How Phillip Shepard transformed his real estate business by going local, getting personal, and building genuine connections
The Expensive Lead Trap That's Bleeding Realtors Dry
Picture this: You spend $3,000-5,000 monthly on Zillow leads, often competing for the same lukewarm prospects, with 90% of leads disappearing. However, a better approach exists: working with fewer, more valuable leads that result in more closed deals. Meet Phillip Shepard, a Northwest Arkansas realtor who has found success in this strategy.
The Game-Changing Strategy: Niche Down, Stand Out
Phillip's pivotal move from Chicago to Northwest Arkansas led him to leverage his research as content for potential clients. He adopted a hyperlocal strategy, focusing on becoming the local expert, in contrast to other agents who spread themselves thin. He believes that attempting to market to everyone dilutes effectiveness, emphasizing the importance of niche specialization to build strong community relationships.
This hyperlocal approach meant:
The Secret Weapon: HomeStack + Strategic Content + "Ugly Ads"
But here's where Phillip's strategy gets really smart. He leveraged HomeStack's white-label real estate app to create a personalized experience for his niche market, then used strategic social media content and an unconventional Facebook advertising approach to drive warm leads directly to his platform.
Phillip emphasizes that the HomeStack app provides a personalized, branded mobile app, aiming to surpass Zillow by offering enhanced functionality and user-friendliness for real estate agents. He prioritizes a positive onboarding experience, improved communication, and stronger client-agent relationships through the app.
The "Ugly Ads" Real Estate Agent Facebook Ad Strategy That's Generating 15-20 Leads Daily
Here's where things get interesting. Phillip discovered that his most successful Facebook and Instagram ads weren't the polished, professional ones – they were what he calls "ugly ads."
"I did start out running some standard Facebook ads and Instagram ads, and they didn't convert that well," Phillip explains. "But what happened was I made this really ugly ad – It doesn’t even have a picture on it. I call them ugly ads. They're nothing fancy, nothing at all."
The results? Mind-blowing:
"By what I mean huge, I mean that I'm spending $20 per day, and I'm getting 15 to 20 leads per day of people signing up for my app," Phillip reveals. "Now, if I run $20 per day times 365, it's $7,300, which is a lot of money. Don't get me wrong, but with the cost of homes here and referral fees, it's already paid for itself a few times over with the homes that we've closed."
Strategic Video Content: Answering the 7 Key Questions
Phillip's content strategy for real estate leads goes beyond random posts. He identified the exact questions people ask before relocating and positioned himself as the answer:
Phillip shares that he began creating videos to spark conversations, which unexpectedly evolved into a way to attract clients. He identifies key questions potential movers have, such as concerns about schools, safety, and economic growth, ultimately reflecting their desire to assess if relocating from California to Arkansas is worthwhile.
"When I answer those 7 questions, the 8th question is, 'Okay, who's a great real estate agent there?' They don't need to ask that 8th question because I'm the one providing all the answers."
The Results: More Money, Better Clients, Less Stress
The numbers don't lie. Since implementing his hyperlocal strategy with HomeStack:
But the best part? Phillip's clients don't ghost him. They come to him warm, already convinced he's the right choice.
Why Warm Leads Are Like Dating Someone Who's Already Interested
Phillip puts it perfectly: "Buying cold leads is like cold-calling strangers for dates. My approach is like meeting someone who already thinks you're attractive and wants to get to know you better."
When someone finds Phillip through his real estate app, they're already:
The HomeStack Advantage: Building Your Own Zillow (And Keeping All the Commission)
Here's what makes HomeStack different from other real estate platforms, and why Phillip's approach is so much more profitable than traditional lead generation:
Escape the Zillow Trap
"The nice thing that's different between Zillow and HomeStack is that if you purchase leads on Zillow, try to get away from that as soon as possible," Phillip warns. "I've had many people who've seen my success here and seen the app that are paying astronomical amounts of money on Zillow. They want to get away from that."
The math is staggering when it comes to Zillow lead costs:
The HomeStack Alternative
Phillip emphasizes that investing in ads for the HomeStack app yields high-quality leads, creating warmer prospects through messaging, notifications and other features of the app made specifically for real estate agents.
Ready to Transform Your Real Estate Business?
Phillip's success comes from working smarter, not harder. By focusing on a niche and utilizing HomeStack's technology, he has transformed real estate into a relationship-driven business rather than just a numbers game.
Choose between wasting money on unproductive leads or using Phillip's blueprint to create a profitable business with eager clients. HomeStack's white-labeled platform equips you to implement this strategy in your market, enabling you to build your own brand and community instead of competing for the same leads. Clients are searching for local experts—will they find you or another generic agent? Ready to move away from lead-buying and build a successful real estate business? Discover how HomeStack can revolutionize your marketing and client relationships.
