plus, mailers are easy to scale and take less time than calling individual leads. Take advantage of the mailer opportunity and boost your business today.

About REDX

REDX is an all-in-one lead data and prospecting platform that helps agents connect with qualified buyers and sellers. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, social media tools, and a lead management system that simplifies first contact and follow up.

Click here to watch a demo, or call (800) 731-7339 ext. 1 to learn more about Expireds, FSBOs, GeoLeads, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, our Power Dialer and Social Media Tools for paid ads and content creation.

REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here.

In an unpredictable and ever-changing real estate market, it’s more important than ever for agents to pack their pipeline for long-term, sustainable success. In order to do so, you need the latest and greatest strategies that generate leads and listings for a consistent business. Discover 14 of the best lead generation tactics to scale and grow your business in 2024.

14 Real Estate Lead Generation Tactics for Growth in 2024

1. Prospect Expireds for Hot & Motivated Sellers
2. Create Facebook Ads to Generate Quality Leads
3. Nurture Your Sphere of Influence for Simple Success
4. Circle Prospect Neighborhoods to Find Business
5. Build a Community of Endless Opportunity
6. Call Vacant Rental Properties to List More Homes
7. Follow Up With Your Leads to Stay Top-of-Mind
8. Work the “Soon-To-Be Hot” Short Sales and Pre-Foreclosures
9. Call For-Sale-By-Owners to Get More Appointments
10. Build a Social Media Presence to Get in Front of More Leads
11. Door Knock to Build More Relationships
12. Use a Dialer to Reach More Homeowners
13. Follow Up over Text to Easily Stay Connected
14. Call Old Expireds to Close More Deals

1. Prospect Expireds for Hot & Motivated Sellers

Calling expired listings is one of the best, quickest ways to get business. These leads are low-hanging fruit who have already expressed an interest to sell, but their agent couldn’t get the job done. This is where you come in.

Top-producer Deric Lipski listed 28 homes in one month just from prospecting to expireds. “I didn’t get that one appointment and decided I was done for the day. I kept calling, I kept closing and I kept getting more appointments.” He didn’t let rejection or fear stop him from reaching his goals.

2. Create Facebook Ads to Generate Quality Leads

In order to reach as many homeowners as possible, you have to go where people spend a LOT of time… Facebook! The average adult spends 38 minutes/day on Facebook. That’s why many agents are using Facebook Ads to get in front of more people.

Facebook marketing guru, Travis Thom, uses the acronym BURST to make effective Facebook Ads that keep leads coming to him for business. 

3. Nurture Your Sphere of Influence for Simple Success

One of the best (and easiest) ways to generate business is from people who already know, like, and trust you. So while cold calling requires building a new relationship, your sphere of influence (SOI) is a much easier conversation. A lot of agents neglect their SOI and miss out on easy repeat and referral business.

Brian Icenhower (therealestatetrainer.com) guarantees that, if you call each person in your SOI at least twice a year, you’ll have consistent commissions no matter what.

4. Circle Prospect Neighborhoods to Find Business

If you don’t want to deal with angry homeowners, circle prospecting is one of the best ways to pack your pipeline. Use GeoLeads™ to call around a neighborhood and become known as the local real estate expert by informing people about open houses, just listed/just solds, estimated home values, and more. 

Real estate coach Alex Piech had 300 transactions in one year (with an above average turnover rate) by circle prospecting neighborhoods – all using a simple script to find interested homeowners. 

5. Build a Community of Endless Opportunity

Bring the people in your area together! Create a community or group on Facebook to create endless opportunities. You can invite local experts in your area and recommend them to the community. Seek out painters, landscapers, plumbers, or other home-service experts to build the ultimate hub for local homeowners to discover reliable resources.

Florida agent Joe Rosen runs the biggest networking group in his area where he helps connect people throughout his community. Whether someone needs an agent or not, he’s there to help them get what they need and be of service (no matter what). He refers homeowners to people he knows and trusts while they refer and give business back to him for endless lead generation.

6. Call Vacant Rental Properties to List More Homes

List multiple properties from a single lead by prospecting to For-Rent-By-Owner (FRBO) leads. FRBOs are typically owned by independent landlords or multi-property investors who have listed their property for rent, but can’t (or are tired of trying to) lease it out.

FRBOs are pro-prospector Kent Brown’s favorite lead type to prospect. They’re not angry like Expireds, less emotional than FSBOs, and more motivated than GeoLeads™. 

