Category: Referral Network

Stop Wasting Your Time On Other Platforms

It’s no secret that there are plenty of agents that could be using your services right now. The big question is, how do you reach out to them and begin building relationships that are mutually beneficial?

Many people turn to social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Sure, these platforms can be useful, but if you’re using them, the truth is that you might be wasting your time and effort.

What type of results have you been experiencing?

Probably not much and here’s why:

1. The Platforms Don’t Have A Specific Audience

While a lot of platforms have millions of users, the big thing to keep in mind is that the users are not a specific audience. How many people in the industry do you think are actually seeing your posts on their feed or viewing your profile? Probably not many!

You might get a few reactions from people that like some pictures you took after staging a house, a post you put out about your home inspection services, your most recent landscaping design, etc…

…But what are those reactions doing for your business?

Nothing!

The key takeaway here is that the more specific the better.

2. The Only Way To Target Specific People Is With Paid Ads

When you really want to dial in who will see your posts, in most cases, the only way to make this happen on the majority of social media platforms is to pay for ads. This is another tactic that can be useful, but unfortunately, it often leads to more harm than good.

I say this because ads can quickly become expensive and there’s really no point in using them if you’re spending more than you are receiving.

Plus, while setting up ads may sound simple, it can actually be quite challenging, especially when it comes to ads that actually produce profitable results. That’s why many large companies that use them hire entire teams to manage them, spend countless hours and dollars testing them, and still end up in the hole sometimes.

3. They Are Time Consuming

If you’re willing to dig in deep, you can always search for agents in the industry that could use your services, but doing so can be incredibly time consuming. You’re already busy trying to grow your business. Do you really have the time or patience to sift through countless accounts to try to build relationships?

This brings me to my next point.

4. Social Media Managers Are Costly

Hiring a social media manager to create posts, find connections, and take care of the daily tasks for your business profile can save you a lot of time but it can also dip deeply into your profits. The average annual salary for a social media manager is roughly $50,000!

That’s a lot of money, especially when you consider the fact that you might not even break even at the end.

So, What’s The Solution?

With all of that being said, you’re probably left wondering if there’s a better way…

…And the answer is that there is.

IdealEstate is here to offer the solution you’ve been looking for!

No need for expensive ads…

No frustration with non-targeted audiences…

No need to hire social media managers…

No more wasted time and effort…

Check out the screenshots below to see how easy our platform is to reach highly targeted audiences that actually bring you value.

First, click on your profile and then click on “Find Referrals”.

Then, select all professionals.

Finally, select your preferred location and profession.

We’re a platform that’s dedicated to bringing agents together with the people that offer the services they need.

Here are a few of the things that set us apart from other social media platforms:

• Our audience is 100% tailored to real estate.
• The ability to target specific locations, multiple cities, or even nationwide.
• Suggested connections.
• Automatic matching of non-agent professionals and agents.
• Notifications of people who are looking to expand their network.
• Ready-to-go messages that make reaching out easier than ever.
• Profile tracking allows you to see who is showing interest in your business.
• Proprietary email campaigns that streamline long-term relationship building.

The best part is that our platform simplifies the entire process. If you can spend 10-15 minutes a day using IdealEstate, you can begin building your business faster than you ever thought was possible.

Anyone can make that claim, but we want to prove it to you. Sometimes the only way to believe something is to experience it for yourself.

Do yourself a favor and click the link below to learn why a preferred membership on IdealEstate is one of the most powerful tools you can possess, how our platform builds relationships in just 3 steps, and check out testimonials from some of our users.

Get Started Here

Turning A Connection Into A Valuable Relationship

Advancements in technology have made many things in life more convenient and time-saving than ever. However, there are still some things that are better when handled the old-fashioned way. One of these in particular is picking up the phone and having real conversations to build valuable relationships with potential referral partners.

Here is everything you need to know about why using the phone can work in your favor and how to make a first call that leads to a long-term relationship.

1. The Advantages Of A Phone Call

One of the most important parts of building a relationship is keeping things personable. You want to be able to show a potential referral that you are interested in them, their success, as well as growing your business in a way that creates a winning situation for everyone involved.

Often, it can be difficult to be this personal through emails or text messages. Tones are often lost in text and it can be hard for many people to put their thoughts into words while creating messages.

You’ve probably misunderstood at least one person’s intentions while reading an email and took it completely the wrong way only to find out later that you completely misinterpreted what the person was trying to convey…

…Maybe you even took it offensively or as if they were being greedy when they were simply trying to reach out to help you.

This happens a lot more than people realize!

Using the phone is the best way to convey the correct tone, get your thoughts out properly, learn a lot about a person in a short amount of time, and create a streamlined line of communication that is convenient for both parties.

