Don't Be 'That' Agent! Remember Your Sphere

When it comes to being a Realtor, I am totally understanding of the fact that there are always many balls in the air, many hats you have to wear, all competing with the fact that there are only so many hours in the day. Based on this understanding, I understand why sometimes agents will drop certain things in favor of dealing with a more pressing, immediate issue. What I cannot forgive, though, and completely cannot comprehend letting slip is keeping up with your sphere of influence.

Your sphere of influence is the lifeblood of your real estate practice. They not only are a support unit for you, giving you encouragement as you close listings, keeping you positive and moving forward, they are also an invaluable source of new business via referrals.

For those of you that are behind in following up regularly with your sphere of influence, today I'll share four quick, easy tips to get you on the right track and growing your real estate practice.

Don't Use the Same Content You Use on Your Geographic Farms

This is a trap that many agents fall into. On the surface, it makes sense. Why plan two separate marketing campaigns when you are already busy and don't have time? Why not just use the same marketing pieces for your sphere as your geographic farm? It's simple. You KNOW your sphere. Why would you send them pieces that are geared towards people you do not know?

If you send your geographic farm pieces to your sphere of influence, you are going to seem out of touch and out of control of your real estate practice. Don't be that guy. Use sphere marketing pieces as a way to nurture your sphere, getting closer to them and ultimately getting more referrals from them.

Remember Non-Real Estate Related Value Added Items

Along those lines, one important thing to remember when it comes to your sphere of influence is that it can't always be "business." Remember, these are your friends. Some of them literally your lifelong friends. Others, past clients that have become friends in the process. You need to (and, by extension, your marketing needs to) offer them marketing messages that are friendly and not always business oriented and "salesy."

One great way to do this is by offering things that will be considered timely or value added by people in your sphere. For instance, in the summer, maybe create a postcard that is a calendar of all the art and wine festivals and concerts that are within driving distance of your marketplace. This is something they will not just appreciate, but will most likely hang on to and hang up on their fridge, thus extending your reach and the impact your brand has.

Tell Them about Specific Success Stories

Letting your sphere and past clients know about your successes is important for a couple of reasons. First off, as I described above, these people are your friends. When you share with them your successes, they are going to wish you well and give you encouraging words. This psychologically will keep you cranking along and on track. Note here that I said tell them about "specific" success stories. Which stories, you ask? How about the ones where the client you successfully helped was a referral from a person in your sphere?

Sending a marketing piece out to your sphere, noting a successful sale from a referral you got, AND specifically saying which person in your sphere referred the business to you can have more impact than you imagine. First off, the fact that you got a referral from someone, successfully handled the transaction and made that person's goals a reality goes a long way to showing others in your sphere that you take referrals seriously. If they refer someone to you, they will feel confident that you are going to do the same for that person.

Second, it's also a really nice stroke of the ego for the person that referred the business to you. Of course, you have privately thanked them, and perhaps even taken them out to dinner or something as a thank you. The fact that you publicly are thanking them will make your appreciation even more evident, ensuring that the person will continue referring business to you.

Don't Forget to Ask Them for a Referral

This last one is really a no-brainer, but you would not believe how many people miss the mark on this. The fact of the matter is this: The average homeowner has no idea that Rreal estate is a referral based business. Not just that. Believe it or not, 80-90 percent of your sphere of influence will give you referrals. BUT there is a big "if" here. In this case, the "if" is, "IF you ask them for referrals."

So basically, if you don't ask them for them, you won't get them. Because of this, it is important to periodically use your marketing pieces to remind your sphere that real estate is a referral business and that you would be honored if they were to refer people to you.

To view the original article, visit the Leading Agent blog.