What’s the Best Way for Me to Get Business?

One of the questions we hear the most from coaching clients is, “What’s the best way for me to get business?”

And the immediate response we give to that question? “You’re not going to like the answer.”

Plenty of research will tell you that the most profitable source of business is the repeat and referral business coming from those people that already know you, like you, and trust you. And yet, nearly every real estate professional seems to struggle with reaching out personally to their past clients and customers. How about you?

There are a handful of reasons why agents don’t follow through on communicating with folks they helped buy or sell a home:

1. It’s been too long since they talked to the person.
   This may surprise you, but your past clients haven’t been pining away, wondering why you haven’t called. More likely, they’ll be pleasantly surprised you’re calling and even happy to hear from you!
   
2. They don’t know what they’re going to say.
   Let’s not over-complicate this. Say hi. Ask how they’re doing. Listen. Ask what you can be helping them with. That’s it. Focus on being of service and nurturing the relationship.
   
3. They think they’re bothering the person.
   You’re only a bother when you call and ask for something without offering anything of value to them. That makes you a telemarketer.
   
4. The database is too big to make a personal contact with everyone.
   First, determine who your highest priority people are to reach out to. Whether that’s 50, 100, or 250, get them classified. Then, if you have a team, consider letting others on the team do the following up with others beyond your core.
   
5. They’re not doing a good job of maintaining a database.
   Reasons aren’t important; the reality is that many agents haven’t done a great job of keeping thorough, updated contact information for all their past clients and sphere of influence. This makes for a great reason to reach out, to update that contact information!
   

With the excuses out of the way, it becomes a simple matter of systems.

• Get everyone assigned a recurring task for at minimum twice a year, and ideally quarterly, to be contacted by you directly. This can be a phone call, a text, a Facebook DM… whatever way they most like to be communicated with. If you don’t know what their favorite is, start with a phone call, and ask them!
• Block time in your calendar to do this daily.
• Be accountable to someone for getting it done

If you are coming from a place of genuine interest in being of service to people, your ongoing and consistent check-ins will result in repeat and referral business. And you won’t ever have to resort to, “Who do you know that might be buying or selling in the next 6 months?” ever again.

BONUS – Other Reasons to Call

• We’re providing updated asset valuations for our clients for retirement and planning purposes. Would you like us to do one for you?
• We have a specific buyer looking for (particular criteria); who do you know that’s considering selling whose home might fit that criteria?
• Our next client appreciation event is coming up on [date] and we’d love to have you join us.
• We have two extra tickets to the (ball game/concert/charity event/community activity) this week, would you like to use them?

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