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How to Turn One Client Relationship into A Flood of Referrals

Marci Sepulveda Leave a comment

Learn how to turn your happy clients into lucrative lead sources that supply you with business for years to come.

Sometimes, your work speaks for itself. Other times, your clients will speak for you. The agents who build successful referral networks know how to get their clients to talk.

Just Being a “People Person” Isn’t Enough

Your professional image and personality are two big reasons clients will decide to work with you, and are important in your business, but being likable isn’t enough to earn you the kind of recommendations that will be profitable for you.

You’ll need to prove to your clients, through every interaction and every step of the home buying or -selling process, that you’re someone they want to stay in touch with.

You may think that simply calling to check in with past clients once in a while, or friending them on Facebook, will be enough to keep them thinking about you. In reality, it’s not that simple. Understanding when and how to reach out to keep client connections open is an art, one that agents who enjoy robust referral business learn to master early on.

There are many channels at your disposal. It’s up to you to know which will be appropriate (and appreciated!) with any individual client.

Be Remembered

 To be someone your clients will recommend to their friends, you’ll need to build trust and provide service so memorable they’ll think of you immediately. What do you offer that other agents can’t?

Maybe you’re a natural with luxury buyers. Maybe you specialize in a certain area or speak a language that makes you indispensable for a certain demographic of buyers. Or maybe you’ve simply found ways to make clients’ lives easier that they weren’t expecting.

Whatever your strengths are, your clients must know that you’re leveraging your skill set to the best of your ability and providing personal service based on their individual needs.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

 If you’ve done a great job and your clients are thrilled with the outcome, then they’ll probably be more than happy to recommend your services to others.

It’s nice when clients think of you and recommend you unprompted, but your clients are human. They’re going to move on with their lives (which will be busier immediately after buying or selling a home) and chances are they’ll need a nudge. Knowing when and how to tactfully ask for referrals is an important element of maintaining your agent-client relationship; the way that you ask is important, and you don’t want to make anyone feel pressured and leave things on the wrong note.

Are you confident in your ability to solicit referrals from your clients?

AgentEDU® is a platform where agents at every level can come to watch 10-minute video courses for the many situations that successful agents must master. From essential to advanced level and everything in between, AgentEDU® courses help agents become top producers with increased earnings and a plan for continued growth.

AgentEDU® is an Agent Publishing brand. For nearly two decades, Agent Publishing has been committed to providing residential real estate professionals with the information and training required to build successful and meaningful careers in their local markets. Agent Publishing’s influence extends to every career stage and reaches agents across print, digital, events and online learning.

How to Win in a Multiple-Offer Situation

Marci Sepulveda Leave a comment

In a multiple-offer situation, a buyer’s needs will be very different from a seller’s. Are you confident you can beat other deals for your clients?

Some Initial Questions to Ask

In a multiple-offer situation, your clients will rely on you to show them how to put the best offer together, strategize against the competition, and triumph at the negotiation table.

There are many, many factors that you will need to analyze in order to advise your clients:

What’s your client’s budget?

Are you shopping in a buyer’s market or a seller’s market?

What’s the seller’s timeline?

What’s the competition’s strategy in putting their offers together?

…and many more.

Buyers and Sellers Have Very Different Needs

With so much going on in a multiple-offer situation, simply dealing with competing offers may seem stressful enough already.

But remember: you also need to understand how to handle these situations for buyers and sellers, because the needs of these clients will be very different, and the strategies you’ll use to represent them and get them the best outcome when multiple offers are flying around will vary.

Are you confident that you can get a seller client the best possible price for their home? What about the factors beyond price – timing, finances, various contingencies – that will affect the value of an offer?

For buyers, you’ll need to have a keen sense of timing and understand the interactions between a seller and the competing buyers. You’ll also need to know when to compromise and when to walk away if that’s what’s best for your clients.

Your Clients Rely on You

Your clients will depend on you to advise them. As their agent, they trust in your ability to accurately read the situation, weigh the factors in their favor and against them, and always, always provide guidance that’s in their best interest.

If this sounds complicated, it may be time to brush up on your negotiation skills.

AgentEDU® is a platform where agents at every level can come to watch 10-minute video courses for the many situations that successful agents must master. From essential to advanced level and everything in between, AgentEDU® courses help agents become top producers with increased earnings and a plan for continued growth.

AgentEDU® is an Agent Publishing brand. For nearly two decades, Agent Publishing has been committed to providing residential real estate professionals with the information and training required to build successful and meaningful careers in their local markets. Agent Publishing’s influence extends to every career stage and reaches agents across print, digital, events and online learning.