Consistent Clients – Real Estate Marketing

Having a business that brings in Consistent Clients, repeatedly and without regard for the current state of the economy, needs to be based strongly on referrals. I believe that.

But besides your sphere of influence, and past clients, where else can you work on generating referrals?

Don’t forget about the potential of professional referrals.

Referrals coming from someone within the real estate community, such as another agents, a mortgage broker, or title agent can be very persuasive. These are people that deal with real estate transactions daily, so a recommendation from them can mean as much as one from someone that has worked with you as a consumer.

Here are 5 ways you can start generating industry referrals:

1. Participate in a real estate community online, such as Active Rain or Real Town. You are able to develop relationships with real estate professionals all over the country, and this gives you an “in” if they are ever looking for someone in your area to help their client. Plus, even the people that you’ve never made contact with on the site are able to find you, and can see your relationships with other community members, giving you an edge over someone they’ve never met or had any contact with at all.

2. Play nice with local agents, both within your office as well as other offices. Make sure that you’re always dealing with other agents as if you’re hoping for a referral from them. This will help you develop the reputation of someone that is helpful, and pleasant to deal with. They will remember the transaction with pleasure, and may seek you out if they ever have a client they can’t help, or that they don’t “mesh” with personally.

3. Develop relationships with other real estate professionals. Be sure to acknowledge and thank title agents, mortgage brokers, and anyone else you work with. Stop by personally with a card to thank them for going the extra mile. Treat them the same way you would the people on your list, that you’re hoping to generate future business or referrals from. Send them newsletters, notes, small gifts just like you do the rest of your list.

4. Get more involved in the real estate community in your area. Whether you mentor other agents, teach a class for the community on housing issues, or just participate more in the local real estate board, getting yourself out there and becoming a source of trusted information and quality service can generate referrals from all over.

5. Take advantage of the power of the internet. When you are optimizing your site for local consumers, add a few keywords, articles, or resources for any real estate professional that may be assisting a client in finding a Realtor® in your area.

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