Turn Your Relationships Into Transactions

You’ve heard it said for years: Word of mouth is the best form of advertising! It’s true! A recent consumer study by the American Marketing Association reports that 75% of American consumers trust personal recommendations over all other sources of information when deciding on goods or services. This is especially true for real estate agents. Positive “word of mouth” advertising can be huge for your business! If you have satisfied clients throughout the home buying/selling process, they will likely sing your praises and happily refer you to family and friends along the way. However, that fresh, positive energy can be short lived as people get on with their lives. It’s up to you to nurture those relationships and help keep those good vibes and real estate transactions coming your way for years to come. Here’s a few ideas to help keep those valuable business relationships warm:

Always Ask For Referrals

People are inherently good and enjoy helping other people. But, they can’t read your mind. If you don’t ask for referrals, you could give the impression that you’re not eager for new business. Make it a habit to reach out to past clients, people in your network groups, or practically anyone else who crosses your path and simply ask: Do you know anyone looking to buy or sell a home? You’ll love it when that answer is, “Yes, I do,” and you walk away with a lead or two.

Give Thanks

Always, promptly thank people specifically for the referral, whether it pans out or not. After all, they have no control over whether a deal closes or not and you don’t want to discourage anyone from sending more leads your way. If you do make a deal off of a referral, sending a nice gift after closing and a handwritten note thanking them again for the referral, will go a long ways in nurturing that ongoing client/agent relationship.

Return The Favor

The folks who speak highly of you and send referrals your way can always benefit from the same for their businesses or occupations. They may be a contractor, run a restaurant or a hair salon. No matter what, everyone can benefit from leads. As long as the business is reputable and the referral is sincere , it works both ways.

Keep In Touch

If you haven’t been in touch with some of your past clientele for a while, shoot them an email or a greeting on social media. Call and invite them for a golf or lunch date. Sending an old fashioned birthday card or a gift card to their favorite restaurant on an anniversary, stands out a lot in this day and age. They’ll think of you first when someone asks them if they know a good real estate agent. And, you’ll be the one they call when they’re thinking of buying or selling again.

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