As we continue our series on “How to Get More Home Staging and Real Estate Referrals” this week, I want to talk about the best time to ask for a referral.
Do you know the answer? All of our APSD Certified Home Stagers and Home Staging Professionals because I am a big believer in getting your referral engine revving, so we talk about it a great deal.
The very best time to ask for a referral is when your existing client is absolutely thrilled with the results you have created for them.
That might be right after you have listed the home, the first moment they saw your home staging transformation of the property, or it might be after your initial conversation when you offered your home staging or real estate services. They may have thought you were amazing right then and decided you were going to be friends for life.
Other times, you won’t receive referrals until you receive an actionable result. So, your client may not be willing to refer you until the home gets a contract, sells or closes. That is okay as long as you stay on top of your communication and referral request marketing program.
I will talk more specifically about that during the next article.
Normally, I carry ‘Referral Sheets’ with me when I do a home staging or real estate marketing job. As soon as the agent, sellers or investors eyes light up when they see the magic I created, I ask them for a referral. Of course, I am delicate. I first thank them for the opportunity to work with them. Ask if there is anything else I can do for them to help sell the home in the shortest amount of time for the most amount of money and then, I say “Who else do you know that I might also be able to help sell their home in the shortest amount of time for the most amount of money?”
I have now planted the seed and I pull out my sheet of paper in preparation to write down the referrals information on the spot.
Sometimes, they will say ‘I can’t think of anyone right now, but I will give you a call.” Or they may ask to take the sheet with them and send it to me later.
That is all fine as long as you know how to respond. What I do is to simply ask when they will have a moment to write down the names and I will pop by and pick up the list since I will be in the neighborhood of their office anyway. Usually, I offer a time, such as “9am” and ask if that gives them enough time.
Of course, they say yes and give me a little laugh at my tenacity. I am okay with that because I just did a great job for them and they know I am about to do a great job for the next person as well.
What happens if I get to their office and they still don’t have any names? I say, “oh, no problem, I am just going to grab a cup of coffee while your write…do you take cream or sugar? I will get you one too and be right back.” Again, we might both have a chuckle, but the truth is they want to refer me, so I have to give them the opportunity.
Remember, when you refer someone good, it only makes you look good, so give them the opportunity to look good in the eyes of their peers…and yes, it is okay to have a little fun with it!
Next week, we will continue our Referral discussion with a discussion on the best cycle of communication when requesting referrals.
To your Abundant Success,
Karen Schaefer
Founder, APSD; The Association of Property Scene Designers
The World Leader in Home Staging Training and Certification
www.APSDmembers.com – Get your free Home Staging Training CD Today!
PS- If you are serious about building your Real Estate and Home Staging Business this year, join me at our Home Staging and Marketing Training event this June. And, right now, we have a ‘Refer a Friend’ 2 for 1 special. www.APSDmembers.com/STAGE
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