7. Follow Up With Your Leads to Stay Top-of-Mind

Nurturing your database and following up with your leads might not generate immediate business, but it can help build a lifelong pipeline of business. The difference between struggling and successful agents comes down to whether or not they’ve implemented a solid system to consistently follow up with their prospects, past clients, and sphere of influence.

Coach Brooke Sines follows a proven follow-up strategy to ensure no listing opportunity falls through the cracks. By categorizing her leads and keeping up with a spreadsheet of lead information, Brooke always stays top-of-mind with her contacts.

8. Work the “Soon-To-Be Hot” Short Sales and Pre-Foreclosures

With rumors on the rise about a potential spike in foreclosures, agents are preparing themselves for this “soon-to-be hot” lead source. So whether you’re looking to try something new, want to maximize on the opportunity, or just want another source of income, start educating yourself now.

Short sale queen, Nicole Espinosa, specializes in this niche and generates thousands of leads from it. She says practicing sales negotiations, knowing how to talk to a pre-foreclosure lead, and understanding the homeowner’s options are all solid starting points if you want to maximize on the foreclosure opportunity.

9. Call For-Sale-By-Owners to Get More Appointments

If you think prospecting to FSBOs right now (or in any sellers market) is impossible, think again. Know what to say to FSBOs on the phone so you can help them understand the crucial value you bring as an agent. Plus, they’re motivated to sell, which means quick and simple business for you.

FSBO master David Frost is still listing FSBOs despite the heavy sellers market. He focuses on getting the appointment, building rapport, helping potential clients, and consistent follow-up.

10. Build a Social Media Presence to Get in Front of More Leads

Everyone’s eyeballs are on their phones scrolling through platforms like Facebook and Instagram. If you aren’t showing up on their feed, you could be missing out on a tremendous amount of leads and listings. Have a social media strategy for your business to stay top of mind with potential clients and position yourself as the real estate expert.

Stevie Hahn is a top-producing agent who generates 75% of her business from social media. Her strategy includes being authentic, posting on a regular basis, not over-analyzing every post, following everyone she meets, and engaging with her followers.

11. Door Knock to Build More Relationships

No real estate lead gen tactic beats face-to-face interaction. So instead of calling around a neighborhood, try hitting the pavement and talking to homeowners at their doorstep. Not only does it build great relationships and rapport, but it also quickly establishes your presence in the neighborhood. By sharing relevant market information and what’s going on in the neighborhood, you’re sure to be the go-to source for real estate needs in your area.

Florida agent Dan Vallee loves to go face-to-face with new expired leads and uses an uncanny approach that minimizes conflict to build new relationships. His “walk ‘n’ talk” strategy includes marketing materials and an unfailing script that allows him to consistently set listing appointments at the doorstep.

12. Use a Dialer to Reach More Homeowners

Talking to more homeowners in less time means packing your pipeline with more leads. Dialing by hand is time consuming. Not to mention all of the agents using a dialer that may reach leads before you. Using tools like the WAVV Dialer connects you with more homeowners per hour, allowing you to cut your prospecting time in half while improving your results.

Agent Greg McDaniel from realestateuncensored.com swore by other lead generation methods, until he started using a dialer (and tripled his contact rate per hour!) For him, it made sense to use a dialer so that he could be continuously talking to more homeowners instead of wasting time elsewhere.

13. Follow Up over Text to Easily Stay Connected

Text messaging has become one of the most popular forms of communication. If you’re not following up over text, you’re missing out on HUGE opportunities. Once you receive proper consent over phone, email, or face-to-face, you can use text messages to stay top-of-mind with past clients and leads – eventually gaining access to better response rates than phone calls.

Coach and trainer Brent Scott stresses the importance of text messaging as an integral part of your business. He’s created a system for effective lead follow-up through maximum engagement and clever responses to ensure no one slips through the cracks.

14. Call Old Expireds to Close More Deals

If you don’t want to talk to angry new Expireds, try going back a couple months (or years) to talk to homeowners who waited to re-list. These leads aren’t getting bombarded with calls from other agents, so they’re far more willing to talk, and are far less combative than new expired leads.

Agent Zak Klinedinst likes to go back 3 or 4 years and call old Expireds that might be interested in listing their home again. He uses a simple script approach that establishes common ground and breaks down the initial hesitation from homeowners.

From Lead Generation to Lead Conversion

With so many ways to generate leads, there is no reason why your pipeline shouldn’t be packed with potential profit. Choose tactics that best fit you and your business needs, and be ready to unlock endless opportunity no matter the market conditions.

About REDX

REDX is an all-in-one lead data and prospecting platform that helps agents connect with qualified buyers and sellers. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, social media tools, and a lead management system that simplifies first contact and follow up.

