When you get a real estate license and hang it with a broker, one of the first things the broker will tell you is to contact your sphere of influence. It's the first step in building a following and a referral base.
You may never have heard that term before, so you might have said “Who??” Well, of course you know by now that your sphere of influence includes all the people you know in any capacity. Maybe even some you don’t really know – such as your Mom’s friends and your children’s playmates’ parents.
Your job is to let them all know that you’re now a real estate agent and that, of course, you’d like their business.
So what are you going to say? You certainly don’t want to sound like you’re begging, but if you don’t tell them you can help and they hire some darn stranger you really are going to feel like kicking yourself.
So make an announcement – much the same as you would announce your marriage or the birth of a child. Simply share your happy news with your friends.
You can include the reasons why you chose this career – reasons that will, of course, show your dedication to and fascination with all things real estate. You can also offer your services as their “information source” about the local market.
You can mention the hours you’ve spent viewing homes and studying the listings and sales in order to prepare for your new career. The idea, of course, is to convey the feeling that you’ve been out there learning all you can about your market and you know the latest information.
I like the phrase “You now have a friend in real estate” – used to convey the idea that they no longer have to take a chance with a stranger who may or may not know the market well and who may or may not be reliable. Your goal is to show them how your new career is a benefit to them.
If you want to make it short and sweet, use the greeting card format. This works well because the shape will entice people to open it. Make it convey your excitement as you embark on your new career, and emphasize the fact that they can call on you any time for information.
You could say “You now have a friend in real estate. So whether you need to buy or sell or just want information about the market, call me!”
Be sure to include your business card in the envelope!
2017 UPDATE: Since this post was written in 2010, I've created a website just for new agents, and have written a letter of introduction that you can take and use. Click here to add this letter to a shopping cart - where you'll find that the letter is free.
Use it as is, or add more information as suggested above.
Either way - don't delay in letting everyone know you're now their personal real estate resource.
Once you’ve sent your initial announcement, I believe you should send a monthly, or at least quarterly, newsletter. They may forget about your announcement, so you need to keep reminding them.
When you use the non-aggressive approach of simply conveying information, they will welcome your messages and they will see that you are becoming "the" expert in your chosen niche.
Your newsletter should include a short promo about your services, but more about market conditions and things going on in the neighborhood. You can even include buying or selling tips, or announcements about upcoming events.
OK - get out there and tell the world you're proud of your new career!
Girl with megaphone Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Group of people Image courtesy of ddpavumba at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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