7 Amazing Tips for Getting More Referrals

Matthew Collis, IXACT Contact

1. Make a keep in touch plan for everyone in your sphere

- Use the right mix of phone calls, email, direct mail, and face-to-face meetings or events to keep in touch (KIT) with your A-List, B-List, and everyone else in your database.

- For instance:• A-List: quarterly KIT phone call, face-to-face meetings,

direct mail, and monthly e-Newsletter• B-List: semi annual KIT phone call and monthly e-

Newsletter• Everyone else: monthly e-Newsletter

1. Make a keep in touch plan for everyone in your sphere

Helpful TIP #1:

Open the call by asking the client about them/ what’s going on in their life rather than diving into business right away. Your CRM will tell you what you spoke with them about last (perhaps Jimmy’s baseball tournament) so why not start the call by asking how that went. This makes the call more personal, which means it will be more comfortable for both you and your client.

1. Make a keep in touch plan for everyone in your sphere

Helpful TIP #2:

When you’re on the call with the client, use the opportunity to ask if they need a recommendation for a good interior designer or cleaner, for example. Later in the presentation we will discuss why this is so important.

1. Make a keep in touch plan for everyone in your sphere

Your CRM will be a BIG help!

- Use the Keep in Touch dashboard in your CRM to schedule your keep in touch calls.

- No more forgetting to stay in touch. Your CRM will remind you to keep in touch and will help you get more organized.

- There are many other ways to keep in touch such as Just Listed/Just Sold e-Flyers and a monthly e-Newsletter.

- Here’s what the Keep in Touch dashboard looks like in IXACT Contact…

2. Sponsor a local event or team

- A fantastic way to build awareness of your services and foster goodwill in your community.

- Ask your best clients which type of activities their children regularly participate in to get an idea of which are good events or teams to sponsor.

2. Sponsor a local event or team

- If you sponsor sports teams or activities that your clients or their children participate in, you’re building loyalty among these clients and staying top of mind.

- The word will get around – “Did you know my REALTOR®, Bob, sponsors Jimmy’s hockey team?”

3. ASK for referrals!

• Idiom “If you don’t ask, you don’t get” holds true.• Business cards, email signature, website, face-to-

face.• One good approach: asking for feedback. Positive

feedback from a client? Use that as an opportunity to ask for a referral.

• Be specific.

4. Leverage the power of “Thank You”

- Say thank you. It sounds so simple, but demonstrating your appreciation goes a long way.

- It has been shown that if you demonstrate appreciation the right way on the first referral, a client is five times more likely to recommend you.

4. Leverage the power of “Thank You”

- When we refer someone, we want to feel confident that the person we referred is “in good hands” and that the referral was appreciated.

- The best way to say thank you is face-to-face. Accompany the thank you with a handwritten card and a meaningful gift (gift only if it’s compliant with your board rules/regulations).

- Make sure you send a handwritten card if you can’t meet with someone in person.

4. Leverage the power of “Thank You”

- Your CRM will help you keep track of who is referring you and whether or not you’ve sent them a card.

- The system will remind you to send all your referrers a card so you don’t forget/ no one falls through the cracks.

- With your CRM, you can create a Thank You Activity Plan.

5. Expand your professional network and refer other professionals

- Introduce yourself to at least one new potential referrer weekly – other business professionals who can refer your services.

- You’ll want to meet with as many potential referrers as you can and begin to build relationships with them.

- Use the built-in Business Directory in your CRM to recommend reputable home professionals like plumbers, interior designers, and hardwood flooring specialists.

5. Expand your professional network and refer other professionals

- Recommending other professionals is a win-win-win situation: - Win for your clients: you’re providing them with

trustworthy professionals they need.- Win for your business partners: you’re providing

them with new leads and clients.- Win for you: One way for you to provide value to

your clients and stay “top of mind.” This means more referrals and repeat business! AND, other professionals will reciprocate and refer you back!

6. Find a referral thank you partner

- Great idea from Real Estate Trainer and IXACT Contact partner, Richard Robbins of Richard Robbins International for referrals who become clients.

- Step one: develop a relationship with a local spa, restaurant or any other business of your choice.

6. Find a referral thank you partner- Step two: when someone refers you and that person

becomes a client, get the owner or manager of that spa or restaurant to call the referrer personally and invite them for a day at the spa or dinner for two, paid for by you.

- This is completely unexpected to the referrer, and it eliminates the guilt or embarrassment that the referrer may feel if you offer them the gift yourself.

6. Find a referral thank you partner

- Also a great way to really stand out in the referrer’s mind because your gesture will be highly memorable.

- Be sure to add the referral partner to your CRM’s Business Directory and be sure to record what you did in the referrers contact profile.

7. Use a real estate CRM

- The foundation for building a referrals-based business.

- Referrals come to fruition through keeping in touch with clients, staying top of mind, and building strong relationships with your sphere over time. A CRM makes it easy to do these things while staying organized.

7. Use a real estate CRM

- Your CRM will help you save time with automation:- Drip marketing- Monthly e-Newsletter

- Plus, automatic reminders for birthdates and home purchase anniversary dates

- All of this is priceless in terms of growing your referral and repeat business.

- Let me show you what IXACT Contact’s professionally written and designed monthly e-Newsletter looks like...

Recap

Over the course of this presentation, you learned our seven great tips for getting more referrals in your real estate career:

1. Make a keep in touch plan for everyone in your sphere.

2. Sponsor a local event or team.3. ASK for referrals!4. Leverage the power of “Thank you.”5. Expand your professional network.6. Find a referral thank you partner.7. Use a real estate CRM.

Thank you!