Click here to watch a demo, or call (800) 731-7339 ext. 1 to learn more about Expireds, FSBOs, GeoLeads, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, our Power Dialer and Social Media Tools for paid ads and content creation.

REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here.

Top-performing real estate agents who use REDX agree: calling Expired Leads using a skiptrace service like REDX is one of the most effective ways to find, list, and sell properties. But with so many other agents also calling Expireds, what sets top performers apart from the rest? It all comes down to using the right script. Keep reading to see which Expired Lead scripts top agents prefer and how to use them in your business to convert leads into appointments like a pro.

10 Golden Expired Scripts

Script 1: The Classic Expireds Script – from Mike Ferry
Script 2: New Agent Speed To Success Script – from Josh Gossard
Script 3: An Expired Script for the Empathetic Approach – from Borino Real Estate Coaching
Script 4: A Short, Sweet Script For Teams – from Jeff Glover
Script 5: The Official Script Guide – from REDX
Bonus: Overcome Expired Objections Webinar
Script 6: The “Dependable Agent” Script – from Keller Williams Realty
Script 7: Expired Scripts for Five Agent Styles – from Fit Small Business
Script 8: A Script for Relationship Builders – from Ricky Carruth
Script 9: Scripts for The Perfect Voicemail – from TheRealEstateTrainer.com
Script 10: The Sleuth Script For Expired Listings – from Jim Remley
BONUS: REDX Ultimate Script Bundle

Re-List and Be the Hero

If you think using a script feels forced or makes you sound unnatural, don’t worry. With enough practice, you can make any of these top 10 expired scripts your own, while positioning yourself as the homeowner’s hero.

But first, take a moment and put yourself in the shoes of an Expired Lead. You’ve already tried to sell with an agent (maybe more than once), but your home still hasn’t sold.

You’re probably discouraged, frustrated, and thinking to yourself, “My home didn’t sell… now what?!” or “Why should I trust any more real estate agents?”

Having empathy for homeowners is the first step toward positioning yourself as their hero. With this important concept in mind, you’re ready to implement these proven scripts into your prospecting sessions. They’ll help you know what questions to ask and how to navigate common objections so you can be significantly more confident on the phone.

1. The Classic Expireds Script – from Mike Ferry

Let’s start off with a classic! This script comes from one of the biggest names in real estate coaching, Mike Ferry.

His expireds script has helped slingshot thousands of agents to successful, long-term careers in real estate. You can’t go wrong with this one.

This simple, to-the-point script keeps you focused on one thing: getting qualified listing appointments. What more could you want?

And for more script training, make sure to check out this webinar on how to “Get Listings From People Who Say, ‘No!'” from the master himself.

2. New Agent Speed To Success Script – from Josh Gossard

Next, we’ve got a script from Josh Gossard (a solo agent from Maryland) who found success when he was still pretty new to real estate. But you wouldn’t think so after seeing his results.

He sold 48 homes last year (by himself), and continues to dominate his market! His expired script, along with his dedicated prospecting schedule, skyrocketed his career.

Josh is proof that the right script will help you speed through the “listing learning curve” that slows down most other agents.

Expired Listings empowered Josh to establish himself in the industry and create a steady source of business. In this podcast with Pat Hiban, he shares exactly what he says on the phone to get listing appointments. Implement his words, methods, and tips to maximize your time on the phone.

3. An Expired Script for the Empathetic Approach – from Borino Real Estate Coaching

Think about it: sellers face an emotional tug-of-war from the minute they decide to sell. Add in low-ball offers, failed inspections, or buyer financing fall throughs, and the process can start to feel like a drag through the mud. So when their listing expires and agents start calling them, you can imagine what it must be like.

Their frustrations may be justified. But how can you get through to them so they know you’re not like the rest, you’re on their side, and (of course) that you’re the best agent for the job?

With over 20 years of real estate experience, Borino is often referred to as the “Expired Guru.” With his direct, no-pressure style, he has a smooth and uncomplicated expired script that could be just right for you.

See how Borino uses this script to empathize with homeowners, set himself apart from other “hungry” agents, and get appointments over the phone in under two minutes.

4. A Short, Sweet Script For Teams – from Jeff Glover

In 2005, Jeff Glover embarked on his mission to reinvent real estate sales training. Since then, Jeff and his team have developed a prospecting system that produces over 1,000 home sales a year.

A sizable chunk of their sales come from expired listings, and this expired script is what they use to get appointments (with Jeff himself using it to take over 100 listings each year!)

