Being a successful real estate agent requires the ability to compete, especially when the market is slow or when you are a new agent. Like any sales profession that relies primarily on commissions, you have to constantly be on the lookout for new leads. Here are four ideas to market yourself and attract clients.

Contract With A Real Estate Agent Lead Service

This is perhaps the easiest way to attract new leads. You simply sign up with a company that uses social media and the world wide web to generate leads for you. Most of the leads are based on local zip codes in your area, but leads are also generated from nearby major metropolitan areas if you are in a bedroom community or an area that caters to people looking for vacation homes. The company then uses software to further develop these leads, ensuring agents get good leads that are looking to buy. Pricing varies from company to company, with some charging per lead while others charge a flat monthly rate for X amount of leads. Call your local real estate agent advertising service for more information.

Develop Your Own Real Estate Blog

Even if you are aligned with a real estate company, you can still create your own personal website and blog. A blog is a short article that provides value to your current and prospective customers. An hour or two spent researching and writing about the sorts of things clients want to know or answering common questions they have will get people to eventually view you as their local go-to agent when they have a real estate question. If grammar and spelling aren't your areas of expertise, hire an editor to look each blog over for you before posting or hire a ghostwriter to do the work for you.

Build Your Personal Brand

Everything about you — from your clothing to your business card and other marketing collateral should all serve to build your brand. Successful real estate agents constantly ask themselves if the way they are presenting themselves, in every situation, is supporting their brand and philosophy or working against it. If you aren't aligned with a real estate company, you will have to work even harder to compete with the big guys and your personal brand will also become your company brand.

Invest In A Value-Added Personalized Product

Millions and millions of dollars are spent on direct marketing campaigns, such as mailers. Unfortunately, much of this promptly ends up in the garbage. But when the item is something a prospective customer can actually use, regardless if it has your contact information on it, they'll be more likely to keep it. For example, a magnet is usually well-worth the investment. Why? Because most people will stick it to their refrigerator. A magnet will simply hang out on the refrigerator, waiting until the day someone needs you.