In today's competitive housing market, real estate agents are constantly searching for an edge to secure more listings. During a recent industry conference, real estate coach Jeff Lobb outlined a proactive system designed to help agents move beyond traditional methods and establish themselves as the go-to experts in their local areas. His approach combines targeted geographic focus with modern marketing and technology.
Lobb, the founder of coaching company SparkTank Media, emphasized that success in real estate is directly tied to an agent's ability to connect with people consistently. "If you don’t have enough listings, it’s because you don’t know enough people," he stated during a session at the NAR NXT conference in Houston. His strategies focus on building a sustainable pipeline of business through deep community engagement and smart, psychological marketing tactics.
Key Takeaways
- Agents should focus on a specific geographic area of 500-1,000 homes to build deep influence and become a recognized local expert.
- Marketing that creates a 'Fear of Missing Out' (FOMO) can significantly increase homeowner engagement and lead generation.
- Monitoring social media for major life events can help agents identify potential sellers and offer timely, valuable assistance.
- Open houses should be leveraged as a tool to find new sellers by engaging with neighbors, not just potential buyers.
- Artificial intelligence tools can act as powerful assistants, helping agents increase their visibility and output without increasing their workload.
1. Establish a 'Dominance Area'
The foundation of a successful listing strategy is deep, concentrated focus, according to Lobb. He advises agents to move away from a scattered approach and instead pinpoint a specific geographic zone to cultivate long-term influence. This area, often a neighborhood of 500 to 1,000 homes, becomes the agent's primary focus for all marketing and networking efforts.
"It’s where you can become a household name," Lobb explained. "When you walk down the street, the neighbors recognize you."
The goal is to transform a chosen neighborhood into a predictable pipeline for business and referrals. To select the right area, agents should analyze market data, looking for zones with high turnover rates and reasonable days on the market. Once an area is chosen, the next step is building a comprehensive contact database with emails and phone numbers for every resident. Lobb suggested using professional tools like RedX and Vulcan7, or even hiring freelancers for skip-tracing services to gather this information.
2. Use Psychology in Marketing
Once an agent has a target audience, the key is to capture their attention. Lobb advocates for a marketing strategy rooted in psychology, specifically the 'Fear of Missing Out' or FOMO. This involves creating marketing materials that spark curiosity and a sense of urgency, compelling homeowners to respond.
He pointed to the effectiveness of marketing emails from companies like Credit Karma, which use subject lines such as, "Your credit score just changed." This tactic works because it taps into a person's desire to stay informed about their financial standing.
"It works because people can’t resist checking it," he said.
Lobb provided a direct real estate application of this principle:
"Your neighbor’s home just sold—and it may have changed the value of yours. Want to see how your home’s equity was impacted?"
This approach transforms a simple market update into a personalized, urgent message. It positions the agent not just as a salesperson, but as a provider of critical financial information relevant to the homeowner's most significant asset.
3. Monitor Life-Triggering Events
Many agents make the mistake of abandoning leads who aren't ready to sell immediately. However, Lobb stressed that life circumstances can change rapidly, turning a long-term prospect into a motivated seller overnight. He recommends agents actively monitor their network for life events that often trigger a move.
These events include:
- Divorce or separation
- Probate or inheritance
- Job loss or relocation
- Health changes or downsizing
- Retirement
Using Social Media for Insights
Lobb suggests leveraging social media platforms to stay informed. For example, agents can use the 'Lists' feature on Facebook (available on desktop) or the 'Favorites' feature on Instagram to group clients and prospects. This allows for more efficient monitoring of their posts, making it easier to spot announcements about new jobs, growing families, or other significant life changes.
When these events occur, the outreach must be handled with empathy. Instead of a direct sales pitch, Lobb advises offering value. For instance, an agent could create resource guides tailored to specific situations, such as a checklist for homeowners navigating a divorce or tips for downsizing in retirement. This positions the agent as a helpful resource during a difficult time, building trust that can lead to a future listing.
4. Rethink the Open House
The traditional open house is often viewed solely as a tool for finding buyers. Lobb argues this is a missed opportunity. He sees open houses as one of the most powerful methods for finding new sellers in a target neighborhood.
His strategy begins before the open house even starts. He recommends prospecting the neighborhood by walking the street and introducing himself to neighbors. This serves a dual purpose: it provides a friendly heads-up about potential traffic and creates an opening for a conversation.
During these interactions, he again employs the FOMO strategy. He might say, "Homeowners often want to know how this sale affects their home’s value. I created a custom neighborhood report—want me to email or text it to you?" This simple offer allows him to capture the neighbor's contact information and establish a connection. He uses tools like the REALTORS Property Resource® to quickly generate professional market reports, delivering instant value and positioning himself as the local market expert.
5. Leverage Artificial Intelligence as an Assistant
In a demanding industry, time is a valuable commodity. Lobb encourages agents to embrace artificial intelligence not as a replacement, but as a tireless assistant that can amplify their efforts. Modern AI tools can automate repetitive tasks and help agents maintain a consistent presence in their market without burning out.
He highlighted HeyGen, a platform that allows users to create a digital avatar, or "AI twin," of themselves. After recording a few minutes of footage, the AI can generate videos from a script. An agent could use this to create weekly market updates, neighborhood trend reports, or video tips for their database.
"Use tools that help you do more without doing more work," Lobb advised. The goal is to maintain visibility and reinforce market dominance efficiently. By automating certain aspects of content creation and communication, agents can free up more time for high-value activities like personal outreach and negotiation.
Ultimately, Lobb's message was clear: securing more listings requires a proactive, multi-faceted approach. "To get more listings," he concluded, "you need to be more proactive, do more than others in your marketplace, and make sure you find ways to get in front of more people."