This script will help you discover homeowner objections in advance. The theory goes – if you can predict objections, you can prevent rejection.

According to Jeff, “The sale is won or lost depending on how well you handle their objections.” So check out his objection handlers script as well! Paired with his proven expired script, Jeff’s objection handlers will help you find real (and consistent) results.

5. The Official Script Guide – from REDX

After extensive research, REDX has stitched together some of the most powerful prospecting scripts (not already mentioned in this article) into this 34-page eBook. So no matter your skill level, there’s something in this script book for you.

It starts with a simple script focused on how to begin your calls, followed by language proven to increase your connection rate by as much as 25%. Then, on page seven, you’ll find an expired script crafted from dozens of suggestions from top listing agents. This script picks up where others fall short.

Don’t forget to check out pages 19-25 for an even deeper dive into overcoming common objections, along with five vital elements to help you understand why these scripts work and how to adapt them to your own call style.

Bonus: Overcome Expired Objections Webinar

Watch this training to discover how top prospectors start every prospecting call to ensure a good contact, the formula they use to overcome any objection, and how they set appointments even after being rejected. Watch and learn as expert prospector Deric Lipski sets a listing appointment on a live call – even after being rejected five times!

6. The “Dependable Agent” Script – from Keller Williams Realty

One of the biggest real estate franchises in the United States, Keller Williams, offers these scripts to their agents.

You can decide for yourself, but these scripts might be one of the reasons KW consistently ranks at the top of the industry for sales volume and units sold. If you did the research, you’d find thousands of success stories based on these expired scripts.

Beyond expireds, they’ve got scripts for voicemails, overcoming objections, general prospecting tips and tricks, qualifying scripts, and much more.

These scripts will help you position yourself as the dependable, knowledgeable, trustworthy, and results-oriented professional they need, even if they’re angry and frustrated.

7. Expired Scripts for Five Agent Styles – from Fit Small Business

This next set of scripts comes from Fit Small Business, and they’re not messing around.

After deep market research, they’ve found five expired listing scripts that really work. The article shows you how to get listing appointments quickly, provides modular elements you can use to create your own scripts, and includes tips on how to get your foot in the door.

Best of all, these scripts offer five unique prospecting styles: the casual approach, the empathetic expert, the harder sell, the neighborhood expert, and the outstanding agent.

With so many options, you’re bound to find one that perfectly fits your style and situation.

8. A Script for Relationship Builders – from Ricky Carruth

Expert prospector, Ricky Carruth, has built an incredibly successful business based on this core value: create strong relationships and serve others.

He believes building relationships with people is more important than the transaction, which in turn brings in a lot of listings.

In this video, Ricky talks about how important it is to say exactly the right thing. More importantly, he tells you how to say it.

He believes how you say something to a potential client will go a lot further than exactly what you say. He dives into his favorite (simple) script that he’s perfected over years of trial and error. According to Ricky, this script works for any lead type or prospect.

9. Scripts for The Perfect Voicemail – from TheRealEstateTrainer.com

Next up, here’s a little bit of everything. TheRealEstateTrainer.com, created by Brian Icenhower, is loaded with principles and tactics to attract hundreds of agents simply because they produce actual results.

His expired listing scripts include what to say when homeowners answer, but also how to leave the perfect voicemail so people will actually call you back (which is key if you want more listings).

On this page, you’ll also find a video of Brian with three other agents, all talking out their favorite scripts, techniques, and what works best for them on a prospecting call. Don’t miss out on their expert advice!

10. The Sleuth Script For Expired Listings – from Jim Remley

Within two years of obtaining his real estate license, Jim Remley was listed in the top one percent of Realtors® nationwide. And you don’t become a top prospector that fast with poor scripts.

In his expired script, Jim offers a different approach. His strategy focuses on timing key questions to uncover the real reasons a property failed to sell. This way, homeowners discover for themselves exactly what could have been done to sell their home, but wasn’t.

That’s where you come in. With questions like, “Was a sign used to advertise your home?” and, “Was a home protection plan offered?” Jim’s marketing plan is a no-brainer if you want to position yourself as the homeowner’s hero.

The Opportunity In Front Of You

Now what? You’ve got the scripts – so what are you going to do with them? These scripts will help lead you to a more successful and sustainable business. But it won’t happen overnight OR by simply reading over them.

If you want these scripts to do anything for your business, you’ve got to start practicing now. As you do, they’ll naturally become yours as you integrate your own style and tone. Leave those “Uhhh”s behind you and control each conversation with confidence and charisma!

