real estate marketing

5 Easy Ways to Get More Referrals

Every real estate agent knows that referrals are the best lead channel. But how may referrals are you getting? Check out these 5 easy steps for getting more referrals

Every real estate agent knows that referrals are the best lead channel. But how may referrals are you getting?

The truth is, if you want to start working by referral – then you need a strategy. A few simple habits can go a long way when it comes to increasing referrals from people you know.

Offer Incredible Service

First things first, if you want to increase your referral business you’ll need to be memorable. Think about your specialty, and how you’re unique. What takes your service from good to great?

Develop Regular Touch Points with Past Clients

After closing, make sure you’re staying top of mind with past clients. If you have a newsletter for potential buyers, you should have a newsletter for past clients. And make sure the content is relevant for them (ie – don’t just promote your listings). These touch points can include:

  • Social media content
  • Client appreciation events
  • Newsletters

Check In

There’s nothing like a personal phone call to check in with past clients. It shows you value their business, and that you’re a trusted source of real estate knowledge. If clients were planning on doing renos after moving in – this is an easy talking point. Other great ideas for check in calls are:

  • When mortgage rate changes
  • The anniversary of the sale
  • If new construction is planned in their area
  • Industry news that may affect them
  • Seasonal home maintenance tips

Ask

If you deliver excellent service, stay connected with past clients, and act as a trusted real estate expert – then asking for referrals won’t feel gimmicky. For example, you could say  – “I really enjoyed helping you find your first home, and if you know anyone who may be interested in entering the real estate market – I’d love to help them out.” A simple statement like this tells past clients the type of referrals you’re interested in, and makes it clear that you’re looking for referrals.

Say Thank You

Whether a referral turns into new business or not – always say thank you and show your gratitude. And better yet – if the person has their own business, send a referral back their way!

5 Things Every REALTOR Should Do After Closing

Your Post Close To-Do ListFor any real estate agent, getting to the closing table means we’ve done our job. We’ve guided our clients through the real estate process, helped them find perfect home, negotiated the best deal and ensured all the T’s are crossed so everything goes off without a hitch. The truth is though, getting to the closing table doesn’t mean our job is over. Real estate is about relationships. And if we want to drive repeat business and referrals, the relationships we build with clients can’t end when the deal is signed.

 

So, how do you foster client relationships after you close? Here’s our list of the top 5 things you should do with every client.

 

1.Say Thank You

Thank you is one of the most powerful phrases in the English language. For sales professionals – it should be a regular part of your day. After you’ve finished working with a client, send a personal thank-you note or drop off a closing gift. It shows you’re sincere and care about more than your commission.

2.Connect Clients with Your Trusted Service Pros

Buying a home is just the first step. New owners need a long list of home service pros and local businesses make their house a home and help them get settled in their neighborhood. Share with clients your list of trusted vendors – like movers, landscapers and painters – and your favorite local restaurants, hang outs and attractions.

3. Ask for a Review or Testimonial

Honest feedback from recent clients is the best way to understand why clients love working with you, and what improvements will take your business to the next level. Send clients a short feedback survey after you close and ask if they’d be willing to provide a testimonial or write a review.

4. Let Clients know you Love Referrals

As a real estate agent, referrals from past clients can provide a steady stream of  highly-qualified leads. Referrals decrease your marketing costs, minimize prospecting time and improve your time to close. But don’t assume that referrals will just come your way – you should be actively engaging with your referral network. Let past clients know referrals are the backbone of your business, highlight the type of client you like working with and ask if they know anyone looking to buy or sell that fits this profile. For example, during a check-in call with a past client, you could say “I’m really glad to hear you’re enjoying your new home. I love to helpling first-time home buyers find the perfect property, and I was wondering if you have any friends or family looking at buying their first home that I could contact?” If you’ve done your job – you don’t need to be afraid of asking for referrals.

