Successful real estate agents know the value of repeat and referral business, prospecting and other best practices for boosting their lead generation strategy. But beyond basic lead generation, there's one facet that truly defines successful agents: the ability to build relationships with potential clients.
Understanding what your clients need is the first step
Building a lasting relationship with potential, or even past clients, relies on understanding what sparked the relationship in the first place. After all, there must be something you can do for them that they’ve seen as a value on their search.
Listen and observe what their pain points may be. Do your new real estate clients need first-time homeowner assistance? Maybe they're a vetted home seller curious about changes in their local real estate market. Do they want to downsize? Perhaps they're active military searching for the perfect home for the end of their service.
Regardless of their situation, take the time to acknowledge it, digest it and ask clarifying questions for the pieces you may not have a full understanding of. This displays compassion for their plight and a willingness to help them.
Meet your potential clients where they are
As real estate agents, it's easy to forget that your prospective clients aren't other real estate professionals with the same knowledge. And while some may be involved in the real estate industry, most are more likely to have other careers. However, that doesn't mean you should assume they don't understand what they're searching for or what the process is.
Instead, try having an initial conversation and listen to your prospects.
Find out what they know, what they're searching for, any hurdles they may have previously faced and where they were hoping you'd be able to help. Connecting at a relatable level is a great way to help break down any preemptive walls or apprehensions your clients may have about their respective real estate process and build lasting rapport.
Embrace your local community
Your local community can be an incredible place for lead generating referrals. Use relationships you've already built with a few community pillars who can vouch for your personal brand. This allows you to attract clients in a natural, referral-based way - much like reviews and an established online presence.
Another excellent way to incorporate your community into your relationship strategy is to utilize your real estate website to promote local businesses and events. Is your favorite sub shop having a food drive? Promote it to neighboring businesses and folks in the area via an event tab in your navigation bar.
Is a local market owner having problems promoting open houses because of their hectic schedule? Give them a hand by promoting it on their social media. Whatever you can do as your community's trusted real estate professional helps to build your credibility and paint you as an approachable and engaging individual who cares about their community members.
Customer relationship management
One of the biggest items to slip through the cracks with real estate marketing is communicating at the appropriate intervals. That means communicating with a lead either as soon as or very soon after they've made contact. However, don't overdo it.
Be sure to use moderation, but stay consistent in your communications. Ask how they are, if you can assist them with anything immediately, or if they need a little assistance just beginning the process. But be sure not to bombard them if they don't respond immediately.
Send a reminder following your initial communication, but be sure to keep a natural and non-antagonizing cadence when attempting to continue communication and build your relationship.
Your relationships are the cornerstone of your real estate career. Be sure to spend time cultivating and nurturing not only your leads, but the way you build your relationships.