As author Brodi Ashton puts it, “Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.” In other words – heroes are made, not born.

So what are you waiting for? Choose to be the Expired Listings hero that sellers need, and practice your expired scripts today.

BONUS: REDX Ultimate Script Bundle

Choosing the right script can be a daunting task. With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to find a good fit for your personality and prospecting style. To make things easier, we’ve compiled some of the top script resources from leading industry coaches and experts (including some amazing Expired scripts!)

Click below to download the REDX Ultimate Script Bundle and find one that works for you!

About REDX

REDX is an all-in-one lead data and prospecting platform that helps agents connect with qualified buyers and sellers. The platform includes a skiptrace service for seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, social media tools, and a lead management system that simplifies first contact and follow up.

Click here to watch a demo, or call (800) 731-7339 ext. 1 to learn more about skiptrace products for Expireds, FSBOs, GeoLeads, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, our Power Dialer and Social Media Tools for paid ads and content creation.

REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here.

Are there immutable prospecting principles that once known and followed help you list more homes? The answer is yes, and from an interview with master implementer John Sullivan who sold 44 homes his first year, this article walks you through a checklist of 9 basic questions that leveraged these principles and slingshot his success. See how many questions you already know and how many you can improve upon.

Here Are The 9 Basic Prospecting Questions For You To Explore:

1. Are Your Expectations or Rejection Really Real?
2. Do You Know What To Do When Too Many Agents Work Expired Leads In Your Area?
3. Does Your Prospecting Schedule Match Your Goals?
4. Are You Calling The Right Lead Types In The Right Order?
5. Are You Calling Your Leads The Right Number of Times?
6. Do You Consider Calling Your Sphere Of Influence A Form Of Prospecting?
7. Have You Found Prospecting Scripts That Work For You?
8. Is Your Prospecting Workspace Holding You Back?
9. Do You Have A Pre-Prospecting Checklist?

Keep on reading to explore each of these 9 questions in detail with expert advice from John Sullivan.

1. Are Your Expectations For Rejection Really Real?

It’s easy to be jealous or discouraged looking at successful real estate prospectors. It might seem like they’re not encountering the same rejection other prospectors face every day, but that’s not the case.

“I used to look at the top agents and think, ‘They don’t get any rejection, they get appointments every time,’ which isn’t true,” recalls John. “They just know not to stop when they get rejection. They just keep going, because they know they are getting very close to the next appointment.”

Remember, when calling expired leads, that these are people whose houses didn’t sell, have big life plans that fell through or are now on hold; in their head, they might be blaming Realtors® for their misfortune… and you’re calling them.

However, John says, “Rejection is normal — it’s not personal. They don’t know you, they just found the end of a telephone, and they shouldn’t dictate your outcome and your goals”.

To help you fearlessly face rejection and overcome it, we recommend the book Rejection Proof, by TED Talk speaker. His book and training program will teach you how to fight through the no’s, so you can get to the yes’s!

2.  Do You Know What To Do When Too Many Agents Work Expired Leads In Your Area?

Prospecting in a crowded market can seem intimidating and dismaying, but it’s definitely not a reason to give up. Most experienced real estate prospectors prospect expireds, but also add geographic prospecting.

“There’s a big Mike Ferry based agency here [in Las Vegas.] So, people are getting called by a lot of agents,” says John. To hit his daily contact goals, John does geographic prospecting following a Just-Listed/Just-Sold prospecting script.

A primary reason John does geographic prospecting is because, “no one’s calling them,” and “our job in real estate is to speak to people about real estate every day”.

Instead of feeling like a nuisance, “you’re doing the community a service,” John says. “We’re telling them, ‘Hey, this home just sold in your area for $300,000,’ and they didn’t know. Now they know.”

John uses GeoLeads to simplify geographic prospecting. Enter an address or draw a boundary on the map and GeoLeads will provide a full list of telephone numbers for each property.

GeoLeads is a great option for prospectors who want to speak to more people in less time, while having more calming and rapport-building conversations.

3. Does Your Prospecting Schedule Match Your Goals?

Consistent prospecting in real estate is the foundation of predictable results. But before you can be a consistent prospector, you need to create a consistent schedule.

“I’ve learned the best agents are fanatic about their schedule, and that’s how I wanna be. Whether or not you can hit those goals depends on time management”, says John.

To hit his goals of 30 new contacts a day, John consistently follows a schedule. His schedule includes: new appointment generation and follow-up with past contacts, as well as physical and mindset exercises. He leaves his afternoon open for appointments. When he doesn’t have any afternoon appointments, he dives back into prospecting for more listing appointments.

