As a REALTOR®, you understand that knowing how to network in real estate isn't just about expanding your professional circle—it's about growing your business. Networking is an essential part of the real estate industry, as to grow your business you need to continuously be making connections and mastering it so it can provide you with many more opportunities, knowledge, and success. So let's start with understanding the 2 different groups you want to network with.
The 2 Powerful Ways to Network as a realtor®
In real estate, many professionals believe there is only 1 way to network to leverage and grow your business but there are multiple ways to network and utilize your relationships to grow your business.
Connecting & Networking with fellow REALTORS®
The amazing thing about real estate is there is enough to go around for everyone, so collaborating and networking with fellow REALTORS® Nationwide can help you with a plethora of things. By connecting with fellow REALTORS® you can collaborate on ideas, technology, and resources building a strong and supportive relationship.
See your connections with out-of-town real estate professionals as a referral opportunity, with many Americans living in many different states in their lifetime the likelihood of an out-of-town buyer/seller is high so why not leverage that?
When connecting with fellow real estate professionals position and presenting yourself as someone they want to work with, being polite with clear communication and follow-up sets the tone and expectation of what working with you would be like. Get to understand them and their business and do not be afraid to throw out there the question of referring clients to each other. Think back to how many clients you have had that are moving/moved from out of town or moving out of town. You can leverage this connection to send and receive quality referrals which untimely grows your business and most importantly you have a reliable fellow REALTOR® that you know and are comfortable passing your client on to continue an exceptional service. Lasting for a long-term connection. 🔗
Connecting & Networking with the local community
The beauty about real estate is everyone is a potential buyer or seller, whether you come across someone hot and ready to buy or make a connection for a future real estate transaction... real estate is a numbers game so the more connections you can make and proactively keep engaged the more your business will flourish and grow.
According to Realtor.com 7%-10% of the people in your database are seeking to buy or sell within the next year, so do you want 10 people in your database or 10,000?
This goes back to real estate being a numbers game, growing your connections directly grows your business so it is important to see the potential in everyone. Some great ways to connect and build more connections are co-hosting local events, joining local committees and chambers, throwing a block party, etc.
PRO TIP: The importance of keeping your sphere engaged and yourself top of mind is KEY to ensuring maximum success. There is many REALTORS® and other businesses that attract buyers and sellers such as Zillow.com and OpenDoor.com and that makes it easy to be forgotten, but not as easy if you are proactively providing resources and turning your connections into authentic and genuine relationships positioning yourself as their local real estate expert.... Something that can never be replaced.
Why is Networking in Real Estate Important?
Networking in real estate is crucial for several reasons. It allows you to meet potential clients, learn from experienced professionals, discover new opportunities, and stay updated with industry trends.
Whether you are attending an event with your local board or attending a happy hour at a local restaurant. by collaborating with local realtors you can discover new skills, ideas, technology and so much more. While meeting people in the local community grows your connection. Real estate is a relationship and personable business, so positioning yourself to meet more people in person can significantly increase your knowledge and bottom line.
Building a Robust Professional Network
One of the best ways to network in real estate is by attending industry events. Conferences, seminars, and trade shows are excellent platforms to meet other industry professionals which can lead to potential referrals.
Networking with other business professionals can open you up to a plethora of resources, services, knowledge & technology to help optimize your business to grow and succeed in real estate. Building a network of trusted and reliable Mortgage Companies, Title, Inspectors, Transaction Management Solutions and so much more can open your horizons to more success and support.
With how fast things change, especially in the world of real estate staying on top of some industry events can help open your eyes to more ideas, opportunities, and ways to scale your business.
How to find networking opportunities
When finding events and networking opportunities to attend it can be hard to find what is right for you, I always recommend seeing what your local board/REALTORS® Association has going on for connecting with like-minded real estate professionals and utilizing platforms like Eventbrite and Facebook Events as a resource to discover what is going on in the community.
Engage with Your Local Community
Participating in local community events is another effective way to network. By doing this, you not only get to know the community better but also position yourself as a local real estate expert. Building and fostering new relationships with prospective buyers and sellers in your town gets you out there and having conversations about real estate.
Positioning yourself as the local community expert builds relationships and trust, everyone has questions about the real estate market and the most common one is "How's the industry?" turn these conversations into connections and relationships, secure the individual's contact information whether it be number or social media.
Giving back to your community is a great way to find fellow like-minded people who care about others while doing some good and giving back. 💛
Online Presence: The New Age of Networking in Real Estate
In today's digital age, networking isn't limited to face-to-face interactions. A strong online presence is as equally important, do not be scared to add some friends of friends on Facebook. Message people to connect or even better message them with a local blog or market statistics... something of value to open the door to a connection and not be a bother at the same time. Have your social media profiles up to date with your information and from there grow your audience to keep them engaged by providing resources, sharing what you are doing, local events, and even some testimonials and updates on your closed transactions to keep top of mind that you are not just their local REALTOR®, but someone they can relate too and befriend... New Connection Secured ✅
Social Media Networking
Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram can be powerful networking tools. Regularly posting relevant content and engaging with your audience can help you build relationships and establish credibility.
This does not mean only post "Just Sold" and "Under Contract" content... engage your audience with questions, resources, and by sharing yourself authentically to show you are relatable. A very high amount consumers want to work with someone who they can trust and have familiarity with and it is hard to get that relatable message across if all you post is about business.
Online Networking Events and Webinars
Online networking events and webinars offer opportunities to connect with professionals from different regions, expanding your reach beyond local boundaries. Now as it may be hard to discuss with other agents, most online webinars and trainings don't just provide value but also can introduce you to other industry-leading professionals and ways of how other people can be an asset and resource for you and your business. Explore some virtual events below to grow your knowledge while meeting some great people.
The Art of Listening in Real Estate Networking
Active listening is a key aspect of effective networking. It shows respect, builds trust, and helps you understand the needs and concerns of your clients and peers. When you do a post-follow-up shortly after making your connection, be sure to include something they mentioned is important to them so they know you heard and listened, this can go a long way in building trust.
The Power of Partnerships
Developing business partnerships with complementary service providers such as mortgage brokers, home inspectors, transaction management companies, interior designers, etc can enhance your service offerings and provide mutual referral opportunities.
Having your own network of vetted and trusted professionals ensures your top-tier level of service is set high across the board and it helps your buyer/seller save time as you already have reliable partnerships for them to utilize.
Final Thoughts ✨
Learning how to network in real estate is crucial for any REALTOR® looking to grow their business. Remember, successful networking is about building genuine relationships and providing value to others in any way that may fit for the many ways you can connect. An important tip when growing these connections is keeping your sphere engaged, so don't be scared to invest in a CRM.
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