When it comes to marketing active listings, we all know the value of real estate signs. Open house sidewalk signs designed to draw in passers-by, post and panel yard signs designed to entice potential drivers who are cruising through the neighborhood… these are time-tested ways to pull in an audience that may or may not be actively looking at your listing. The goal, of course, is to get them through the door so they have a chance to fall in love with the home (or at least with the idea of buying a home from you).

So while you might be totally sold on the idea of using a yard sign to market your listings, how much thought have you given to the idea of using them to market your own real estate business?

You may be thinking that it sounds crazy to give any thought to walk-in visitors as a source of real estate business. After all, people don’t usually window shop for a real estate agent the way they do for a new TV or a new dress. But drawing someone into your office so you can have a personal interaction is a great way to build trust and name recognition. And making a sale or getting a new listing is far easier once you’ve started to build trust.

If your office is in a location that gets any kind of foot traffic, drawing in visitors may be as simple as using themed banners and real estate sidewalk signs to invite people to come in. This works especially well, as with any marketing effort, when there is a call to action involved: offering a list of historical homes for sale, or hot buys under $150,000, or even a tip sheet for first-time homebuyers. Visitors may not have set out for the day with the intention of stopping in to a real estate office, but who can resist getting something for free?

If your location is less well-trafficked, it may still make sense to make an occasional effort to draw in a crowd. Of course, holding a grand opening when you open a new real estate office is a no brainer, but you don’t have to move to a new location any time you want an excuse to invite the public to your office. Seminars are a popular choice for many real estate agents, often aimed at first-time homebuyers or people looking for investment properties. A small “family fun day” can also be a good choice if it meshes well with your target market: free cookies and lemonade, face painting, and a game or bounce house can be a big draw for local families.

Walk-in visitors may not become a huge part of your business. But if you can find a way to draw in visitors at least occasionally, you may be surprised by the wealth of referrals and leads you end up with.