When you’re trying to put together a lead generation strategy, Josh Ries provides a starting point to help you determine who you’re talking to.
Someone contacted me the other day after reading some of my Inman articles and asked a question that honestly gave me pause. “How would you advise real estate agents when defining their target avatar and audience?”
That question shocked me more than I expected.
Not because it was difficult to answer. Because I realized that I’ve talked about the importance of defining your target audience in various articles without really explaining fully how to do it step by step. I felt like I skipped a basic lesson that too many agents desperately need.
Because the truth is this. Defining your dream customer is not a branding exercise. This is the foundation of all successful real estate marketing and lead generation systems. Without this, your messages will be generic, your campaigns will feel disjointed, and your conversion rates will drop, no matter how many leads you generate.
I know that because I’ve lived it. Early in my career, I was chasing platforms, tactics, and shiny tools. Nothing really clicked until it became brutally clear who I was trying to serve and why they should care.
4 questions to ask to find your audience
This is the exact four-question framework I use to help agents define their target audience before they spend money on ads or content. Also, you have to give credit where credit is due.
This framework is inspired by Russell Brunson’s book DotCom Secrets. I took his core concepts many years ago and adapted them specifically for real estate.
Question 1: Who is your dream customer?
Before you start building funnels, writing captions, or starting campaigns, you need to decide who you actually want to work with. It’s not about who you think you should target, it’s about who gives you energy.
Think of a client who looks forward to answering the phone. A place where communication flows smoothly, expectations are reasonable, and transactions feel collaborative rather than combative.
Are they first-time buyers looking for education and clarity? Downsizers who value patience and emotional intelligence? Relocation clients need structure and local insight? Are they investors who care about numbers and timelines?
When you clearly define this persona, your marketing stops trying to appeal to everyone and starts resonating deeply with the right people.
Question 2: Where do they spend their time?
Once you know who you want to work with, the next step is to figure out where they are already. Effective lead generation isn’t everywhere. It’s about being intentional.
Ask yourself which platforms they trust.
What social channels do they actually use? What newsletters do they read? What podcasts do they listen to? What groups, pages, or community spaces do they regularly participate in?
When you understand where your audience is already spending their time, your marketing will feel less random. Stop guessing and start showing up consistently where it matters.
Question 3: What grabs their attention and draws them to you?
This is where most agents miss the mark. Talking about yourself and listing your traits won’t get you attention. That comes from speaking directly to the issues your audience already feels.
You need to think about the problem in two layers. First, what are you currently working on in the current market? It could be affordability concerns, lack of inventory, interest rates, timing concerns, or fear of making the wrong move.
Next, consider the challenges faced in every market cycle. Confusion, overwhelm, distrust of process, fear of being taken advantage of, and uncertainty about next steps persist. Talking about these timeless concerns creates evergreen content that doesn’t need to be rewritten every time the market changes.
A right hook makes someone stop and think. This person understands my situation. Once you capture their attention, consistent, value-driven content builds trust over time.
Question 4: What unique results can you create for them?
People don’t hire agents because of MLS. They hire agents because they want a specific outcome for a specific problem.
This is why many agents mistakenly lose their relevance. Rather than talking about the outcome your dream client wants, talk about how you helped someone else with a completely different problem. Clients aren’t listening to your resume. They hear it themselves.
What reproducible results can you provide that directly solves their situation?
Perhaps it makes it less overwhelming for first-time buyers. Perhaps it provides certainty for sellers who fear mispricing. Perhaps it helps migrants gain confidence in an unknown market.
The clearer you are about the results you deliver, the easier it will be for the right people to see you as a solution.
Defining your audience this way makes everything better. You’ll know who you’re talking to, so your conversations will be sharper. Your videos feel more natural because they address real-life concerns. Conversion rates increase because the right people feel understood. Working with clients who value your work can even change the enjoyment of doing business.
From clarity to consistency
Most agents assume that you already know your audience, so they skip this task. But transparency is complex. When you slow down and intentionally define your target customers, all subsequent marketing becomes easier, more effective, and more sustainable.
This is not a one-time exercise. As your business evolves, your audience is likely to evolve as well. But if you can do this now, every dollar and every hour you spend on lead generation will work more for you.
Stop chasing tactics. Start defining who you are building your business for. This is how you build a real lead generation system.
Josh Ries is a real estate agent and lead generation consultant. You can connect with him on TikTok and Instagram.
