How to Organically Drive Real Estate Referrals
Knowing how to organically drive real estate referrals is key to any real estate agent’s business. The funny thing is, the road to driving referrals is actually quite the opposite of organic. Winning referrals and repeat clients requires just as much thought and effort as winning new business, and agents who fail to do this can lose out on some of their most valuable opportunities.
The truth is that there’s no way to organically drive real estate referrals without some strategic effort on your end. Even the agents that do seem to drive referrals effortlessly had to start somewhere, and your somewhere is here! Lucky for you, we’ve come up with some simple solutions that’ll have you driving real estate referrals and growing your business in no time.
Sounds good, right? Now, let’s get you some referrals!
1. Do your job well
We may be stating the obvious here, but we can’t stress it enough. In order to be referable in the first place, you need to do your job incredibly well. Doing a bad, or even mediocre job will not get you anywhere when it comes to referrals. You want to make sure you’re delivering the most exceptional experience possible to each and every one of your clients so you’ll be remembered (and favored) when the right time comes.
We know this is easier said than done, but the most important thing is that you understand clients’ expectations and satisfy them to the best of your ability. Always be honest and realistic about what you can do for your clients so they don’t walk away with empty promises. By simply being your best self, you can begin to organically drive real estate referrals like never before!
2. Stay top-of-mind
One of the biggest mistakes a real estate agent can make is only thinking about referrals when they’re needed most. Extracting referrals is a never-ending game, and the agents who consistently win are those staying top-of-mind for their clients and fellow agents. They do this by creating a meaningful experience that becomes associated with their real estate branding.
To create a meaningful experience of your own, enhance your online presence and communication skills. These factors can totally make or break your chances of being referred. Long gone are the days of mindless mass emailing – we’re in the digital age of customization and personal touches. Although it may require a little extra work, there is no easier way to stay top-of-mind. A few small ways you can leverage technology to keep up with potential referees:
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Send out frequent alerts/reminders with the best apps and software.
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Stay active on social media by posting listings and valuable insights.
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Create personalized video introductions and walkthroughs.
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Segment your email database into specific categories (leads, previous clients, agents, etc.) to send more relevant messages.
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Reach out on special occasions and holidays.
If you start doing just a few of these things, before you know it, you’ll begin to organically drive real estate referrals like you never imagined.
3. Sustain relationships
No successful client relationship ends after closing. As far as you’re concerned, that relationship has just begun! Satisfied clients are your greatest assets – they’re living breathing testimonials to your professional expertise and performance. Now’s your chance to wow them when they least expect it. You want to make sure you’re constantly engaging these clients after closing and letting them know how much their business and feedback is appreciated. Not only will this plant the seeds to organically drive real estate referrals, but past clients will also stay loyal to you for future real estate endeavors.
4. Refer other agents
Between serving your current clients and converting leads, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is referring other agents. However, it’s important that you make an effort to do so every so often to organically drive real estate referrals. It’s the classic “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” dynamic that’ll keep good rapport between yourself and fellow agents.
If you find yourself lacking in this area, take initiative and get networking. Not only is networking with other agents and lenders beneficial for referral purposes, but also can lead to shared best practices and valuable industry insights. Be driven by the spirit of good business and you might just land yourself some great partnerships that start to organically drive real estate referrals.
5. Just ask!
Yes, sometimes it really is that simple. When checking back with previous clients who had successful experiences, it can’t hurt to slide in the question of whether or not they know anyone who also might need your services. The worst they can say is that they don’t. If they do, however, you’ll be generating a list of leads. If it seems fitting, politely ask if you can use their name as an introduction. If they say yes, you’ve just organically driven a real estate referral through catch up time with a past client. Bingo.
6. Make giving referrals easy
This is a tiny detail that can make a big difference. If you haven’t integrated a referral form on your website or embedded it in your email, now’s the time to do so! No matter how impressed a client or agent is with your services, if there’s no easy way to leave a referral on your page, it may get pushed to the back burner and forgotten about. After all the work you put into driving real estate referrals, don’t blow it for yourself over a small inconvenience.
The effortless organic real estate referral may be a myth, but these tips are the next best thing! By implementing just a few of them, we assure you the referrals will start rolling in sooner than you think.
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