Ron,

It took three years, but I'm finally seeing the light. Thanks

I have never been a fan of L.G.C. There is way to much business to be had with a little effort. I do not need to pay for something I can do for free, for the most part. These companies have been and will continue to prey on the lazy people who are afraid of rejection. There is no silver or magic bullet that will make you successful or a top producer. Realtors jump from seminar to seminar or throw money at a new techie gadget that will sell real estate without effort. I am not nay saying all the "stuff" that is being sold to us but there is a balance. The "old school ways" are still very effective. I am talking about face to face or belly to belly PROSPECTING. I know it is a dirty word but JUST DO IT.

They depend on the new agents that havent tryed it yet. Price your home on line got me for a few bucks. Couple of leads but nothing worth while. House values and the others I wouldnt even try they hold you to a contract.

The best thing I can say about a LGC... it's how I met Ron Tarvin... who helped me learn how to generate my own stinking leads.

Gave them up long ago.  Now we get referrals from the broker @ 38%

mind you, because they know now how to get leads and sell them to us too.  

I feel like I'm trying to compete with the broker!  I hope to someday to generate leads and sell them off because I have so many I don't know what to do.

lol

Leads ?? Leads ?? We doe need no stinkin leads.

I have experimented with them all and have personally found that pushing traffic to your website is the most cost effective method of generating leads. The trick is to balance out the source with the price.

When they call ..first question I ask is "Is this a lead gen. company..No Thank you, I don't pay for leads".

Now she has a TOUGH JOB!

Keep up the great job!!

Give them the link to the local real estate school and tell them to get a license and sell those "leads" some real estate. LOl

I have read through the posts here and understand the discomfort that agents have with Lead Generation companies.  The fact is, there are some good advertising and marketing companies out there.  It is the program and the product that agents need to do their research on.  Asking the right questions and doing your homework will save money and time (and alot of grief in the process).  One of the reasons why more and more homebuyers come online is not only to look at listings and research communities, but to find an agent who will RESPOND to them.  Don't believe me, try placing more than a few outbound referrals and you will see.

OK, I was recently contacted by one of these companies. I listened to what they had to say but frankly, I think I would feel dirty buying leads. The idea just doesn't seem right.

Having said that (and maybe I'm posting in the wrong place).... I'm fairly new to the industry and this type of sales:

What is the most effective method of lead generation? I am working with coaching. The emphasis is on your "sphere of Influence"  but my SOI is smaller than a golf hole. So then what?

I've been getting a lot of calls from lead generation companies.  I was one who fell for it a couple of years ago, it was housevalues.com  It was a HUGE waste of money.  I am now generating leads off of the website, and doing quite well - I'm getting at least the same amount of leads as I got from House Values, and these people actually understand that they are contacting a REALTOR and are not surprised when I contact them.

I tell these companies that I do not need their help, I'm producing leads on my own.

I also get a lot of calls/e-mails from companies wanting to place me at the top of the search engines.  We've already got good results - I think that's where they found us!

Tracie

Wow...I guess I'm in the minority on this one, but it seems like the LGC issue is a basic business decision to "make or buy" and what generates the greatest ROI.  

For me, I hate prospecting, my soi is smaller than the golf hole, and I refuse to spend money that doesn't yield a substantial ROI...so I did my home work and now work with 3 LGC's and couldn't be happier!  

I'm a buyer's specialist and live in a growing community where most of the buyers are from out of state...they look on the internet, contact one of those LGC's and as all I have to do is build a relationship and help them with their transaction...I get to do what I love, have a mid-six figure income, and still have time for a life outside of real estate (where I'm a partner in an international marketing firm and own an art gallery - so much for that lazy people comment above)!

My take is - do your homework, don't fall for every sales pitch, and keep track of your ROI on ALL your marketing efforts.  If it works and is generating the targeted return - keep doing it!  For me the LGC's are one of the lifelines of my business.

After reading your post earlier on this Ron, I saw the light... I am a new agent and did try those $%&#$* things, and of course resulted only in money lost.  If they are relying on new agents, it will get even tougher for them here in CA with the new laws taking effect on getting licensed.  It will make alot of them go away, I hope!

I have been getting them on my cell phone constantly, I think they change numbers and names for the different Companies. House whatever I also listened and when he got to the end as far as I was concerned he said can I sign you up, I said what with no credentials  you want my credit card. He said there is a one time fee for the year, guaranteed to give me a lead a day. How do they do this, do they think we are stupid, do we look stupid in our pictures, I mentored, trained and taught Real Estate to new agents I have been in-it-to-win- it for 20 years.  I would tell these agents do not buy anything unless you discuss it with a more experienced agent first. I think sometimes our information is given out by the MLS, we are pushing in NJ for one, they do not want that.

I have been getting them on my cell phone constantly, I think they change numbers and names for the different Companies. House whatever I also listened and when he got to the end as far as I was concerned he said can I sign you up, I said what with no credentials  you want my credit card. He said there is a one time fee for the year, guaranteed to give me a lead a day. How do they do this, do they think we are stupid, do we look stupid in our pictures, I mentored, trained and taught Real Estate to new agents I have been in-it-to-win- it for 20 years.  I would tell these agents do not buy anything unless you discuss it with a more experienced agent first. I think sometimes our information is given out by the MLS, we are pushing in NJ for one, they do not want that.