If I had to start over in real estate today—no contacts, no database, no head start—there are four core activities I’d focus on immediately: door knocking, letterbox dropping, cold calling, and geo-targeted social media.
These strategies aren’t new, but they’re still the most effective way to gain attention, build trust, and most importantly—start collecting the names, numbers, and emails that become the backbone of a high-performance business.
Getting Out There, Face to Face
Door knocking and cold calling have always worked—and still do.
I’d be out in the field every day, meeting homeowners, introducing myself, and starting real conversations.
At the same time, I’d be letterbox dropping consistently. Not with generic flyers, but with material that adds value—local results, buyer demand, or updates that show I’m active in the market.
All of this builds brand presence and starts to generate early momentum.
Layering In Social to Accelerate Reach
Alongside traditional prospecting, I’d be running geo-targeted social campaigns on Facebook and Instagram.
This would allow me to build recognition with my local audience, create engagement with potential vendors, and drive traffic back to a lead form, message inbox, or landing page.
It’s not about going viral. It’s about staying visible, relevant, and strategic.
Feeding Everything Into a CRM
As contacts come in, I’d be entering every name, phone number, and email into my CRM immediately.
Then I’d be:
• Scheduling follow-up calls
• Mapping out email and SMS sequences
• Logging buyer and seller intent
• Tracking engagement to prioritise my time
Your database should never just be a digital filing cabinet—it should be a task-based engine that drives daily activity.
Bringing It All Together
The agents who grow fast aren’t the ones who choose between old-school and digital. They do both—and they do both well.
That means:
• Having conversations on the ground
• Staying present in inboxes and social feeds
• Following up with a consistent message across all channels
That’s how you become the trusted agent before a property is even listed.
If you’re starting from scratch—or rebuilding after a quiet patch—focus on conversations first. The database grows one contact at a time.
And once you’ve earned the data, protect it. Nurture it. Stay front of mind.
Because the agents who own the data pipeline today are the ones who own the listings tomorrow.
By Adrian Bo, CEO of Adrian Bo Real Estate Training & Auctions