5. Plan to Stay in Touch

If you want to increase repeat clients and referrals, you’ll need to stay in touch with clients after you close. Create a communications roadmap to stay top of mind – this could include a follow up call 1 month after move-in date, monthly email newsletter to past clients with market updates, and holiday cards.

 

How do you stay relevant and top of mind with past clients?

 

With ClientLinkt  real estate agents & offices can share their list of trusted home service providers and local businesses with clients via their own custom-branded mobile app – helping them to increase client value, stay top of mind & drive referrals. 

 

How I’m Strengthening My Vendor Network & Driving New Revenue

Jason WaltersAs a real estate agent, Jason Walters knows his role goes beyond getting the deal signed: He provides clients with expert advice and guides them through every stage of the buying or selling process.

Part of that expert advice is connecting clients with the trusted vendors they need – like landscapers, financial advisers & contractors.

That’s why he shares his list of recommendations via his branded smartphone app, ClientLinkt Connector. His clients can download the app from their app store, see Jason’s profile, and have his list of recommendations always at their fingertips.

For Jason – it’s a perfect way to add client value, stay top of mind, and strengthen referral relationships with his vendor network. Vendors like moving companies, landscapers & home stagers know that referrals from real estate agents are key for their business and love that they’ve earned a spot on Jason’s list.

But the benefits aren’t just strengthened referral relationships.

Many of Jason’s vendors have selected to advertise in his app. By choosing to advertise – they get extra exposure to Jason’s clients & prospects who are looking for businesses just like them and Jason is able to generate new revenue.

Within just months, he’s already paid for the cost of his app and created a steady stream of residual income. Jason doesn’t have to worry about collecting advertising payments or setting up the ads because the process is fully automated. He simply logs into the ClientLinkt web manager, selects which vendors he’d like to invite to advertise, specifies the ad rate, and hits send.

His vendors can sign up to advertise, and Jason can withdraw advertising revenue from his account anytime. In under 30 minutes, and with just a few clicks – he’s able to generate new revenue from the vendors he’s already promoting to his clients.

“My ClientLinkt app has been a huge success. Clients love that my vendor list is always at their fingertips, and I’m generating income from my advertisers every month – without increasing my workload.”

You can get started with ClientLinkt here, or contact sales@clientlinkt.com with any questions!

*Real estate agents should consult with their real estate association to ensure compliance with regulations in their area regarding referrals & joint advertising.

Capturing Your Real Estate Niche

Capturing Your Real Estate NicheFor any real estate agent, a clearly defined niche strengthens your market position, creates efficiencies and establishes you as an expert. Whether you specialize in a property type, client demographic, or neighborhood – adopting a niche strategy has obvious benefits. So how do you go about discovering, defining & developing your niche?

1.Study Your Past Clients

In order to adopt a niche strategy, first look at your past clients. What patterns do you see? Study client profiles, property types, neighborhoods & home prices. Are most of your clients buying heritage properties? Or maybe there’s lots of millennials shopping in urban areas, or retirees selling their family home to downsize?

2.Decide if It’s for You

After looking at your past clients and the trends that emerge, which were the most lucrative? Examine your commission, expenses and time spent to secure and close each deal. If you have more than one niche that appears, which did you enjoy working with more? And most importantly – will this be a lucrative niche moving forward? Research future market trends and see what opportunities there are. Are the demographics of your city changing? How does this affect your niche strategy? A lot of this info can be found through your local real estate association and municipal government.

3.Define Your Niche

After analyzing your past clients and deciding what niche is for you, it’s time to define it. You should be able to succinctly describe your niche in one sentence. It should give direction to your marketing & prospecting, and let potential clients know exactly who you work with. For example, “I help young couples and families find their first home” or “I specialize downtown condos for an urban lifestyle.”

4.Get Prepared

If you’re going to adopt a niche strategy – you’ll need to be an expert. Brush up your skills by registering for a course, reading up on emerging trends and practicing your scripts. Honing in on a geographic area? Study up on past sales and visit open houses in the area to see what’s selling, what key features the area boasts, and how properties are marketed. Looking to work with retirees downsizing? What about becoming a NAR Senior Real Estate Specialist®?