For ideas on how to build your own schedule or improve the one you have, the books “Habit Stacking” by S.J. Scott and “Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod are resources that will help you.

4. Are You Calling The Right Lead Types In The Right Order?

Once you have your time blocks set, you need to create a Lead Stack™. A Lead Stack is the type of leads you call and the order you call them. There are a number of variables to consider when creating a lead stack. A few of them include:

• • Your objection handling skills
• • Your level of rejection resiliency
• • Time of day you prospect
• • Your contact goals

John explains his lead stack: “I like to call the Expireds/Withdrawn first, then For Sale By Owners, Just Listed/Just Sold, past clients, my center of influence, and then go to my lead follow-up after that. Sometimes I may mix it up”.

John also mentioned, “If I’m experiencing some bad Expired calls, I may just pick up the phone and call a past client. They’re generally nicer, they like you. A nicer conversation can help get you back in the groove.”

Remember there’s no right way to create your Lead Stack. Experienced real estate prospectors stack their leads differently and periodically make adjustments to the order and timing.

5. Are You Calling Your Leads The Right Number of Times?

You know lead follow-up is important, but it can be difficult to decide who and when to follow up with. A good rule of thumb is put priority on contacts who’ve voiced an interest in listing within the next two weeks.

John explains, “I’ve lost deals in the past because my good leads have got muddled up in poor follow-ups. You want to be prospecting people who are ready to sign contracts in the next 7-14 days.”

To avoid getting muddled in poor lead follow up, John “trashes” leads he’s called six times and who are not ready to list. He recommends that it’s time to focus your energy elsewhere.

6. Do You Consider Calling Your Sphere Of Influence A Form Of Prospecting?

If you wish to be at the top-of-mind with your sphere of influence, then your sphere of influence must be at the top-of-your-mind. That means you need to think of your sphere of influence (SOI) as every other lead type. Just like Expired leads and FSBO’s — SOI needs to be part of your daily Lead Stack.

Like exercising, prospecting to your sphere of influence is a small daily investment that pays off over time. “Building your SOI and center of influence will take time. You have to really maintain and manage that for two or three years,” says John.

To invest in his sphere of influence, the 1st thing John does is call his buyers and sellers 2-3 times during the first month after a deal closes.

For sellers, he says: “Hey, did you get all your proceeds?”

For buyers, he says:  “Hey, do you need any contractors to do your work?”

After that, he calls four times a year at minimum and always on their birthdays. “Staying connected is important. I ask for referrals when I speak to them, too.”

7. Have You Found Prospecting Scripts That Work For You?

Scripts are the best way to keep a call on track towards a qualified listing appointment. The script that works best for you depends on the type of prospector you are, and the type you want to become.

For instance, John uses a Mike Ferry style script when prospecting. He explains: “What’s best about them is they’re a series of questions, and all of the questions have to be answered. None of the questions have ‘yes’ or ‘no’; answers. The scripts really help create a conversation and help the flow.”

John prefers The Mike Ferry organization Expired scripts, Just-Listed and Just-Sold scripts, but he encourages you to “make the script your own.” For more script building resources see the free 26-page REDX script book.

8. Is Your Prospecting Workspace Holding You Back?

Your physical workspace might be the very thing that’s holding you back. Specifically your desk and what’s on it. If your mind is distracted by the clutter on your desk, consider one desk space dedicated to prospecting and another to everything else.

John’s workspace is setup exactly like this, “I have a desk with two screens on with whatever I have to do for that day on a folder. I have a separate desk — a tall, stand-up desk, with my scripts in front of it, no distractions. So, two computers; one for prospecting, one for everything else.”

John insists standing while prospecting helps him stay energized and focused. According to Forbes Magazine a standing desk can “give your brain an edge“. John bought his stand-up desk at the StandupDeskStore.com. Prices for hand-crank standing desks start at $159 and go up to $519 for electric-powered ones.

9. Do You Have A Pre-Prospecting Checklist?

There’s more to fighting distraction than separating your workspaces. To keep your attention where it needs to be, leave anything unrelated to prospecting far from reach — before prospecting.

Here are the five things John does before prospecting that help him stay focused on hitting his daily goals:

 How Did You Do On The Checklist?

Go further into these prospecting principles with master implementer John Sullivan. His interview reveals details not covered here, including advice on how to recover from a bad call, how to find a coach or mentor (even if you don’t have money), and a dozen other highly effective tactics based on the principles shared here. All together, this checklist and principles will help you when you need more listings.

*REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws. Learn more here.

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com

How do expert listing agents handle the “F-BOMB” and other challenges when prospecting expired listings? Here are 10 expired prospecting tips pulled from an interview with the salty-tongued Blair Ballin. He is a master of turning expired leads into listings, selling over 54 homes in the last 12 months. So if you want your expired prospecting to improve, keep reading because this is for you.


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With that said, here are the tips you’re about to learn:

Tip 1: Tell Yourself, “Someone Today Is Waiting For My Call”
Tip 2: Know The Difference Between Marketing And Prospecting
Tip 3: When Someone Drops An F-bomb, Tap Into Humor
Tip 4: Create A Vision Video To Stay Motivated
Tip 5: Focus On Your Effort, Not Your Results
Tip 6: Set Weekly Goals
Tip 7: Block Distractions By Focusing On Goals
Tip 8: Discover How To “Snap” Yourself Into A Higher State Of Mind
Tip 9: Don’t Jump To Blame The Data Or Bad Numbers
Tip 10: Compare REDX Expired Leads To The Rest

Tip 1: Tell Yourself, “Someone Today Is Waiting For My Call”

REDX: We get a lot of questions from customers asking how to get over their fear of prospecting expired leads. What tips do you have for handling it?

Blair: Initially I didn’t like the thought of calling, but I started thinking back to jobs I had. I was a telemarketer and had some door knocking jobs and had dealt with rejection of all kinds. I realized it’s not a big deal.

Yes, I’ll get yelled at. Yes, people won’t wanna talk to me. But some people will.

I had no options when I began my prospecting journey, to the degree that made a difference in my career, I had to do it. There was no other way to get business. So either I live on the street or I make calls. It was that simple.

If you’re not in the same situation, then you just need the mindset of, “This is what they need to do to increase my business and accomplish my goals.”

Until you reach the point where you’re thinking, “Oh my God, I have to do something, what do I need to do?” you won’t push yourself over the fear.

Tip 2: Know The Difference Between Marketing And Prospecting

REDX: Prospecting can be hard. But what other options do agents, especially new and recently relocated ones, have?

Blair: You either prospect or you market. Prospecting is when you reach out to people. Marketing is when you do something to get people to reach out to you. But if you don’t have the money to market, prospecting is your only choice.

The results are out there. Prospecting works. If you consistently do it, you’ll discover it’s not as difficult as you make it out to be. Rejection is not really a big deal.

Tip 3: When Someone Drops An F-bomb, Tap Into Humor

REDX: Prospectors are people too, and when an angry expired lead curses at them, it stings. Are there ways you handle this? If so, how do you recover from calls like these?

Blair: Turn F-bombs and negative calls into something humorous. If someone yells at you or drops the F-bomb, make a Facebook post out of it. Do something to dissipate the negative experience.

As an example, I was calling Expireds a few days ago. Before I could start my script, the homeowner told me they were getting a ton of calls.

They said, “If you are a ‘Realitor’ then I don’t wanna talk to you.” And I responded immediately and sarcastically by saying, “No, I’m a Real-tor, not a Real-lat-tor.”

The conversation didn’t go anywhere; he hung up on me. But it was humorous to me and helped me not internalize it.

The lesson here: don’t expect to please everyone. If you call 100 people, you’re not going to reach 100 people. You’re certainly not going to get 100 people to say yes. So accept prospecting is a numbers game and focus on improving your numbers.

Tip 4: Create A Vision Video To Stay Motivated

REDX: Every real estate coach out there talks about casting a vision so big it pulls you through the tough times. What have you done to stay connected to your vision?

Blair: A couple years ago I created a vision video. It is a video with pictures of my short and long term goals to my favorite song, “Eye of the Tiger.”

It’s important you have a vision of the life you want. A vision video will help your daily motivation. It will allow you to start your day off with clarity and gives you something to recover from a negative call experiences.

If you’re interested in creating one for yourself, here are the links to three different approaches.

Create your own digital vision board with step by step instructions
Create a vision board using PicMonkey
Find inspiration for your own vision board as an entrepreneur

Tip 5: Focus On Your Effort, Not Your Results

REDX: It’s common for agents to give up on expired prospecting before they see the results they want. What advice do you have for agents who are new to expired prospecting?

Blair: Here’s why you shouldn’t judge your success solely on the results of your activities. On a given day you might not be reaching people for reasons beyond your control. It might be the wrong time, maybe it’s a holiday, or graduation day for high school and all the parents are out so you can’t reach anyone.

