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Ask An Ambassador: How Do I Get Referrals From ActiveRain?

By
Real Estate Agent with Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.WarrenCountyOhioRealEstate.com SAL.2002007747

There are a multitude of ways to gain business.

Direct mail.

Paid leads.

Social media of all forms.

Door knocking.

Open houses.

Websites.

Name badges.

Car magnets.

Reminding EVERYONE you know that you're in real estate.

And of course, referrals from other agents.

Now obviously the odds are better if you're associated with a large community with lots of people coming and going. 

We live between Cincinnati and Dayton Ohio in Warren County.  While we don't serve the entirety of those markets, I'll work the east and north parts of Cincinnati's suburbs and the southern parts of Dayton, and under the right circumstances I can push that boundary a bit further.

Now I don't expect people to find Warren County Ohio on a map, just as I generally don't know the counties of other agents here in the Rain.  So if I want referrals from other Rainers the burden is on me to make it easy for others to know our service area.  Again, there's a variety of ways to make sure I increase those odds that you'll remember I'm in the general Cincinnati area:

1.  Blog topic choice.  Once upon a time I wrote a LOT of local events and info posts.  But back then I was writing 10-14 posts a week and now that I'm down to a post a day, chances are my blog topic is going to be more purely real estate over local interest.  However, Rainers that have a heavy proportion of local info posts are going to be top of mind for me when I need to make a referral, or when I'm cruising a Facebook group and someone asks for a referral for a certain area and I can recommend someone (did it this morning, hopefully it leads to something for the best agent I know in the upper north of Maine).

2.  Geographic identification.  In your comment tag, profile, blog signature block, etc.  Edit your profile and blog signature as needed to make sure you're leaving the geographic bread crumbs to be found.  We include a service area map in our signature block to make it easier to associate us with our area.

identification

identification 2

 

3.  Participate in the community.  Comment heavily on blog posts, answer Q&A, write the occasional post that is meant to engage the ActiveRain community.

4.  Build up your audience.  Blog regularly.  We've been here a long time and we've topped 3,000 followers (now how many of them are ACTIVE members of the community and actually read what we post...that's a far lesser number!).  But the reality is that if we post, we know we have a core group likely to see what we write.  And if I'm doing my job and keeping WHERE we work out in front, the odds are better that group will remember us when they have a referral opportunity.

5.  Don't be a jackass.  I've got a mental list of who I'll refer to, and another mental list of "when Hell freezes over".  It's NOT the differences in opinions that will kill your business, it's how you go about expressing them that'll pull the rug out from under you.  My thought?  Your judgement in this community, on Facebook, etc. are a solid indicator of how you handle your real estate business.  If you're a bull in a china shop, I'm choosing another agent.

6.  Demonstrate your knowledge and skills.  Show me you know how to present a listing.  Tell me how you've helped buyers.  Give me a feel for how you do business.  If I don't know you that well, I'm going to read through your blog roll and see what it tells me. 

7.  Climb the leaderboard.  Gaining ranking may be the ticket to getting noticed.

Now even doing all of this, gaining a referral may be a long shot, especially if you live in a smaller area.  So optimize the things you can, but don't lose focus on the most likely people to find your posts and hire you:  home buyers and sellers.  

 

Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help!

Bill of Liz and Bill aka BLiz

 

Posted by

Serving Warren County Ohio & Adjacent Areas

The Liz Spear Team of Transaction Alliance
Elizabeth Spear, ABR, Ohio License SAL.2002007747

William (Bill) Spear, Ohio License SAL.2004011109 
Ask for us by name if you visit the office!

EHO
Bill Direct:  513-520-5305
Liz Direct: 513-265-3004     
Fax: 866-302-8418

MailTo:  Liz@LizSpear.com

Search Homes:  Https://WarrenCountyOhioRealEstate.com

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OUR PRIMARY SERVICE AREA:


Comments(29)

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Sharon Mistowski
Horizon Lending Services, LLC - Prosper, TX
Horizon Lending Services, LLC

These are really great tips! I'll have to take a look at my profile today to see how I can have a greater appeal. Thanks for writing this post!

