Target the neighborhood is called Farming.

Guinevere - As the previous posts have said, farming is picking a specific area and then cultivating over time a relationship with sellers (though you could farm buyers, but it is tougher).  Think of specific neighborhood, condominium project, or group that you will allow you to identify property owners easily.  Consistency is the key to farming and there tends to be a decent lag time from the start to being "top of mind" as the go to agent.  Think where you live, groups/associations that you are part of and that should be a good start.  Direct mail, with persistent mailings will usually work if you stay committed.

As for Craigslist, I usually use it for advertising one of my open houses which leads to a few individual showings, but mainly it is to drive traffic to the open.  From there, you can meet and speak with them in person to decide if you would be a good fit personality wise to work with them.  Best of luck.

Craig's list is the bottom of the barrel. I would avoid it. Farming is picking a group, building, block, neighborhood and marketing them over and over via cards, letters, or emails. Probably mailings.. Eventually you will become successful.

It is like fishing you an go for a year and get no bites and one day if you did not give up you feel a tug.

Hope this helps.

Post cards to a community your tarketing works well as well as social media and blogging.

I use Craigslist to post listings. You get a very small percentage of quality buyer leads, but it is free and fairly easy to post.

Farming is usually done in person or with old school techniquels like mailers, newsletters, etc. but you could also farm on Facebook or other areas. 

Exercise caution on Craigslist - sometimes the leads you may get from there are bottom fishers and such. Since the change in Craig's list rules of no HTML and limiting advertising it's even more difficult to use.

craigslist never worked for me although I tried it for over a year.  However "farming" is something I've made a ton off of.  I do my neighborhood... 200 ish homes.  I walk my dogs and meet people, I direct mail them at least 4 times a year and I have a fairly extensive email list that request market reports... always a chance to sign up for that is on my direct mail pieces. 

Hi Guinevere,

Farming is when you pick a neighborhood, or certain targeted audience and start soliciting directly via email, mail, telephone etc. to get in contact with that specific group of people to start marketing to.  I normally think of farming a particular neighborhood, or a few streets in a subdivision at a time.  You could also do this with friends, relatives, church members, members of groups you belong to, former co workers, etc.  

Craigslist is getting a little harder to generate leads from.  We use to be able to put a link to our website, or lead capture website in the post.  Now if you do that, then your ad could be flagged or removed.  I now just put my single listings out there with information in the ad that comes back to me either with a phone number or email.  If I am able to get an email or phone call then I am able to capture that lead.  I hope this helps!

Dipti nailed this one!

Focus on a specific area is called Farming.

Farming, identifying your fields, planting seeds and harvesting the crops.

Prospect a common kind of consumers - could be a development, a town or even demographics.

Hi Guin White I've made a significant invesmtent for 2016 with smartzip predictive farming.  It's my fifth year and my first time farming.