5.Execute

How will you capture your niche? Even with all the planning & studying, execution is where you’ll sink or swim. Focus your efforts on your niche: target your website to these home buyers or sellers, network with service providers and local businesses that also work with this demographic; talk to your sphere of influence about the type of clients you work with and properties you sell so they know what referrals to send your way; and regularly re-evaluate your efforts to see what’s successful and where improvements can be made.

How to Become a Local Real Estate Expert

How to Become a Local Real Estate Expert

Whether a client is moving across town or across the country, they’re going to need trusted advice about their new area. Everything from neighborhood profiles, school districts, the best local restaurants, recreation centers and commute times – they all factor into the home search process and settling in after finding the perfect property. This means that for real estate agents, becoming a local expert can differentiate you from the competition, increase leads and add new client value. So just how do you become a local expert??? Here’s our 5 steps.

1. Do Your Research

Before you can be recognized as a local expert – you’ll to have to do your research. Study up on neighborhood demographics and market reports to know the ins and outs of why people love the area, and what homeowners can expect from their property investment. Most of this info is available from your real estate association and municipal government. Local politicians, city planners, other real estate agents and people currently living in the area are all great resources too.

2. Be Involved

Getting involved in the community is key for becoming the area’s go-to agent. Join community associations, volunteer at charity events, attend festivals and shop local. Being an active community member helps you learn more about the neighborhood and make connections. Don’t forget to introduce yourself as a Realtor!

3. Get Connected

Align yourself with other professionals and great businesses in your local area. This network can keep you connected with what’s going on, add new value for your clients and drive more leads. If you’re still building your network, consider joining a business networking group. Already have strong local connections? Use these contacts to refer clients back and forth, or start a client affinity program to provide your clients discounts and specials from your contacts. 

4. Share Your List

Connect clients with the best home service professionals and local businesses by sharing a list of recommendations. After moving, clients always need the names of painters, plumbers, landscapers or even the best pizza joint. This is such a simple way to add more client value and help clients even after you close.

5. Keep Clients Up to Date

Do you send client newsletters, have a blog or actively post on social media? Make sure to include info about your neighborhood. Keep clients informed with market updates, community events or when new construction is planned. This is an easy way to show your knowledge, add value even after you close and establish yourself as a local expert. 

 

With ClientLinkt by QuickLinkt real estate agents & offices can share their list of trusted home service providers and local businesses with clients via their own custom-branded mobile app – helping them to increase client value, stay top of mind & drive referrals. 

The Three R’s for Success in Real Estate

Building Success in Real Estate

Being a REALTOR® is a tough job. You work long hours, face huge market swings and are constantly competing for clients. So how can agents rise above and have long-term success? It’s about the 3 R’s: Reputation, Repeat Clients & Referrals.

 

Reputation

As a REALTOR®, your reputation is the backbone of your business. It’s dependent on your sales history, how you approach potential clients, how you foster relationships with current clients and the interactions with your professional network – like mortgage brokers, lawyers, appraisers and home service pros. Think of every business dealing as a chance to grow your reputation. Make sure you’re also monitoring your reputation on sites like Zillow, Yelp, Trulia & RankMyAgent – positive reviews are great for generating word of mouth!

 

Repeat Business

Securing repeat clients is big business for any real estate agent. While the average REALTOR® has 21% of their business from repeat clients – those in business 16+ years average 41% of business from repeat clients. And that’s not small numbers when you realize that securing a new client can cost 7X more than retaining a past client. Whenever you spend time prospecting, make sure that you’re also allocating time to stay connected with past clients. Doing a quick check-in call, sending a market update report, having a client appreciation event or offering home maintenance tips are all simple ways to stay top of mind.

 

Referrals

For the average REALTOR® – referrals account for 21% of their business. Driving referral leads means you can minimize prospecting time, decrease advertising costs and generate a steady stream of highly qualified leads. To drive referrals make sure you’re providing client value even after you close – like sharing your list of trusted service providers or having an affinity program to past clients by offering discounts from your favorite local businesses.

