1. 14 days before: talk to 10 agents
Search Facebook groups like 'Real Estate Agents Helping Agents' and r/realtors for posts about lost leads, Zillow leads going cold, or messy spreadsheets. Message the posters directly. Example: 'Saw your post about losing track of open house sign-ins. How do you follow up with them today? I'm building a simple tracker and want to get it right.' Write down the exact words they use.
2. 10 days before: pick one agent type
Choose a narrow starting group, such as solo agents in their first 3 years or agents buying Zillow Premier Agent leads. Rewrite your landing page headline in their words, for example 'Never forget to follow up with an open house lead again.' One clear promise beats a feature list.
3. 7 days before: line up 5 beta users
Go back to the agents you interviewed and offer free setup in exchange for honest feedback. Offer to import their spreadsheet or phone contacts yourself on a 20 minute call. Agents who see their own leads inside the tool on day one stick around.
4. 3 days before: prepare your launch posts
Draft a story post, not an ad. Example for r/realtors: 'I talked to 30 agents about how they track leads. Most use a notes app plus memory. I built a tool that texts you a reminder when a lead goes 3 days without contact. Free for the first 20 agents. What would make it useless for you?' Check each group's self-promo rules and ask an admin first where required.
5. Launch day: post and reply all day
Post in r/realtors, r/RealEstate, Bigger Pockets agent forums, and 2 or 3 local Facebook agent groups. Reply to every comment within an hour. Also post on LinkedIn tagging no one, telling what you learned from the interviews. Replies matter more than the post itself.
6. Launch day: go to brokerages directly
Find 20 local brokerages on Google Maps and look up their managing broker or team lead on LinkedIn. Send: 'Hi Sarah, I built a lead tracker for agents who lose follow-ups between showings. Could I set it up free for 2 of your newer agents this week?' Team leads care about agent follow-up because it affects their split.
7. Days 1 to 7 after: convert beta users to paid
Call each active user and ask which lead they would have lost without the tool. If they have an answer, ask for payment at a founding price. Ask happy users to mention it in their office's group chat or at the Tuesday sales meeting.
8. Days 7 to 14 after: repeat what worked
Look at which channel gave you real signups and conversations, then double down there with 10 new direct messages a day. Drop channels that gave only likes. Hulby, an AI cofounder, can run this daily outreach and follow-up for you so it doesn't stall after launch week.
Mistakes to skip
- Pitching features like pipelines and tags instead of the outcome agents want: fewer forgotten leads.
- Posting links in agent Facebook groups without reading the rules and getting banned on day one.
- Trying to beat Follow Up Boss on features instead of being simpler for solo agents.
- Leaving beta users to set up alone instead of importing their leads for them.
Want this done for your Lead tracking CRM for real estate agents, every day?
Hulby finds the people asking for what you built, writes every reply and email, and keeps you on it until they pay. Free to start.
Find my first customersQuestions
Where do real estate agents talk online?
r/realtors, Facebook groups like Real Estate Agents Helping Agents, local agent groups for your city, Bigger Pockets, and LinkedIn for brokers and team leads.
Should I sell to agents or brokerages first?
Start with individual agents to prove it works, then use those results to approach team leads and brokers who buy for multiple agents.
How much should I charge at launch?
Pick a simple monthly founding price and ask for payment once an agent says the tool saved a lead. Free forever users rarely give useful feedback.
How do I compete with big real estate CRMs?
Be narrower. Many agents find large CRMs too complex. Win on fast setup and one job done well, like follow-up reminders.