When I first started in real estate no one ever taught me about using events to build my business. I think they’re much more popular now, but back then, very few agents were doing anything beyond maybe bringing the Easter Bunny to the local park.
It wasn’t until I built Forward Coaching that I truly understood the power of this approach. My marketing team started talking about the “top of the funnel” and getting people into your world. I realized that hosting events, whether educational or just for fun, is an effective way to do that. It’s how we’ve built our business here, and it’s a method you can use to transform your own real estate lead generation strategies.
The beauty of events is that they give you a chance to meet people, provide value, and build a real relationship from the start.
Getting in front of a group is a fantastic way to increase your contacts and conversations almost painlessly. When you host an event, you’re not just another agent asking for business. You’re positioning yourself as a wise advisor and a community connector. It gives people a chance to get to know you, and you a chance to get to know them.
I’d love it if every agent just randomly called us and signed up for coaching. And you would love it if everyone in your community called you and said, “I want to buy or sell a house!” But it’s not that easy, is it? That’s why building a pipeline through consistent effort is fundamental to all real estate lead generation strategies. I think of it as paying it forward. When we provide value to our community, we earn their trust and attention. That’s what opens the door to a greater relationship.
Two Types of Events to Generate Real Estate Leads
It’s important to understand that not all events are created equal. They generally fall into two categories, each with a different purpose and outcome.
1. Community Connection Events
These are your fun, social gatherings. Think of an Easter Bunny photo event, a community shredding day, or a client appreciation party. The main goal here isn’t to get immediate leads. It’s about building relationships, staying top of mind, and gently reminding your sphere of influence that you’re in the business in a no-pressure way. While you might stumble upon a neighbor who mentions they’re thinking of selling, the immediate conversion rate is low. These events are a long-term play for brand building and form the foundation of relationship-based real estate lead generation strategies.
2. Educational Events
This is where the magic happens.When you host an educational event, like a first-time homebuyer seminar or a workshop on downsizing, people are raising their hands and telling you they’re interested. They wouldn’t register if the topic wasn’t relevant to their immediate plans.
The leads you generate from these events are incredibly high quality and typically have a higher conversion rate. Even the people who register but don’t show up are still great leads. They had enough interest to take the time to sign up, which means they are worth a follow-up call, making them a high-value part of your real estate lead generation strategies.
Overcoming Your Fears
When I talk to agents about using events as part of their real estate lead generation strategies, I often hear the same limiting beliefs. Maybe you recognize some of them in yourself. What are you afraid of? What has stopped you from trying this in the past?
Fear #1: “I’m not a good speaker.”
You know what? They don’t expect you to be. Your audience isn’t paying to see a professional keynote speaker. They’re coming to learn from a local expert, and authenticity is more important than a polished delivery. If you’re really terrified, you don’t have to do it alone. Bring in a joint venture partner, like a lender or a stager, and have them do some of the heavy lifting. You could even have someone interview you, asking questions that you can comfortably answer. I promise, the more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll get.
Fear #2: “I don’t know how to organize it.”
The beauty of these events is that you only have to figure them out once. After you run your first event, you’ll have a model that you can use over and over again. All you have to do is change the topic. The marketing sequence, the registration process, and the follow-up plan will remain the same, making it incredibly easy to replicate.
Fear #3: “What if people don’t come?”
Ah, yes. The big one. We all worry about this. But an event doesn’t have to have a huge crowd to be a massive success. A client of ours in Virginia has become amazing at hosting in-person seller events. She recently did one on how to move up or downsize without becoming homeless. She promoted it to her database and on social media. Guess how many people attended? Five.
You might think five people is a small audience. And it is. But within just a couple of weeks, she listed three of their homes, and the other two plan to list in the next few months. Those five attendees were all high-quality, motivated sellers. Another time, she hosted an event and only one couple showed up. She was so stressed, thinking they would see her as a loser. But they told her, “Are you kidding? We’re glad! We get you all to ourselves because we want to sell our house and we have a million questions.” She sat with them and listed their house. Don’t worry about the numbers; focus on the quality of the connections.
The Secret to a Full Room
One of the most effective ways to ensure your event is a success is to partner with others. When you host a joint venture (JV) event, you gain instant credibility with your partner’s audience, and they gain credibility with yours.
Think about who else serves your ideal clients. Financial planners, insurance agents, mortgage lenders, and even local business owners can be incredible partners. Leveraging these relationships is one of the smartest real estate lead generation strategies you can adopt. A client of mine recently partnered with a local home design store for a “Wine and Design” night. The agent brought some wine and cheese, the store owner invited her client list, and they had 60 people show up!
The Rules of a Successful Partnership
However, a successful partnership is about more than just splitting the cost of snacks. If you bring on a partner, they need to be a proactive partner.
1. They Must Help Fill the Room: It’s not enough for a lender to give you a few hundred dollars for the venue. They must actively market the event to their database. I expect them to help me fill the room. If they don’t, they’re not a great partner.
2. You Control the Registration: You create the registration link and provide it to them. This ensures that all the opt-ins come into your system, allowing you to control the follow-up.You can even create a unique link for them to track how many people they’re bringing in.
3. You Control the Content: If your partner is going to speak, you need to preview their presentation in advance. Make sure their message aligns with your brand, provides real value, and, most importantly, that they stick to their allotted time.
From Contacts to Clients
Getting people to an event is only half the battle. The real work, and the real money, is in the follow-up. This is where most real estate agents succeed or fail. The people who attend your events are warm leads, and they deserve a thoughtful and persistent follow-up plan.
Step 1: Document Everything
After the event, every single person who registered, whether they attended or not, needs to be added to your CRM. Make notes on any conversations you had. Did you promise to send them something? Did they mention a specific timeline? This data is critical for personalizing your outreach and maximizing your ROI. If any of you called my office, I could tell you exactly how we first connected and every event you’ve ever registered for. That information is important.
Step 2: The Personal Phone Call
Next, you need to follow up with a phone call. This is not a high-pressure sales call. It’s a gentle, customer service-oriented check-in. On my team, we have people who reach out to make sure attendees received the event recording and to ask a simple question: “Are you at a point in your career where coaching might be something you’d consider?”
Your call can be just as simple. “Hi, it’s Debbie. I’m just calling to thank you for coming to our homebuyer workshop last night. I wanted to see if you had any additional questions I could answer for you.” It’s not rude or abrasive; it’s helpful.
Step 3: Be Persistently Helpful
Many salespeople never call more than half their leads. And when they do, they often only make one or two attempts. The magic actually happens between 6 to 12 attempts. People are busy. Just because they don’t answer doesn’t mean they’re not interested. They might be ghosting you, or they might just be in the middle of a chaotic day.
Make repeated, gentle attempts to connect. If you can’t reach them, keep them on your marketing list. I had someone call me yesterday who said, “I’ve been following your webinars for seven years. I’m finally ready.” You will have people who attend your events for years before they’re finally ready to sell. We wish they were ready today, but we also need their business five years from now. By consistently providing value and inviting them to future events, you build a pipeline that will sustain your business for years to come.
Don’t overthink it. Just do it. Start with a simple community event to build your confidence, or partner with a lender on an educational workshop. The most important part of any of these real estate lead generation strategies is getting started. Think of my client who had just one couple show up and walked away with a listing. It doesn’t get much better than that.
If you’re ready to build a more predictable and relationship-driven business, events are the answer. If you’d like to explore how our coaches can help you implement these real estate lead generation strategies and more, we invite you to schedule a complimentary business strategy call. Let’s create a customized plan to help you reach your goals.
