Have you ever found yourself asking: How could I raise more money from passive investors for real estate investing? If so, you’re definitely not alone. It’s one of the industry’s most common questions.
To help you out, here are four proven strategies for earning more funds from passive investors. If you can incorporate all four of these techniques into your work, your syndicate should keep thriving.
1. Launch a Thought Leadership Platform
Your network, also known as a sphere of influence, is one of your most valuable assets. Grow it, and you’ll almost certainly grow your business. You’ll have more leads and more opportunities, and more people will be eager to invest with you.
A thought leadership platform is the best tool for growing your network. Examples of effective platforms include blogs, podcasts, and video channels. Real-life events can work, too. Interview formats are often ideal for these platforms. You can invite experts to share their knowledge, and you’ll attract many of their fans when you talk with them.
Flourishing thought leadership platforms share two qualities. First, they’re consistent; new content gets released at regular intervals.
They also focus on unique topics. They’re not bland, generic, or overly broad. For a marketable topic, try to incorporate an intriguing aspect of your life. For instance, if you are or ever were a schoolteacher, you might focus on how educators can invest on the side and how they can teach real estate lessons in the classroom.
Remember that a thought leadership platform is a long-term proposition. It will almost certainly take time — maybe a year or longer — to see impressive results. A good place to start, though, is with people you already know.
That group could include friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, classmates, and the people you see at church or the gym. And those individuals might recommend your platform to people they know. Some of these people may even be willing to invest in your syndication projects.
In addition, make sure you’re posting your content on large and popular distribution channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Bigger Pockets. Such channels make it easier for web searchers to discover you.
2. Ask Positive Questions
The words we use impact the way we think and vice versa. Thus, if we often use negative phrasing, we tend to think negatively. And negative thinking limits our options, sometimes on a subconscious level.
Maybe you’ve asked yourself and others questions like these:
• Why aren’t I more successful?
• Why can’t I ever find good leads?
• Why do my syndication attempts always fail?
Because these queries focus on negative concepts, they reinforce in your mind a certain idea: that you won’t ever succeed.
Therefore, if you’re talking with an expert or just doing your own research, it’s much more productive to pose positive questions. Ask about proactive steps you can take, questions like the following:
• What’s the first thing I should do to raise capital for a particular deal?
• Where can I go in my community to find outstanding leads?
• Who in my sphere of influence could help me attract new investors?
When you put forth such questions, you get solid information that you can use right away.
More than that, these questions put you in the frame of mind for business success. Instead of making you feel defeated, they can empower and energize you. They remind you that you are in charge of your destiny and that you have the resources to improve your situation at any time.
3. Make Your Own Opportunities
Once you’re asking good questions, you’re ready to create great opportunities. Never sit back and wait for passive investors and deals to come to you. Go out and find them.
If you’re in need of funds, for example, go to as many conferences, meetup groups, Bigger Pockets forums, and other networking events as you can. Contact leading industry bloggers and other online influencers as well. Over time, your network should grow considerably, and your investment income should do likewise.
In the same way, deals are waiting for you. Of course, you can employ old-school methods such as cold calls and direct mail. And, once again, it pays to be an enthusiastic networker. Reach out and build relationships with as many local property owners as possible. You’ll get inside intelligence that way, and those people just might call you first when they’re ready to sell.
4. Find Complementary Partners
A business partner can be extremely helpful. When you join forces with someone, your sphere of influence will immediately double. You can accomplish twice as much in a given week or month. You can motivate one another to ever-greater heights. And, if you choose the right person, your weaknesses will no longer hold you back at all.
That’s because the ideal business partner is someone who’s good at what you’re not so good at. As a result, the two of you can both focus on your strengths, leading to a more formidable operation overall. For example, if you’re a whiz at underwriting but not so hot at marketing, seek someone who’s a genius at the latter.
Naturally, finding such a person requires introspection. You have to honestly and objectively assess your past performance to figure out what you do well and less well. Also, never feel bad about any weaknesses. Everyone has professional weaknesses, and being able to recognize them is, well, a strength.
Finally, all of these methods have something in common. They’re not one-offs. Instead, they’re behaviors for the long haul. They’re techniques that can win over passive investors year after year. In that way, investing in success really is a way of life.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as an offer to buy or sell any securities or to make or consider any investment or course of action.
