A few weeks ago, a fellow Contactually user published an article on Quartz about how to be “insanely well-connected.”
He’s not a real estate agent nor does he have any relationship to the real estate profession, but Chris Fralic gets it. A successful venture capitalist, he understands how people should be interacting and building up their business relationships — and why it’s so important.
This set of skills that could make or break your career is not something that real estate agents (or the profession as a whole) embody or embrace. And why is that? Relationships are the lifeblood of our business, and strengthening those relationships should be at the top of every agents’ priority list.
But it’s not always something that proves its return on investment immediately; rather, it’s a slow burn that requires some upfront setup with a big payoff, albeit delayed.
According to the latest statistics from NAR, “Sixty-four percent of sellers found their agent through a referral from a friend, neighbor, or relative or used an agent they had worked with before to buy or sell a home.” Aren’t almost all referrals based on relationships?
I’m calling you, my fellow agents and real estate professionals, to build more of these core tenets into your day-to-day as we all work toward creating a greater real estate community. So what’s that going to take?
1. Be genuine
You are most likely facilitating one of the most important and emotional purchases in someone’s life. This is not the time to ignore your humanity and empathy.
Learn what’s important to your clients, hear their needs, and do your best to meet them. Add value to their lives and your relationship, whether it be information on the new neighborhood they moved to, or an article they might find information.
You’ll find that by adding value, you’ll receive value back tenfold.
2. Be grateful
Are thank-you notes an important part of your business? They should be non-negotiable.
Showing that you’re grateful for both your colleagues and your clients can go a long way in building genuine relationships.
Whether it’s clients providing you with business or a co-worker giving you advice, there’s no wrong time to say “thank you,” and such a gesture only goes to show how much you value their relationship.
3. Be honest
If you can’t meet clients’ needs or have something difficult to discuss, then this is the time for honesty.
We’re so often afraid to be open and honest in professional settings or with clients who we may be afraid to let down, but opening an honest dialogue invites the other side to be honest, too, and everyone wins in such a situation.
4. Be aware
Birthday? Home-buying anniversary? Staying up to date and aware of what’s going on in the lives of those in your network is one of the most important and easiest ways to build genuine relationships.
It’s as simple as making a note in your CRM or contact’s information and setting a reminder to reach out. The personal touch of remembering a significant event — no matter how small — can often make the biggest impact.
Can you start incorporating these four building blocks into your everyday interactions? If you already are, how can you make them better — more genuine or more honest?
Embrace the art of relationship building and join me as we revolutionize the real estate industry from one human connection to another.
Brandon Doyle is a Realtor at Doyle Real Estate Team — Re/Max Results in Minneapolis and co-author of Mindset, Methods & Metrics – Winning as a Modern Real Estate Agent. You can follow him on Twitter.
