As a property manager, your business lives and dies by your ability to generate leads. No leads, no customers, no revenue, no business. 

But as any property manager knows, lead generation isn’t easy. It often takes a lot of work and patience to see results. 

To get a headstart, here are some lead generation tips to take your property management business to the next level:

1. Engage on social media

Lead generation on social media can be organic or paid. The former refers to engaging as a regular user, while the other means paying to display ads. Both can be effective, but if you have a small marketing budget, start with organic social media marketing.

To gain a following on social media, you must regularly post useful things. It only takes a few minutes per day, but you must be consistent to see long-term results. Over time, people who appreciate your posts will come to trust you as an authority and may show interest in your services. 

Become a thought leader by posting educational content and free advice, e.g. helpful tips for rental property owners. Respond to comments and engage with other users. 

You can do this on Meta (Facebook), X (Twitter), TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms. LinkedIn is especially good for reaching a business audience. 

2. Ask for referrals 

Another great way to generate leads is to ask for referrals. Ask clients, family, friends, real estate agents, and other industry professionals. You might be surprised at people’s willingness to help. 

You can even ask other property management companies for referrals. Some larger ones may have clients they no longer want to work with or leads they turned away.

When screening new tenants, you might ask their previous landlords if they are interested in your services. There are all sorts of potential referral sources out there.

3. Send direct mail

Though commonly viewed as outdated, direct mail can still be an effective lead generation strategy. 

Start by requesting a list of local properties from your county assessor. From there, look for property owners whose mailing and property addresses are different. This is a good sign that they could be a landlord. Then make a list of these owners and send a postcard offering your services to their mailing addresses.

4. Cold call 

Cold calling people on the phone can be nerve-racking, but it may be just what you need to land your next client. Expect to face a lot of rejection, but know that every “no” leads you closer to the next “yes.” 

To increase your chances of success, follow a proven cold-calling script, such as the following: 

“Hi [their name], this is [your name]. I run a local property management company and I noticed you own a beautiful property at [address]. Have you ever considered outsourcing its day-to-day upkeep?”

5. Join local real estate investing clubs

Your city most likely has real estate investor clubs you can join. Search online for the closest Real Estate Investors Association (REIA) chapter near you. Or look for gatherings on Meetup.com. 

These are excellent opportunities to build relationships with people in the industry and get your name out there. As you help others upfront and earn their trust, they’re more likely to return the favor and show interest in your property management services. 

6. Spread your name online

Finally, you can’t go wrong with spreading your name online, and there are many ways to do this.

For example, Green Residential, a Houston property management company, invests in online search engine optimization (SEO) to help its brand appear higher in search results on sites like Google.

Other ways to spread your name online include being a guest on industry podcasts where you can demonstrate your expertise or writing guest articles for well-known real estate publications like Inman or The Real Deal. 

At the end of the day, property managers should take a multi-faceted approach to lead generation. The more hooks you have in the water, the more leads you’re able to generate!