So don’t focus on the results. Instead, focus on the activities that produce results. For instance, if your goal for the week is eight hours of prospecting calls, focus on accomplishing it. Then reward yourself for your accomplishment.

For many weeks I was calling and not having the best luck. But I was still getting business because of the efforts I was putting forth.

Tip 6: Set Weekly Goals

REDX: Even though you said to focus on efforts, not results, how and why is it important to set weekly and annual goals?

Blair: Prior to the beginning of the year, set an annual goal. Then break it down into quarterly goals, then monthly goals, and then weekly goals. Then reaching your goals can be as simple as just saying “I’m going to have four appointments this week, get one contract, and one listing”.

Think of annual goals like a road map. If you don’t have them, you don’t know where you’re going or how you’re doing. If you’d like to learn how to set annual goals, here are some recommended videos.

How To Set Real Estate Goals with Mike Ferry
How To Create Your Own Goal Setting Worksheet
How To Achieve and Exceed Your Real Estate Financial Goals

Tip 7: Block Distractions By Focusing On Goals

REDX: Maintaining focus and concentration is a big issue for many agents who prospect expired listings. How do you stayed focused when prospecting expired leads?

Blair: The best way to handle distraction is to focus on your daily goals. If the goal is making two hours of calls, then that’s the goal. I’m not a subscriber to the belief you need to put your phone away or put all distractions away. If you’re working with a buyer or an offer comes, or you get a showing request, I think it’s fine to stop and help that client.

So if something comes up where you have to stop during a prospecting session to handle something for 20 minutes, when that’s done get right back on the phone.

There’s nothing wrong with writing thank you cards while you’re on your REDX Storm Dialer or whatever dialer you’re using. And if you’re not using a dialer, I would strongly suggest using one. It speeds up prospecting and keeps you focused.

So I don’t see how it hurts you to do these other things while you’re doing your calls. As long as you know when someone picks up the phone, they are what you need to be focused on. That’s your number one thing. Other than that, I think multitasking is fine.

Tip 8: Discover How To “Snap” Yourself Into A Higher State Of Mind

REDX: To become an expert at expired prospecting, what is one skill you think every agent ought to learn, and where can they go to get it?

Blair: A couple of years ago, I attended a Tony Robbins conference, “Unleash your Power Within.” I suggest every Realtor go. The theme of the conference is how to change your state.  And in that conference, there’s the event where you walk across the hot coals.

Of the 10,000 people who did it, maybe four got a little bit of a burn. My guess is they didn’t learn how to change their state. They opened up their body and mind to getting hurt and they got hurt.

If Oprah can do Tony’s Firewalk, so can you. Watch it:

Tip 9: Don’t Jump To Blame The Data Or Bad Numbers

REDX: A lot of agents who are new to expired prospecting don’t yet know what to expect and get frustrated after only a few tries. How did you move past this and improve your expired prospecting?

Blair: Improving your prospecting means inspecting your skills and data. Here’s a simple example. So let’s say you make 100 calls and they reach no one. If you think the data is bad, replace the data. Did that improve the results at this point in the process? Once you reach people, if you’re not getting listing appointments, look at what you are saying.

One of the toughest things I did to improve my skills was record my own calls. I gave the recordings to my coach at the time. He was able to tell me what I could have said to get better results. The data was okay, but there were things I could have said a little bit differently or added that would have extended questions, dialogues.

So we just have to take it step by step figuring out: A) is the data good, B) if it’s good is what we’re saying good, and C) did we call at a good time. Trying different times and methods to figure out what works what doesn’t work, and then kind of analyzing that and going from there.

Tip 10: Compare REDX Expired Leads To The Rest

REDX: What is the biggest advantage you’ve gained over other agents in your area prospecting expired leads?

Blair: No one asked me to say this, but in my opinion REDX’s data for Expireds is the best in the industry. Not only is it the data the best, but they give you five numbers for each homeowner. Many times the first or second number will be the person associated with the home.

That means I have to work one fifth or fourth less to reach the homeowner. That means I’m going to reach more people associated with the home, which gives me a greater chance of getting more contacts, more appointments, more contracts, and more closings.

About REDX

REDX offers real estate professionals a complete all-in-one prospecting platform for generating listing appointments. The platform includes seller leads, a dialer with up to three lines, and a lead management tool for simple follow-up. REDX maintains the position that all agents should be compliant with state and federal telecom laws – learn more here. Call (800) 731-7339 option 1 to learn more about prospecting FSBOs, Expireds, FRBOs, Pre Foreclosures, GeoLeads, and our Power Dialer – or visit www.redx.com