By Melanie Robitaille, Sr. Staff Writer and Graphic Designer
Real estate is defined by building trust with clients and fellow associates, but with the very reason for the business being relocation, it’s not always going to be with agents in your office or company brand.
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reports that 41% of sellers who used a real estate agent found them through a referral by friends or family, and that 74% of sellers would use the same agent again, so if referral business is important, your reputation for service, and acumen are arguably even more so.
You need not search for long on today’s social media platforms to find referral groups of all sorts and sizes. Often, they’re created by agents for agents to refer across state, province, as well as the border, and some groups aren’t even real estate specific.
Sales Representative, Paula Rodriguez of EXIT Realty Champions keeps the real estate conversation going in several different social media avenues. Her Broker directed her to EXIT’s Facebook Referral Network after joining as an entirely new agent to the industry in 2018, and it turned out to be a beneficial catalyst for her career. “My very first deal was a referral from the group. It was a listing, and since then that agent has continued to think of me anytime someone is looking to relocate to Orlando, FL,” she shared. “Aside from the referral group, I’ve been able to connect with other people who are in the market for a home in Facebook marketplace, as well as other groups and business pages.”
With a real estate career spanning 39 years, and spending almost 15 of those with EXIT, Associate Broker, Melinda Harris has built an impressive network that generates roughly 90% of her business. A member of the EXIT Referral Group since its inception, she has witnessed how digital platforms have decentralized these transactions. “Using social media has put the responsibility of the referral in the hands of the agents. It used to be that most major real estate competitors had a referral division. Those referrals were disseminated out to the agents, and generally came with a cost,” said Melinda, who along with her daughter and Sales Representative, Amy Lais, make up The Harris Team out of EXIT Realty Alliance in California.
At 39, Amy is admittedly the more “social” of the two. Where Amy watches notifications and comments with their contact info, Melinda solidifies with a follow-up call to the referring agent or broker. The call is key according to Melinda, to see if their team is the right fit for each referral, and if not, she further recommends those she knows in the area. “I’ve had clients all the way in the valley, but without an EXIT office there I have a referral partner in the area that I’ve done business with for years. We refer back and forth. So, establishing yourself with other agents, in EXIT offices where possible, is important. I’ve also been fortunate to deal with a lot of family members of other EXIT agents,” she said.
Melinda’s advice is to create a network both offline as well as online, personally making it a point to connect with people wherever she goes. She belongs to several social media groups for mom’s and women, as well as real estate referral groups, in addition to participating in organizations like her rotary club, Chamber of Commerce, or country club. “Agents who sit at their desks, thinking they’re not getting any business are right, because you have to go out and get it,” she said, but she also reminds that, “It goes back to the people that know, love, and trust you. They’re the ones that are confident in their referral of you. Communication in this business is key. If you don’t communicate what you do, who is going to know? Treat them like they’re a referral source and market to them.”
The real estate industry will always be a relationship business with collaboration at its heart, proving that no matter how times and technologies may change, the importance of a strong and vast referral network will not.
Find this and other great articles in the latest edition of the EXIT Achiever.
