18 Ideas for Generating Real Estate Leads in Fall

Don’t let your real estate business cool down with the weather. Use these marketing ideas to help you heat things up with ways to meet buyers and sellers in your area.

1. In many communities, fall means football! Host a sponsored tailgate party and cheer on the home team. During the party, host a sweepstakes for two tickets to an upcoming game to encourage attendees to drop their information.
2. Also, fall = Oktoberfest! Take a cue from the beer industry and create branded coasters and napkins. Ask local beer halls and brew pubs to serve their pints with your coasters or napkins.
3. Sponsor a food or coat drive. Give back to your community and meet potential clients at the same time. Set up a drop-off area in a popular public space and serve refreshments like cookies and hot apple cider to encourage people to stay and chat.
4. Tap into your inner author. Take advantage of time indoors to write a home buyers or sellers guide. Brand it and host it on your website, or post to your social media channels to show off your expertise.
5. Connect with local vendors, like gutter-cleaning or snow-blowing service providers. Remind them that you’d be happy to send referrals their way and you’d love to have them do the same.
6. Do your civic duty! Depending on local laws, you might be able to volunteer your office as a voter registration site. You’ll be doing something good for your community and showing that you’re invested in what happens in your local area.
7. Hit up local garage, estate or moving sales. These types of sales often indicate that the homeowner is getting ready to sell and might need a real estate agent.
8. Become a Premier Agent! Automate your lead generation efforts and connect with motivated buyers and sellers in your market. Investing in your online marketing ensures that when the slow season arrives, your pipeline is just as full as ever.
9. Play it up! If your local high school football team is the pride of the town, order mini footballs featuring the team logo and your own subtle branding. Hand them out at popular pre- or post-game hot spots. Sponsor hot cider and donuts during chilly evening games.
10. Throw an autumn block party. Offer fun, budget-friendly activities, like painting mini pumpkins. Provide seasonally appropriate fare from local restaurants or food purveyors. Chances are you’ll meet some off-season buyers and sellers.
11. Time things right! Early November marks the end of Daylight Savings Time. Help your former and prospective clients stay on top of things by sending them a postcard or email that reminds them to set their clocks back.
12. Create a checklist or simple guide for how to prep for the fall and winter seasons. In many parts of the country, winter weather is tough on homes and landscaping. Help your former and current clients prepare for harsh weather by providing guidance on what to do and contact information for reputable, trusted vendors. Ask the selected vendors to provide a discount code for clients who come to them because of your guide or mailing.
13. Remember Veterans on November 11. Work with other small businesses in your community to put together a package of special discounts for the veterans in your area in appreciation of their service.
14. Register for a webinar. Visit the Premier Agent Resource Center for a list of upcoming and on-demand webinars to help you expand your marketing opportunities and expertise.
15. Look for a 1031 Exchange. The like-kind exchange is an often-overlooked niche business. Offsite owners who have owned a property for more than 20 years might want to sell to maximize their tax advantages. With a 1031 Exchange, sellers must buy another property within six months, so you might get a purchase and a sale out of a single client.
16. Invest in your client relationship management. When motivated buyers and sellers are tough to find, it’s more important than ever to nurture your database of connections to draw out ready-to-transact leads. Set up some time to look into a client relationship management system (CRM), which can help you manage your business pipeline.
17. Brush up on 203K or rehabilitation loans. Homes that need to be rehabbed often sit on the market longer. Become a 203K expert now and when spring returns, you can put lots of people who want more than they can afford into homes. With your help, they can turn fixer-uppers into their dream homes.
18. Don’t neglect drop-by season. Fall and winter are the perfect time to stop by and drop off a small gift to former clients or top prospects. Keep visits short (15 minutes or less) and conversational. This visit is just to keep you top of mind and remind clients that, even in these months, it can be a great time to buy or sell a home.

With creativity and ingenuity, your fall lead generation activities can keep your business active. Using opportunities like holidays and community stewardship — and, yes, a little bit more downtime than usual — provides you the chance to make your off-season productive.