As a real estate agent you already know how important is it to have a steady flow of leads coming your way. One of the most effective ways to keep those leads coming is to be prominent within your sphere of influence.
Are you not sure what your sphere of influence is, or if you even have one? Keep reading to learn more about how to connect with this helpful group of people and how to effectively engage with those same people for the maximum impact on your business.
What is a Sphere of Influence in Real Estate?
Did you know that you already have a sphere of influence?
At its core, a sphere of influence is simply the people you know who you have some influence over. Your friends and family are part of your sphere, along with your professional network. Increasing your network should be one of your primary goals as an agent, because a robust sphere will allow you to help more buyers and sellers, and ultimately make more sales.
Connect with your Sphere of Influence by Providing Value
Many agents cringe at the thought of contacting the people they know. They don’t want to feel smarmy, or like they’re only interested in the relationship for the profit potential.
The solution to this dilemma is straightforward: always aim to provide value.
Some agents do this through a helpful monthly newsletter, where they share insider information that their audience will find useful. Email isn’t the only method, though:
- You could connect with people through social media sites like Facebook or Twitter, making yourself available to answer questions.
- Publish useful blog posts on your website and share them via LinkedIn.
- Offer to speak about the real estate climate in your town at a local Chamber of Commerce meeting.
How can you provide value to the people you know? Take some time to think about your skills and knowledge, then get out and help people learn more about real estate. The next time you’re tempted to call someone to let them know about your business you won’t feel so bad.
Make Connecting with your Sphere of Influence a Daily Ritual
If you want to succeed in real estate you’ll need to connect with your sphere of influence regularly. Consider building this connection time into your daily routine. You don’t have to spend hours doing this and some of the best ways to keep in touch are relatively quick:
- Keep a list of birthdays and send a personal birthday wish through email or with a handwritten card.
- Make a phone call or send an email simply to ask, “How are you doing?”
- Invite someone in your sphere out to coffee or lunch. Alternatively, invite someone new.
- Get involved in your community through volunteering, business organizations or even a casual sports league.
- Check in with your network on LinkedIn. Praise their accomplishments and comment on their articles.
- Similarly, hop on Facebook and interact with your network. A simple ‘Like’ is great, but feel free to engage more thoroughly where appropriate.
- If you read real estate blogs leave a comment before navigating away.
And if you aren’t sure how to begin building your sphere, Realty Times has an excellent list of people who should be in your sphere of influence.
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