REALTORS® – How Do You Add Client Value?

what to do when you feel stuck

People do business with people they know, like and trust.

 

In real estate, this phrase couldn’t be more true. Clients don’t choose a real estate agent based on the letters after your name or the awards on your desk – and they definitely won’t be referring their friends or family because of them either.

 

The truth is that real estate is about relationships. Our ability to connect with clients on a personal level and build meaningful, value-added relationships is how we grow our business and separate ourselves from the competition. In fact when the National Association of REALTORS® performs their survey of home buyer & seller trends, the most important characteristics when choosing an agent are if the agent is honest & trustworthy, whereas the agent’s brand and designations rank low on the list. So while those designations are great for building new skills, they won’t necessarily grow your client list.

 

So just why are relationships so important? Buying or selling a home is not only a huge financial commitment, but it also coincides with major life events- like getting married, deciding to have children or becoming empty nesters. Therefore, as a real estate agent we can’t just focus on the sale but instead how we can advance our relationships. As Brian Buffini contends, “Delivering a premium experience… means nurturing, building and preserving your relationship with your client.”

 

If we think about how real estate has changed over the past 20 years, it’s no wonder that relationships are becoming more and more central to the success of any agent. With the rise of technology – especially searching for properties and neighborhood information online – an agent can no longer simply supply listings to their clients. If our only service is providing info on homes for sale or posting a property online, we become a commodity.

 

Instead, if we emphasize building relationships we ensure we aren’t forgettable. This means a paradigm shift from being a real estate salesperson to being a real estate consultant. Salespeople complete transactions. Consultants educate clients about the buying & selling process, connect clients with a team of professionals ( like mortgage brokers, lawyers and home service providers), and stay connected with clients after closing. While this paradigm shift means spending more time with each client, it also means your business can grow exponentially. Each client becomes your ally, brand advocate & marketing team – they come to you with real estate questions, they remain loyal when they buy or sell in the future, and they refer you to their friends, family & colleagues. How do you build value-add relationships with your clients? 

 

With ClientLinkt by QuickLinkt, real estate agents can increase client value by sharing their team of trusted home service providers & local businesses via their own custom-branded mobile app. This allows agents to provide more client value, stay connected post-close and strengthen their client relationships. Learn more about ClientLinkt here or contact sales@quicklinkt.com  for more details.

 

3 Steps to Generating Positive Word of Mouth

attracting an audience

Whether we like it or not, as a real estate agent our brand is no longer what we say it is – it’s what our clients are saying about us…. online. Long gone are the days when we could purchase billboards & newspaper ads and feel confident that we were putting our best foot forward. This means that if we don’t take a proactive role in building & managing our online reputation, we can be left in the dust.

 

While managing your online reputation may seem daunting, it’s the same thing real estate agents have been doing for years – generating positive word of mouth and building their referral business. So, if you’re not sure about how to manage your online reputation – here’s our top tips.

 

1.Have a Presence

90% of home buyers search online to find a real estate agent & search for properties. If you don’t have a strong online presence, you’re therefore missing out on 90% of your potential clients. Ensure that you have a profile on major directory sites – including those that are specific to real estate (like Zillow or Trulia) and those that aren’t industry specific (like Yelp, Google Places & Yahoo!).

2. Monitor What’s Being Said

Understanding what’s been said about you online can have a big impact on your sales funnel. Not only do online reviews and comments influence potential clients, but they also offer valuable opportunities for improvement. Set-up a Google Alert for your name & regularly monitor online review sites to see what’s being said.

3. Respond & Be Active

You wouldn’t go to a networking event, community fundraiser or open house and stand in the corner with your head down – so don’t do it online.  Post regularly, answer questions, engage with your audience and respond to online reviews. Help first – sell second!