2. When Is The Best Time To Make Your First Call?

When your first call is placed is actually an important part of success in building relationships. You don’t want to place the call too early and you certainly don’t want to wait too long. So, when is the best time?

As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to wait until you and a potential referral partner have exchanged at least a few messages back and forth. This will ensure that there has been a certain level of trust and connection established before jumping into a one-on-one conversation.

3. Research Is Critical

Never schedule a call with someone until you have done your research. The more you know about them, the more it shows that you are interested in them as a person and not merely what they have to offer you. Remember, the key to success when building a referral network is showing that the situation will be valuable for everyone involved.

The good news is that IdealEstate makes researching potential referral partners as easy as clicking a mouse or tapping your screen. Simply open a person’s profile and you can view important information such as their bio, designations, the area they are from, their level of experience, the training they may have, and much more valuable information that will help you approach a conversation almost like you already know them.

4. What Should Be Discussed?

People often mistake what it means to be personal while speaking with someone. In all honesty, a busy referral partner likely does not want to spend their first call with you discussing your pets or the vacation you took last month. While these topics may get brought up later in the relationship, an initial call is not the place for them.

Yes, the conversation should have a personal feel to it, but there are more professional ways to handle this. Simply knowing a person’s name, location, profession, and a bit about their background can make a real difference when building relationships. The key to a personal conversation is reminding yourself that you are calling a person to build a business relationship, not because they are a long-lost friend.

5. Remember To Show Value

Ask yourself, if someone called you out of the blue that you have barely any connection with and all they did was ask for favors, how would you respond?

If you’re like most people, you would likely tell them to get lost (Probably in harsher words though).

Let me make this very clear…

…The only way you will have any chance of building your referral network is to make sure that you always add value when speaking to your referral partners regardless of whether it’s during your first outreach message, during your first call, or even as you continue to grow the relationship.

Simply put, NEVER take more than you are offering!

6. The #1 Mistake Agents Make During Their First Call

This is where many agents fail. It’s important to think about how you will show value, be personal, and remain professional in a short amount of time without completely dominating the conversation. The conversation needs to remain balanced, and you should never approach a potential referral partner with the attitude that you have so much value to offer that they simply cannot pass on jumping on board with you. Arrogance will lead you nowhere! Be confident in yourself and show your value without going overboard.

Are You Ready To Make Your First Call?

Understandably, reaching out to a potential referral partner over the phone can be somewhat intimidating. However, if you use the tips above, you’ll likely be surprised by how effective this method can be. Your phone can be one of your biggest assets as an agent. Now make good use of it!

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and let us know.

Here’s to your first successful follow-up phone call!

How To Avoid The Frustration Of Low Response Rates

Reaching out to potential referral partners can be challenging at times, especially when you receive low response rates. If this is something you have experienced, you’re well aware of how quickly it can begin to chip away at your motivation.

Truthfully speaking, many agents make reaching out to referrals harder than it needs to be. It can actually be quite simple, especially when using IdealEstate. However, for the highest chance to receive a response, there are some important points to keep in mind.

1. Canned Vs. Original Message

Canned messages can be quite convenient, but they can also be thought of as a double-edged sword. They do save time in the end, but they often aren’t personal enough to really grab someone’s attention.

Would you take the time to respond to a canned message? Probably not.

Original break the ice messages take more effort, but this is actually a good thing. It shows that you have a real interest in working with someone and it also shows that you’re willing to put in the effort needed to begin building a valuable relationship.

Canned messages should really just be used as a starting point. Think of them as a way to get the gears turning in your head. In other words, they are basically templates that require your own personal touch.

2. Research Before You Message

A harsh truth is that you only have a few seconds to grab a person’s attention. Once this window is closed, the chances of building a relationship rapidly begin to become smaller and smaller. It is highly important that you take the time to research the person you will be messaging before attempting to break the ice.

Ask yourself these questions:

How long have they been in the industry?

Where are they located?

What kind of licenses, designations, and credentials do they have?

What types of barriers might they be facing?

What do you have to offer that can help them and how can they help you?

These are all important things to consider when making an initial connection with someone. Being able to answer these questions will help you create a highly personalized message that will greatly increase your chance of receiving a response.

3. Keep Your Message Short And To The Point

This is where things can get a bit tricky. After all, you want to make sure you grab their attention, but you don’t want to overwhelm them at the same time.

Have you ever opened an email and instantly felt like you didn’t want to read it because it was too long?

The same thing can happen when trying to make connections. Remember, your referral partner is likely very busy and they haven’t even had the chance to get to know you yet. That’s why it’s crucial to be concise.