Jul 04, 2018 09:34 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

It never hurts to check out the profile to see if there's something we can do to make it better.

Jul 04, 2018 02:47 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Retired Home Stager/Redesign

Hey Bill- very well said. Without actually meeting members here or speaking with them over the phone, all we have are their posts and comments on other posts. 

Jul 04, 2018 10:15 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

And I've established some pretty long relationships here, even though some of those folks have left the Rain years ago.

Jul 04, 2018 02:48 PM
Gary & Melynda Wolter, Since 2001, 480-269-1164
ProSmart Realty - Mesa, AZ
Reliable, Premier Personal Service since 2001

Love the blog! Hope we can exchange referrals some day! We will treat your east valley Phoenix referrals like gold!

Jul 04, 2018 11:15 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Thanks!

Jul 04, 2018 02:48 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Retired Broker/Owner - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Hi Bill - another great post chocked full of good information. Building relationships is so important and how one goes about that is critical.  Glad that you suggested the below statement as some folks just don't get it....

 

5.  Don't be a jackass.  I've got a mental list of who I'll refer to, and another mental list of "when Hell freezes over".  It's NOT the differences in opinions that will kill your business, it's how you go about expressing them that'll pull the rug out from under you.  My thought?  Your judgement in this community, on Facebook, etc. are a solid indicator of how you handle your real estate business.  If you're a bull in a china shop, I'm choosing another agent.

 

Jul 04, 2018 03:00 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

AB, I don't see it too much in the Rain, but there's plenty of cause in Facebookland to add people to the Nope list.

Jul 04, 2018 05:51 PM
Richard (richie) Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

referral food sold here....

Jul 04, 2018 03:27 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

And you never know who will need what, glad to have people like you in my network when I need help in  Riverside.

Jul 04, 2018 05:51 PM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
Southern Utah's Preferred Real Estate Agent.

Like Anna Banana Kruchten CRB, CRS 602-380-4886, #5. speaks volumes! I have given and received here in the Rain with plans for more Bliz.

Jul 04, 2018 06:15 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

Ditto.  I might not have as many opportunities as I'd like, but considering our market I can't complain.

Jul 05, 2018 04:19 AM
Travis "the SOLD man" Parker; Broker/Owner
Travis Realty - Enterprise, AL
email: Travis@theSOLDman.me / cell: 334-494-7846

Good points. I do need to get back to reading and posting more here. THANK for the kick in the pants!

Jul 04, 2018 07:07 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

There's always something positive to be gained in this community.

Jul 05, 2018 04:19 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hey Bliz

I would refer to you in a heartbeat! AR provides an excellent venue to learn about others that we would want to refer to! Great content, participation and reciprocation are keys to getting those referrals!

Have a great holiday and rest of the week!

Jef

Jul 04, 2018 08:05 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

That's what I love about this community vs. a company specific directory or FB group.  I get insight into personalities.  Too often in a FB group I see people singing the praises of someone a market over or almost no production.  The pay to get promoted model is a disservice to those groups.

Jul 05, 2018 04:20 AM
Carolyn Roland- In Delaware and S. Chester County PA
Independent architectural histor'n - Wilmington, DE
Carolyn Roland, GRI, CRS

I love your use of maps! Thanks for all the hints.

Jul 04, 2018 09:01 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

They've come in handy!

Jul 05, 2018 04:21 AM
Kathy Neveu
Real Estate One - Beulah, MI

When you blog is it only on AR? Or do you have another blog for the general public?

Jul 05, 2018 06:12 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Mainly here, although I've created a lot of search & subdivision pages on our Wordpress site.

Jul 05, 2018 06:52 AM
Samantha Smith
214.422.0729 www.SamIAmHouses.com - Rowlett, TX
Sam I Am Houses, Simply Texas Real Estate

The Rain is a great source of Client Leads from my Local Posts but also from fellow Rainer's needing a referal to give their client who's moving to a new area. Active Rain is phenominal! It's been a big help to me!  

I've been part of the Active Rain community for ~7 years and when I joined, I had a goal of reacihing Top 10 & I'm super proud to say that as of last week, I am now Ranked #10 out of the 2,047 agents/members in Dallas County!

