There are several ways you can gain referrals in any industry, but many times a satisfied customer can be your best source of advertisement. Whether it’s a friend, sister, neighbor, or previous client, the more people to vouch for your great service, the better! You want to stick in your previous clients' minds so that the next time they refer to a real estate agent, they say your name. Gaining referrals from your previous clients/associates is a fantastic way for you to spread your self-brand, and generate trustworthy leads. Earning direct referrals isn't the only way to generate leads. Your blog and social media, if done well, can also gain referrals from people who are interested in learning more and others in the industry. There are many ways you and your blog/social media can bring in referrals from clients. Follow these tips to step up your game!
The best ways to earn referrals for your services:
For someone to refer you to another person, they must know that you're reliable. How can you establish the reputation you need to generate more leads?
1) Go the extra mile.
- Go beyond just being friendly. When you go out of your way to make your client happy, they will value your service because it's the unexpected extras that stick in people's minds. For example, send your client a gift after the deal closes to show them that you're happy about the sale too.
- For more info, read Going the Extra Mile: 5 Ways to Fine Tune Your Performance
2) Offer a reward for successful referrals.
- Offering incentives for successful referrals will not only motivate your clients to refer your services, but will also keep you in contact with your previous clients. The incentive could range from a discount on your services or a gift card to a local restaurant or attraction.
- For more info on keeping up with your clients, visit 10 Stats that Prove Why its Important to Maintain your Client Relationships after Closing
3) Be an active figure in the community.
- People like to feel like they can trust who they’re working with, so if you present yourself as someone who is not only trustworthy in the community, but also a memberof the community, then you will gain a valuable reputation.
- For example, try connecting with local businesses to make an effort to present yourself as a professional and caring member of the community.
The best ways to earn blog/social media referrals:
Earning referrals for your services is a big part of the game, but there are other ways you can gain referrals too. When you make a presence for yourself on your blog and social media, you will hopefully start to gain a lot of followers who enjoy your content.
1) Utilize social media analytics apps and advertising/business features.
- Many social media platforms will allow you to market your posts to people that fit your target demographic. You can pay a small fee for your post(s) to be promoting to the exact market you're aiming for. If you do this enough, your followers will recognize your account as a valuable source for industry-based content.
- Also, there are many different types of social media analytics tools out there. A good idea would be to find the one you like best, and use it every day. By using these tools, you will learn far more about your followers and what they want to see than you ever knew you could and it will allow you to optimize your posts.
- For more info, visit 5 Great Social Media Analytics Apps
2) Stay on brand.
- It's important that you keep the same voice throughout all of your social media so that you are staying on brand. If you want your brand to be viewed in a certain way, you need to make sure that you are posting consistent content that echoes your brand's message, throughout your blog and all other social media platforms.
3) Stand out from the crowd by trying something new.
- How can you stand out in the online sea of industry-based accounts? Try something different! If you post content that is interesting to your target followers, and present that content in a new way, then your account will stick out in the masses.
- Examples: 3D videos, special closing posts, weekly trivia, daily fun facts.
- For some awesome content ideas, visit January and February 2018 Content Ideas