the most expensive method is direct mail marketing....if done consistently with the right text, layout and graphics, it's a great way to brand and make your phone ring with listings.... read some posts that have been written here..... in the search box, write Direct Mail Marketing and see what surfaces....

I know for a fact that sellers use offline marketing to find a listing agent....they will go online to see if that agent has an online presence.... but your phone will ring with offline marketing....print.... visibility....networking.... large newspaper marketing or smaller front page ads....

Not all marketing works in all areas.  Some have great success with direct mail ... ask Barbara Todaro - others find door knocking works.  The answers will depend on the agent, the market, and on many factors.  I wish you all the best. 

Door knocking, phone calls, blogging, postcards, fb adds, networking.

I think that the most effective include Networking, Door knocking, and getting on the phone.

Direct mail with a call to action.  Sorry I cannot provide you an ROI for your business.  You need to track your numbers.

Cost will be lowest and ROI the highest on stuff like cold calling and door knocking, because you're only out time.  But it also depends on your market and what works there.

Personally, I've always found "SOLD" riders and "IN ESCROW" riders to be the most beneficial.

You are asking agents with 5+ years experience to share the hard earned secrets of their career.

I tend to believe EARNING is part of what makes any strategy successful. They all work but only the ones who work it see the right results, they earn the results.

Earning, according to my translation, means sharing what you have already done so what you are running from can be assessed. For example some agents will do ANYTHING to avoid meeting strangers. A business can be constructed around that and knocking on the doors of strangers would not be a lead generation tool but a tool to measure if such and agent is worth investing in.

Most agents will benefit more by handing $10 bills to strangers on the sidewalk in front of Starbucks for a few minutes of time to share real estate opportunity.

While others hire surrogate evil doers to entrap the unaware.

What do I do? Wear the appropriate message where the greatest number of eyeballs exist.

Kathleen Daniels has responded so well... wishing you the best!

Diane Malagreca nothing works better then shaking hands. Get out in the community and attend events (Arts, Schools, Social, Sports) and have plenty of business cards to hand out. There is no magic bullet in using the internet.

1) Host open houses either on your own listings or another agent in your brokerage. Bring a simple questionaire with a spot for them to add their contact info

2) Facebook. Both with your business page & more so with your personal page. Connect with all your past clients. Find out about change in their life ( often with change comes a move ). Connect with them on a personal level & even better if their friends and family also notice that you care. Invite them to to like your Facebook business page. Advertise on FB for your new listings & open houses.

3) Host client appreciation nights & allow your clients to invite another friend or couple.

4) Connect on social media with other REALTORS® across the country, state/province. Great way to get & send referrals.

5) Develop a FSBO pkg & follow plan. Most end up listing eventually. Even if not, they may be buying another property.

6) Take the time to update your webpage on a regular business & put time into SEO. Don't know how, take a basic course. It is well worth it. Keep in mind though that the results may not be immediate but it does pay off. 

I get most of my business from repeat and referred clients. I don't do much to generate leads beyond that. ROI on anything will differ from area to area and agent to agent.

There is no easy answer to this question and it depends on you and what effort and expense you are willing to undertake. I have had the best luck by filtering a seller list down to those who have owned beyond the average time and door knock.

Follow Barbara Todaro advice. 

The biggest mistake I see agents all over make, is spending their commission checks for just living and paying bills. 

You must run your business like a business, not a salaried employee. 

This means you must set aside funds to invest in your business, with direct mail, FB marketing, FB ads, with blogging, SEO, networking, off line and on line strategies... all that... You must invest money into your business. 

You can never scale if you don't. 

Anything done consistently should reap results.  Just don't buy leads! 

I notice you haven't started blogging yet unless you have one on another platform.  That is something I would highly recommend you start doing ASAP. 

You obviously have received many good answers, and what works for some doesn't work for others.  I think it depends largely on the geographical area, the price point and you.  People like to do business with people that they like.  No amount of money is going to make people do business with you if they don't like you or trust you.  Wishing you much success.

Try all of them. Knock on 50 doors a day talk to 20 people daily..... 

Some things work well in one area and not well in others. Direct mail, used consistently, works in many places. Define you target area and do some research!

You have many great suggestions here Diane.

Study the business practices of Barbara Todaro. 

Get to know sales reps in Builder model homes an excellent source of listing leads

Diane,

Kathleen Daniels gave you a perfect answer. 

Direct mail.

Seek Barbara Todaro's advice & guidance!

Expires post cards as low as 8 each at printer bees

Agree with Barbara Todaro

Direct mail works for me but you have to be consistent with it and it can take time to see results. I have had calls and gotten business from people who held on to my mailing for several years.

If you're looking for instant gratification and low budget, start networking and getting out in the community. You can't beat personal contact when marketing.

Bottom line is that what works in my market may not work in yours and what is right for my style and personality may not be right for you. It's really trial and error...Just try different things until you find what works for you. 

My best tool to gain listings is to do a great job with the ones I have. I personally do the open houses, meet & greet the neighbors and have generated several deals as a result. The cost was money for coffee & cookie dough & my time & expertise. 

Best of luck.

:) Who does not?

That would be social media in general. Right now the leading branding media is Instagram. Use a combo of this, Facebook, blogging, and video to creaste your personal brand first, the rest should follow. Also be specific, the internet does not reward generalities.

The best lead system for sellers is referrals. I like to write blogs and then post teh blogs on my socila media. It works well in reaching new listings

There are some good answers here from a number of people. Staying in touch with your sphere and past clients is important, as is building relationships with other agents, here on AR and elsewhere.

I direct mail, blog on AR and on my web site, have added 300+ landing pages with keywords on my web site which is bringing 400+ to my web site monthly.

Market yourself and you will do much better