By the Experts at Buffini & Co.
When you work by referral, you don’t have to rely on cold leads to drive your business. Instead, you cultivate relationships with your existing clients and encourage them to refer you to their family and friends. Although providing excellent service while you’re working with your buyers and sellers is one way to get referrals, how do you generate leads when you’re not currently working with a client? Try one of these other ways to serve.
Host a client party. When you work by referral, getting face time with your clients is crucial. What better way to socialize with your best and favorite clients than by having fun with them at a client party? You’ll not only touch base with them, you’ll also be able to thank them for their business and referrals. As your clients mingle with one another, you’ll also reinforce your role as the hub of your network.
Tap into social media. According to a 2015 study from Pew Research Center, 65 percent of adults use social networking websites. Social media has become a powerful tool to connect with your clients; it also creates a great opportunity share your knowledge and expertise with your clients in an easily sharable format. Whenever you post a great home-buying tip or an article about your local market, your clients can “like” or share the post. When they “like” a post, their friends will be able to see it, thereby introducing you to their networks. Similarly, when you post photos of your clients having fun at your client parties or getting the keys to their new home, their connections will be able to see it if you tag them.
Be the hub of your network. The social nature of your career puts you in touch with people and businesses throughout your community. If anyone knows how to connect people, it’s you. Author and Brian Buffini Success Tour 2015 speaker Tim Sanders advocates being generous with your network and finding ways to connect people with one another, whether it’s a client to a business you trust or clients to one another. Although your knowledge of the market and expertise set you apart from your competition, at the end of the day, people want to work with people they like. The more willing you are to share your network, the more people will want to work with you and refer you to their networks.
Don’t forget to ask. While some of your clients will refer you without being prompted, many would love to if they were asked. When you ask, you put yourself on their radar so when they hear a friend or family member is thinking of buying or selling a home, it jogs their memory enough to say, “Hey, you should talk to my agent.” Whether you write it at the end of a personal note, remind them when you deliver a Pop-By or offer a gentle remind at the end of a voicemail message, asking has never been easier. For a bit of help and motivation, tap into Brian Buffini’s proven dialogues in Referral Maker CRM.
For more information, visit www.buffiniandcompany.com.
