Hello everyone,
It is nice to blog to you today. I have an issue that I feel is something that actually affects numerous realtors. Asking for referrals. This is difficult to many, because of a wide range of reasons. The main reason I find is that people are embarassed to ask for them. They feel vulnerable asking for help, something which manifests itself in Real Estate and the world in general. No one wants to look like they need the help, because in some peoples mind it could be considered personal failure. I will speak later on failure and how it is not really a bad thing.
How often have you come across a Realtor and asked, How are thing s going for you? They reply emphatically with "Things are great". This is said with a certain level of hollowness. They want everyone to believe they are doing great, when actually they have one foot out the door and contemplating a move to another career. We need to be able to face the truth, that things are not great for the bulk of us in the trenches out there. ONce we come to terms with the fact that things are not great, it becomes easier to ask others for help. This is where our circle of clients, friends and past transactions come into play. Let me give you a story real quick.
I had just hung up the phone with another client who had decided to wait until next year. I stared at my bank statement and shook my head in disbelief. What to do to add bucks to my account. I picked up the phone about to call my sphere and hung up, feeling sad that I was going to ask for help. I thought about this and then picked up the phone and hesitatantly dialed the first number. The client we will call her , Jen, was so happy to hear from me. We spoke for a bit and I found out she was doing well. Towards the end of the conversation I asked her somewhat sheepishly if she could refer anyone she knew that was interested in buying or selling real estate. SHe said she would gladly do so and the conversation ended soon after. I hung up the phone and told myself, lets see what happens. Not even a week later Jen called me, telling me about some people she knew from church that was in need of a home before the holidays. I met with them and the next Saturday we went looking at homes. We did so for a couple of weeks and we found the perfect house for them. To make a long story short, 2 and a half months late I was placing my 12,000 commmision into my bank. Wow, this really works.
How much easier is it to work the people you know then to go out cold calling or door knocking. So my advice is to swallow your pride and do your job as a Realtor. Speak with everyone you know, they know how hard Real Estate is now, and if they are your friends or family or even past clients they would be more than happy to help you grow your business. I will continue to write ideas on my blog as the days go, enjoy reading this and I hope it helps you. Remember "your referrals are your greatest gift to me" after e-mails and mailings.
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