Considering buying leads as part of your 2023 lead generation strategy? Maybe you’ve heard about zBuyer, a popular lead generation company that’s getting a lot of attention, and are wondering how it works and whether it’s right for you. Our zBuyer review is here to give you all the details!
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!We’re going to take a look at the zBuyer lead generation strategy, its pricing structure, who should be using it, and what sets it apart from other lead generation companies in the market. Hopefully, you’ll have a realistic understanding of whether zBuyer is a good fit for you and your growing business.
What is ZBuyer?
Founded in 2003, zBuyer originally emerged as a tool for real estate investors and iBuyers, which is why it uses a fairly niche approach to lead generation: the cash-offer lead capture strategy. The cash-offer strategy attracts potentially off-market properties whose sellers are interested in selling at the right price.
Today, zBuyer uses this approach to capture and sell verified (or, as verified as you can get) buyer and seller leads. While many in the industry once considered iBuyers to be sinister harbingers of a changing landscape, the cash-offering strategy now benefits agents who can work the angle and turn a conversation about quick cash into a listing agreement. .
zBuyer remains a fairly small company that puts a premium on customer service. There is no setup fee and agents receive one-on-one onboarding support, as well as a dedicated sales representative who serves as a single point of contact for all questions and concerns. The platform is easy to navigate and has a fully stocked resource center with scripts and videos. We especially like their lead count guarantee and their bad lead replacement policy.
Transparency drives a lot of the structures at zBuyer. The company bases its contact rate on the Rule of Quarters, which means they expect a response to ¼ of your leads within a month. It also goes to great lengths to clearly outline their various lead generation strategies and their lead sharing policies. We find that it is their demonstrated transparency and commitment to customer service that really sets zBuyer apart in the vast sea of lead generation companies.
What is the ZBuyer cost?
zBuyer requires a minimum spending of $400 per month. The cost of a buyer lead is usually around $12 and a seller lead can range between $13 and $17. You can buy any combination of buyer and seller and buy as many as you want, as long as you spend a minimum of $400. There is no contract and no setup fee.
zBuyer Pros and Cons
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ZBuyer’s advantages are all about transparency, customer service and quality of leads. However, it is important to note that this is not a golden unicorn; There are a few important factors to consider when deciding to buy leads with zBuyer.
How does ZBuyer work?
The ZBuyer platform is relatively easy to use and simple to execute. We especially like how flexible it is; Agents are not restricted by any contracts or setup fees, allowing them to pick and drop as per their business needs. We also really like that zBuyer guarantees the number and relative quality of your leads, plus they throw in a free potential list of over 300 older leads each month.
Let’s review how both buyer and seller leads work in the zBuyer system.
buy leads
Agents can buy leads from a specific county or zip code (or multiple counties and zip codes). They then select how many leads of each type they want to buy. Consider the example of Guilford County below. An agent can purchase up to 37 seller leads (for $15 each) and up to 50 buyer leads (for $12 each). It would cost $1,155 to buy all the available leads in Guilford County. But agents are only required to spend a minimum of $400, so they can choose to buy only 19 seller leads and 11 buyer leads and spend $417, for example.
Once purchased, your chosen customer relationship manager auto-populates—there’s no zBuyer CRM—and the zBuyer mobile app, plus the platform sends you an email with all the lead information in real time.
Lead information includes contact information and specifications on the property if it is a seller and what they are looking for if it is a buyer.
Are zBuyer leads exclusive?
zBuyer will only share a lead with a total of six agents, so if there are multiple agents already active in an area, it will be “sold out”. The Territory Statistics tab will show how many agents are already sharing the lead.
seller leads
Let’s see how the company generates leads. Again, zBuyer really puts a premium on transparency, so the entire lead capture process is on the website for anyone to perform.
Seller leads are generated through cash-offer lead capture. Potential sellers enter their address and answer a few questions, including when and why they want to sell, whether they want to buy another property, and whether they need financing. Leads must also verify their contact information And Confirm their wish to be contacted.
