Growing deep roots in our community keeps us as part of the cloth we serve. Just as we work every day to cultivate deep bonds with customers, going deep rather than wide in your community has the most potential for long-term success.
What does it mean to go deep? Typically, going “wide” is a way to attract new members to your audience or network, while going “deep” involves strengthening your existing relationships. Here are three ways to go deep in your community to strengthen your business.
- Understand the specific needs and opportunities. Having the latest real estate market statistics at your fingertips should be second nature to you. I’m sure you can rattle off the number of listings, days on market and list-to-sale ratio in your sleep. But how can you dig deeper into the data to provide more granular views? What’s happening in the condo market? Resale in a particular neighborhood? Sweet spots in pricing?
In addition to what’s happening in housing, deepen your knowledge of economic drivers in your region. Learn what the growth projections are, where people are working and what is attracting people to the area. Are there new zoning laws affecting development efforts?
Complement your knowledge of the housing market and business drivers with local solutions for your clients that can make their lives easier. Develop relationships with core partners in interior design, general contracting, landscaping, handiwork and professional cleaning. This includes electricians, plumbers, painters and gardeners. Make sure they are dependable and do quality work.
- Be present in your community. There are countless ways to raise your visibility locally. A few of my favorites include attending local government meetings or hearings, joining your local chamber of commerce, attending community activities like festivals and farmers markets and supporting local teams. You can also shop local, participate in online community forums or teach a class—it doesn’t have to be real estate-related. You can even do something as simple as take a walk. Follow a similar route and greet people as you walk.
- Give back to your community. Giving back to the community aids in building trust and personal relationships with your customers. Pick causes you are passionate about, and your support will come across as authentic rather than sales driven. You can serve on the board of an organization, start a community garden, organize a blood drive or raise money for a local initiative. Another approach is to ask schools, community centers, churches and local residents what they need, and make it happen for them. At the end of the day, it’s about the people you serve.
If you’re like most real estate professionals, you live where you work, so creating connections with your community is fulfilling on many levels—personally and professionally. Whatever you do, go deep.
For more information, visit https://www.bhgre.com/.