4. Typos Are Your Enemy!

Proper spelling and grammar are vital to a converting break the ice message. How seriously do you think a person will take you if your initial message is full of spelling mistakes and poor grammar? In all honesty, these mistakes will make you seem unprofessional, and to some people, just downright lazy.

Spelling and grammar might not be everyone’s strong points, but that’s okay. There are plenty of tools available that assist people with their writing. One that’s very effective, and free might I add, is Grammarly. This tool points out spelling errors as well as grammar mistakes. It also provides suggestions for more confident writing and even lets you know what the tone of your message sounds like.

Insider Tip: While in most cases it is best to avoid typos, there is one situation where they can be helpful. If you choose to use a canned message, intentionally adding in a small typo can make your message feel more personal since people often ensure canned messages do not contain any spelling or grammar errors.

5. Professional Or Casual?

Big question…

…Should you try to make your break the ice message sound professional or should you try to keep it more on the casual side?

The best answer is somewhere in the middle. I say this because of course you need to sound like a serious person who is interested in expanding their business while also helping someone else grow along the way.

However, at the same time, you need to sound approachable and leave the impression that you would be someone that’s enjoyable to work with.

How To Write The Perfect Break The Ice Message On IdealEstate

Using the tips above will get you off to a great start, but IdealEstate makes reaching out to referral partners with high-converting messages incredibly simple and convenient.

Here’s how…

1. Canned Messages To Get The Gears Turning

As mentioned before, personalized messages are crucial when it comes to receiving responses. The good news is that when you use our platform, you don’t have to start from scratch. IdealEstate provides a variety of canned messages that will get the creative juices flowing in your mind.

2. Research Made Simple

Trying to find information on a potential referral partner can be complicated, but not when you use IdealEstate. Our platform makes research simple and convenient. This is achieved by our profiles which include everything from a person’s bio to their licenses, designations, and everything between. You can find all of the information you need in one place.

3. Search Capabilities That Will Help You Find The Perfect Referral Partner

It can be frustrating to spend time writing the perfect outreach message only to find out that you were mistaken about a person’s location or professional title. IdealEstate’s search capabilities streamline finding the perfect referral partners which saves agents valuable time. Using the “Find Referrals” tool allows you to search for the perfect referral partner for your needs.

However, our Preferred subscription takes things one step further by offering automated referral partner matching. You don’t even have to waste any time hunting for your perfect partner. Our platform will do the hunting for you!

4. User-Friendly Messaging System

We also offer a user-friendly messaging system that further streamlines the process. When you search for your ideal referral partner and discover someone that catches your attention, simply click on the message button. It’s that simple! There’s even a field on the messaging form that allows you to put in your phone number for easy future communication.

5. The Difference Between Good And Bad Messages

If you’re still not sure exactly what a high-converting outreach message looks like, I think you’ll find the following examples of good and bad messages useful.

Good Example:

Hi [Name],

I see that you’re based in the Houston area. How has the market been there recently?

The market is still very active here in Austin.

Let’s connect for 5 mins in the next few days or so.

Bad Example:

Hi [Name],

I recently did a search on IdealEstate for referral partners that I can add to my network. Based on what I saw in your profile, I think you would be a wonderful match for my network. I believe that there is a lot I have to offer to help you grow your business, and the licenses and credentials I saw in your profile lead me to believe that you can help me as well. I look forward to growing together and I’ll be looking forward to your response.

Good Example:

Good morning!

I see that you specialize in condos and rentals.

How has the market been in Orlando?

It would be great to connect in the next few days.

Do you have 5 minutes on Thursday?

Bad Example:

I see that you viewed my listing on 123 Street, Dallas, TX. I would be happy to send you additional information if you are interested in this property or others like it.

Remember, you are just trying to break the ice and get them engaged. Asking an easy question like how has the market been in a specific area is an easy question that other agents can respond to quickly while also giving you more information based on how they answer.

Wrapping Up

When you add the tips you’ve learned here today to the convenience that IdealEstate’s platform offers, you end up with the recipe for success. If you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed or intimidated, consider writing a few practice messages to ideal referral partners you find on our site. You’ll quickly see that it’s not as hard as you might think it is.

We can’t wait to hear about all of the connections you begin forming!

As always, we’re always here to help and we would be happy to answer any questions you have.

An Effective, Proven, And Powerful Referral Partner Attraction Process

This is where things really start to get exciting. We’re about to reveal our proven 5 step formula for building valuable relationships with referral partners to generate your first lead in just 15 days!

