We all appreciate getting recommendations from friends and colleagues. And, as Realtors, we have many opportunities to make recommendations, and pay it forward to other businesses.
One way you can pay it forward to others is to create a list of your favorite vendors and businesses for buyers and sellers. This is a great tool to help your clients and your favorite vendors, and it helps with marketing also. Most of the businesses on the list should be ones that will benefit your sellers or buyers who need to fix up their house. For example, you will want to include a roofer, AC/heating company, insurance agent, mortgage lender, house cleaner, power-washer, carpet cleaner, painter, pest control company, etc.
You should also include some of your favorites that are not necessarily for home fix-up. Include your dentist, auto-repair place, hair stylist, favorite boutique, restaurants, yard guy, etc. Include people you enjoy doing business with.
Once you have your list complete, you can spruce it up and make it pretty, and include your branding on the document. Then, take your list to the businesses you recommend, and give them a copy. Tell them you are proud to include them on your list of recommended businesses, and ask if they will do the same for you. Give them some of your business cards to hand out, and ask them if there is some way that you can help each other build more business. Maybe you could give each other a shout-out on Facebook. Most people will be happy to give a recommendation for you if you are giving recommendations for them.
Give the list to your clients, and ask them to be sure to tell the business owners that YOU sent them when they do business with anyone on the list. You could get really creative and try to include an incentive if one of those businesses reports back that your clients called them. Maybe you could include a promotion that says, “Every time you use a business on this list, tell them that I sent you, and let me know about it. I will place your name into a drawing for a free dinner at my favorite restaurant.” And of course, follow through with that promotion!
Include the list in your listing presentation folder. Write a blog about your list and tell folks to email you if they would like a copy. It’s a great marketing tool, and you can use that list in many different ways!
Happy Prospecting!
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