A lot of sound adivce from you OG Rainers has helped get me there as well as grow my business! Thank You for always sharing!!! It is greatly appreciated!!!

Jul 05, 2018 07:56 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Will keep on doing so every Tuesday :)

Jul 05, 2018 10:42 AM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

You can bet if I have a client moving to the greater Cincinnati or Dayton area, I'll be in touch with you. And it may be a rare situation, but if you have anyone moving to Central Mississippi, I hope you'll think of me.

Jul 05, 2018 09:05 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

We did have someone move there about a decade back, but they did so after another move or two.

Jul 05, 2018 10:42 AM
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

Great Tips on how to get referrals ... I have bookmarked for future re-reading and application.  Thanks!  I would love to work with you in the future -- working SE Wisconsin ... think Lake Michigan and the Border of Illinois and Wisconsin ... that's where I am.  

Q.  How did you put the map on your signature?

Jul 05, 2018 10:33 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

I've been to your general area (spent a few weeks at Great Lakes Naval Station) and more recently used to go to Sheboygan Falls to visit a supplier, so flying in and out of Milwaukee was common. 

As far as maps in the blog signature, just follow the bouncing ball, and then embed the html code in your blog signature:  https://activerain.com/blogsview/5193388/ask-an-ambassador---map-your-way-to-more-business--and-it-s-free--

Jul 05, 2018 10:41 AM
Jim Paulson
Progressive Realty (Boise Idaho) www.Progressive-Realty.info - Boise, ID
Owner,Broker

My main two places to check for outgoing referrals is a combination of CRS & AR.  With all the people moving to Idaho from California, I need to blog more about that so people will find me out of the 4,300 other local agents so the consumers can see the difference experience makes.

Jul 05, 2018 12:34 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

For me, it's here.  If I can't find someone here, I probably know someone here that can point me to someone else.  And our niche in patio homes has helped differentiate us from our competition.

Jul 06, 2018 09:42 AM
Chuck Tanner
Keller Williams Realty - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker "Let's Get You Moving"

Great post Liz & Bill. Is the service area map in your AR profile or posted somewhere else? How did you embed it? Thanks!

Jul 06, 2018 05:22 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Chuck, See my response in comment 25.  Follow that link on the steps to create a custom Google map, then grab the html code and embed it in your ActiveRain blog signature, and then it will show in every post.

Jul 06, 2018 09:41 AM
Anne Corbin
Long and Foster - Lake Anna - Spotsylvania, VA
Serving Lake Anna & Central Virginia

Ambassadors are a necessity for us Rainmakers. I love reading the tried and true advice columns and know you're there for advice and referrals! Thanks so much for the informative column.

Jul 06, 2018 09:36 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

I always figure if my Tuesday AAA columns can help shorten the learning curve for another Rainer, it was worth writing.

Jul 06, 2018 09:42 AM
Robert Vegas Bob Swetz
Las Vegas, NV

Hello Liz and Bill,

Great post for us AR members, congrats on the AR feature and also featured to the group:

Addicted to Active Rain

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Jul 08, 2018 08:07 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

VB, Definitely addicted here.  Next month barring some catastrophe will complete blogging daily for 8 years.

Jul 09, 2018 06:56 PM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Great advice to any agent on this site, and a good reminder for checking our profiles for service areas.  Too many profiles don't show  a city or state on a post, unless you click on their profile.  I could probably update mine, too!  Thanks!

Jul 08, 2018 07:54 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

I know you're in Scottsdale :)

Jul 09, 2018 06:56 PM
Cathy Starkweather
La Rosa Realty, LLC. - Celebration, FL

I really like the idea of the mapped service area, thank you for sharing. 

Jul 10, 2018 05:09 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

You're welcome!

Jul 14, 2018 07:25 PM
Kent Anderson
Coldwell Banker Resort Realty, Sandpoint, Idaho - Sandpoint, ID
from Schweitzer to the Lake

I'm creating my service area map as we speak!  Thank you!

Jul 14, 2018 12:37 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

Like the use of the header in the map!

Jul 14, 2018 07:25 PM