 

ClientLinkt Feature Spotlight – Custom Branding

ClientLinkt AppLast week, we gave our blog visitors a sneak peek at our new product – ClientLinkt – a solution for real estate agents to share their list of trusted service providers & drive referrals via a custom-branded mobile app. We’ve had a lot of great feedback from real estate pros across North America as we demo the technology, so we’ve decided to share more details on what everyone is so excited about. Today’s feature spotlight – Custom Branding!

 

Any agent knows the importance of building their brand – your personal brand keeps you top of mind with past clients & provides a steady stream of new clients by being recognized in your community. That’s why we decided that ClientLinkt apps should be exclusively branded for each real estate agent or office – so each app is a complete extension of the agent’s brand.

 

When an agent or office signs up for their ClientLinkt app, we contact them directly to discuss branding options. These include the app colors, name, logo & description in the app store. After discussing branding options, we build the app exclusively for the agent or office. Agents are definitely loving that we’ll guide them through the process, and ensure that their app looks professional and is consistent with their other marketing pieces.

 

One of the huge benefits of Custom Branding is that clients will search for the agent or office’s name in the app store, and can easily find their agent’s app. Better still, agents aren’t asking clients to download a third-party system that they have no control of. You can see here how an office app appears in the app store for iOS and Android.

 

The custom app icon & name also serves as a constant touch point between the agent and their client. Every time a client opens their phone, they’ll see the app icon and agent’s brand is reinforced. We’re finding agents will typically use their headshot as their icon and offices will select their logo.

 

 

With Custom Branding, ClientLinkt apps help agents & offices reinforce their brand with current, future & past clients. If you’d like to learn more about ClientLinkt, be sure to visit www.clientlinkt.com or contact sales@quicklinkt.com.

 

ClientLinkt Sneak Peek!

ClientLinktHere at QuickLinkt, we’ve been busy developing ClientLinkt – our new solution for real estate agents to provide more client value and drive referrals. While we’ve been working hard building the technology and getting real estate offices & agents ready to launch, we’ve decided to give a preview to our blog visitors on what we’re working on. So, without further ado – we present ClientLinkt.

 

ClientLinkt is a solution for real estate agents and offices to stay connected with past clients via their own custom branded mobile app. Agents can use the app to share their team of trusted home service providers, send market updates, message past clients and  offer discounts from their vendor network. These features are all designed to help agents provide more client value after they close and increase client satisfaction.

 

On top of increasing client value, ClientLinkt allows agents to build their brand. Each agent or office has an exclusive app branded for them that features their own app icon, name, colors and description in the app store. There’s no mention of ClientLinkt, so agents can provide a seamless client experience and have a constant touch point with past clients.

 

Better still, ClientLinkt apps increase referrals from past clients. Realizing that 86% of home sellers & 88% of home buyers would recommend their agent to friends or family, we wanted to create a simple way for agents to capitalize on these referral opportunities. The app therefore also doubles as a simple conduit for past clients to send referrals. Beneath the agent’s profile image is a prominent Refer button. By clicking the button, users complete a simple referral form and the referral is instantly sent to the agent. This means that agents can not only increase client satisfaction and provide more value, but also grow their client list and generate ROI.

 

ClientLinkt apps are available for both real estate agents and offices or brands. When clients download and open an individual agent’s app, they’ll see their agent’s profile and list of preferred service providers & local businesses. If it’s an office’s app, the app is branded for the office and clients are asked to select their preferred agent when they download the app. Agents can get their own custom app for $350/year and office apps that list all the office’s agents are $1500/year.

 

To get started with ClientLinkt, agents and offices can sign up by visiting www.clientlinkt.com. We’ll then contact you to get your branding, build your app and have it available for clients to download in the app store for iOS and Android within 5-10 business days. You’ll be able to edit your vendor list & data anytime by logging into the app management dashboard and also access detailed analytics on app downloads, calls to service providers and referrals.

 

While we’ll be officially releasing ClientLinkt in the coming weeks, make sure to visit www.clientlinkt.com to learn more or contact hello@quicklinkt.com for more info.