Even in today’s digital business and real estate world, referrals still rule the roost when it comes to expanding your business and growing your client base. Bringing in referrals is often the lifeblood of an agent and can make or break you during the busiest parts of your selling season. While word-of-mouth referrals are still king, there are some creative ways to organize your referral business and get more of it.
We’ve put together a list of great tips for bringing in more referrals and growing your client list.
Be Goal Oriented for Referrals
It may sound like a cliche, but if increasing your referral business truly is your aim, then setting goals is likely the best place to start. Much like your sales goals for your year, setting up referral goals will give you something to aim for and measure against when evaluating your referral business’s success.
You’ll want to set these goals on a personal or, if you run your own agency, on a company-wide level. Each agent will have different needs and different goals for their referral business, but your agency will likely have the same end goal in mind. To track referrals and current clients, it may be valuable to invest in a CRM system that can do some of the tracking and leg work for you.
Execute on Your Service
For all of your efforts in getting referrals, none of it will be beneficial without executing on the excellent service your referral clients are expecting. In today’s “too busy” work world where contractors, agents, and others are “ghosting” their clients left and right, being able to offer excellent customer service will be a welcome sign of relief for your referrals.
Not only will excellent customer service go a long way with your referrals, but if the clients who are referring them are putting their reputation on the line as well, then making good on that promise has some weight to it. Make sure you’re following through on your end of the bargain and taking care of the folks who are being sent your way.
Ask for Referrals Directly
Word-of-mouth will still be your best resource when it comes to growing your referral business, and it stands to reason that you should leverage that resource to the best of your ability. Once you’ve completed a real estate transaction for a client, go ahead and ask for a referral while the iron is still hot.
This isn’t necessarily something that needs to be done right away, but it should be completed in the month following closing. Allow your customer to settle into their new home or at least have an opportunity to soak in the changes they’ve made and make a diligent effort to follow up with them to check-in. Prepare for these conversations in advance to make sure they go as smoothly as possible!
Be Grateful
While you’re in follow-up mode, it’s best to be grateful for what your clients have done for you. It’s easy to move from one real estate deal to the next one without much thought, but showing a little gratitude will go a long way. Every client should get a handwritten thank you note from you, but you don’t necessarily have to stop there.
A small personalized gift to your clients is a great way to keep you top of mind and ease you into a conversation about referrals when the moment is right. For buyers, you can even give them gift cards to their favorite takeout restaurants to help them with the moving process. Either way, be personal, be grateful, and be proactive with your thankfulness.
