In the real estate industry, you’ll often hear the phrase, “it’s all about who you know.” This is especially true when it comes to generating agent-to-agent referrals. For many REALTORS®, networking with other agents is how they grow their leads, with referrals contributing to a large sum of their business.
But how do you successfully grow your referral network and make sure you’re connecting with the right agents? Here are five ways to better brand yourself to generate referrals from your fellow REALTORS®.
Put the “social” in social media
One way to grow your referral network is by branding yourself and your business on social media. Make sure to leverage some, if not all, of these major platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok. Maximize your outreach with posts highlighting your field of expertise to consumers—share industry facts, statistics and trends you see in the industry and your local market.
Don’t limit your posts to just your personal profiles. Expand your social reach by joining various real estate-related groups and communities on Facebook and LinkedIn. You’ll organically grow your referral network with every post shared and comment left.
Update your online profiles
Certified Residential Specialists jump at the opportunity to refer their clients to fellow CRSs.
A great tool the Council offers is Find a CRS—a mobile app and website that makes searching for a CRS referral fast and easy. But what happens when an agent visits your profile and sees it hasn’t been updated? They’ll immediately jump ship and seek another CRS with a strong online presence.
In this industry, first impressions are everything, and often the first time a client or agent comes across you is through an online search. Invest the time and resources needed to make your online presence appealing and engaging. Upload a new headshot, spice up your bio and link all your relevant profiles on your business website. These small changes have a huge impact on the way a potential referral views you.
Attend conferences and networking events
Sell-a-bration® is the Council’s largest event of the year, bringing in hundreds of REALTORS® from around the world. Many of our attendees leave with a contact book full of new referrals. Adding a conference such as Sell-a-bration to your calendar is a great way to broadcast yourself to new agents.
When you attend a conference or event, no matter the size, make sure to dedicate time to network with your fellow attendees and build new connections. Don’t skip out on a happy hour, luncheon or dinner, as that is where the important conversations are taking place. Come prepared with business cards, personalized merchandise and great talking points that leave agents with a wonderful first impression of you. After each event, ensure you’re doing your due diligence and follow up with each new connection to stay top-of-mind. Referrals are all about relationships—if the conference takes place annually with repeat attendees, plan to attend the following year so you can build these relationships even further.
Be a specialist
Setting yourself apart from other REALTORS® can be daunting. One helpful tip to quickly get real estate referrals is to establish yourself as a specialist. Whether obtaining designations or enrolling yourself in the Council’s various certification programs, furthering your education is a great way to gain respect from your real estate peers.
Whichever designation or certification you hold, ensure your marketing and branding convey that you are an expert in that specialty. Showcasing your accolades lets REALTORS® know you have the proper training, dedication and skill set needed to serve their clients.
Target feeder markets
According to real estate coach Tom Ferry, a great way to receive agent-to-agent referrals is with feeder market advertising. A “feeder market” is an area where people are moving to your market from or leaving your market for. This data is easily accessible on HowMoneyWalks.com or the U.S. Census Bureau’s flow mapper. With these tools, you can pinpoint the locations you’d like to target and advertise to agents, positioning yourself as the agent of choice in your marketplace. These ads can be run through Google, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. If you want a more personal approach, consider hosting an event in those markets to connect with agents one-on-one.
Stay tuned for two upcoming courses from Frank Serio, CRS, titled Mastering Relevant, Consumer-Focused Marketing. Register today at CRS.com/catalogsearch.
Photo: iStock.com/enot-poloskun