This is truly extraordinary in the Lead Gen world. How many times have you cold called and the lead yelled at you, “How’s this number?” With ZBuyer, going through the motions of receiving a potential cash offer means you are agreeing to be contacted. This is next level lead verification, and we are impressed.
sample sales lead
buyer leads
zBuyer engages buyers through its IDX portal HousingNow.com. Prospects can search nearly 1 million listings in over 17,000 cities. When buyers want to save the listing or have questions about the property, they must provide their contact information.
sample buyer lead
prospecting list
In addition to the leads you’ve bought, you also get access to a list of old, non-verified leads to prospect. These are great for practicing old cold calls. And because they’re older leads, it’s likely that these contacts are actually closer to making a decision about their property than some of the newer ones.
resource Center
Because zBuyer wants agents to convert their leads, they’ve built a comprehensive resource center full of scripts and coaching videos. He also runs a 5,000-member Facebook mastermind group. Some of the top thought leaders in the industry (such as the founders of LabCoat Agents) have collaborated on this, putting together resources specifically designed for zBuyer leads.
Who should use zBuyer
zBuyer is really best for agents who have a few years of experience, and this is for a few reasons. The first is that, while there is no setup fee or contract, it is expensive. If agents are willing to spend the minimum $400 per month, they should already have excellent lead nurturing and communication strategies in place.
Second, because zBuyer utilizes a cash-offer lead generation strategy, agents who are part of a brokerage that offers cash, who can invest themselves, or who have already developed investor networks, can certainly There will be a leg up from zBuyer doesn’t offer cash, but experienced agents often have relationships with investors or iBuyers to put that option on the table.
It is also important to check the status of your geographic location. As of this writing, for example, lots of Virginias have been “sold”. If you are in Richmond, you are not currently able to buy zBuyer leads. There doesn’t seem to be any real pattern as to which areas sell low and which are lead-rich (like the Guilford County example above), but it’s best to check the status of your farm area before relying on zBuyer.
Remember, buying leads must be reasonable A portion Success with an agent’s large, holistic lead generation plan, and purchased leads, is all about consistency, thoughtful nurturing, and stellar follow-up. All that being said, there’s a lot to like about zBuyer and it’s worth a closer look.
room for improvement
We wish zBuyer would continue to refine its buyer lead funnel. The HousingNow.com website was a bit of a mess for us. We imagine serious homebuyers will find Zillow or realtor.com easier to navigate.
We also hope that zBuyer will consider bundling sales into packages for smaller geographic areas. Selling by county or zip code makes sense across the country, but zBuyer could probably segment out some high-density areas so more agents have access to leads. Serious real estate farmers generally seek leads from more highly specialized locations.
Final Verdict: zBuyer
zBuyer really is an excellent option for paid lead generation if you have the budget and the tools to nurture and convert leads. It’s important to remember the rule of quarters and have realistic expectations for statistical rates of lead conversion. Getting from new lead “ding” to closing table takes time and patience. It also requires a lot of nutrition and expert follow-up. If this is not something you want or are able to do, save your money and consider other lead generation strategies.
Overall, we really appreciate zBuyer’s commitment to transparency and customer service. Leads, specifically seller leads, answer a series of questions to confirm their interest and contact information before ending up in an agent’s CRM. That, plus their flexible month-to-month options, lead guarantee, and lead replacement policy, all make zBuyer an exciting standout in this market.
zBuyer alternatives
If, however, zBuyer doesn’t seem like a good fit for you or your business, consider some of our other favorite lead generation companies:
| company | best for | Our Favorite Feature |
|---|---|---|
| market leader | Guaranteed number of leads per month | Ability to customize how many leads you get and where they come from |
| redx | New real estate agents looking for budget-friendly, effective lead generation | Various types of leads available for all business needs |
| re-evaluate | high impact agent | One of the highest conversion rates of any provider on our list |
| boomtown | Realtor looking for CRM/lead gen combo | Great lead-sharing and assignment options |
| Zillow Premier Agent | A high volume of mostly buyer leads | Presence on the most trafficked real estate website on the Internet |
| streettext | Agents looking for advanced social media advertising options | Ability to weed out genuine leads from fake ones with industry-leading accuracy |
| bold leads | Exclusive, unique leads you won’t need to share with other real estate agents | Easily customizable automated nurture campaigns |
bring it all together
Navigating the many paid lead generation companies can be difficult. We hope that after reading this zBuyer review, you can decide whether it is a good fit for you and your business. The company has a lot to offer in terms of flexibility and lead quality, and we think it’s a solid addition to the lead generation market.
Do you have experience with zBuyer? questions? notes? We’d love to hear from you below!