1. Attracting The Perfect Referral Partner

This is your starting point. The important thing to remember here is that referral partners can be one of your greatest assets. The key to getting the most out of this step is to create a winning situation for everyone involved.

So, how do you attract the perfect referral partner?

IdealEstate makes it simple. You can think of our platform as the LinkedIn of real estate. When you create your profile, you’ll have the opportunity to create a bio that lists your experience, describes who you have worked with, list your licenses, and showcase anything else that you think will grab the attention of potential referral partners. Often, this alone is enough for agents to begin receiving connection requests.

We also offer a variety of tools that further streamline the attraction process. For example, our “Find Referrals” section allows you to search for referral partners that meet your specific needs across the entire country.

To search for referral partners, click the down arrow located next to your profile picture. Then click on Find Referrals.

You will then be redirected to this page. Once redirected, click on All Professionals.

After clicking on All Professionals, you can then select a Professional Category as well as a Location.

2. Proper Outreach

The next step is to reach out to your ideal referral partners. This is where many agents get intimidated. After all, you get one chance to nail your first impression. You can think of it as your make-or-break moment.

The #1 mistake that agents make here is being too aggressive. Of course, you want to try to convince referral partners that you can bring value to them, but the key to this is sticking in for the long haul. Your initial outreach should be personal and be used as a starting point to begin building a long-term relationship.

IdealEstate simplifies this process. You can research potential referral partners on our platform making it easy to begin creating a message that is tailored specifically for them.

In some cases, you may find that there isn’t really anything that stands out on their profile. The good news is that we have canned messages that you can choose from, but we highly recommend that you add your own personal touch to them.

You might be wondering what’s wrong with canned messages.

The answer is simple…

They are not personal enough and the referral partner you’re messaging will not be impressed.

The result…

Low response rates!

You can’t begin to build a valuable relationship if you aren’t able to grab a potential partner’s attention and receive a response.

The following example of an initial outreach message tends to convert quite well.

Hi [Name],

I see that you are in the Dallas area and I would love to be able to add you to my referral network. I believe working together would be a win-win situation. My business is based in Phoenix and I’m currently looking for more clients. I would greatly appreciate it if you have any clients that you can put me in contact with, and of course, I would be happy to do the same for you. Over the years I’ve learned that working as a team is a great way to expand businesses and I can see from your profile that we can be extremely valuable for one another. I look forward to hearing back from you and working together!

3. Proper Follow-Ups

Follow-ups are what allow you to really begin to build your relationship with your referral partner and begin to show your value. The chances of building a trustworthy relationship with just one message are slim.

You’ll want to periodically send follow-up messages to potential referral partners to keep you at the front of their mind. As time goes on, more trust and value will be built and as this happens, the likelihood of growing your network will continue to become greater.

IdealEstate is proud to make follow-ups as convenient as possible. By offering streamlined messaging capabilities, you can handle everything from searching for referrals to building your relationship all in one place. Simply click the “Messages” button on your profile and you’re good to go.

Messages are a great starting point, but they are only part of the connection process. Once you have established a connection with a potential referral partner and have relayed a few messages back and forth, we highly recommend that you schedule a meeting with them over the phone. It won’t take up much of your time and it’s a great way to really cement the connection. You would likely be surprised by the amount of information you can learn in just 10-15 minutes.

4. Long Term Follow-Ups

Remember, you should think of building your referral network as a marathon and not a sprint. The most important factor to keep in mind is that it’s all about building and nurturing a strong relationship.

When creating your follow-ups, take time to dive deep into how you can bring potential partners value. Some of the top things to consider include what barriers they may be facing, what connections you have to offer, solutions you have discovered for problems in the industry, and most importantly how you can save them time and help them make more money.

5. Referral Partner Retention

This is the most crucial step in the formula. Making connections and building relationships isn’t always an easy process and the last thing you want to happen is your referral network to begin dwindling away.

The worst thing you can do is take more than you provide. This will make retention next to impossible! You should never stop adding value to your network. After all, the key to making it successful is making sure everyone is being helped. Otherwise, what’s the point for your referral partners?

For the best chances of retention:

• Ask yourself if your network has everything they need.
• Take time to think about what barriers they may be encountering.
• Continue to add value at all costs.
• Never take more than you can provide.
• Reach out on a consistent basis (maybe this is done once every couple of months).
• Be open to feedback. Remember, it’s a team effort.
• Never stop nurturing the relationship. This is where many agents go wrong.

Wrapping Up

We may not be able to guarantee that you will land your first lead in 15 days. However, if you use our proven formula and incredibly convenient platform, you will begin building valuable, long-term relationships with potential referral partners. As you continue to nurture these relationships, your chances of landing leads will skyrocket.

We look forward to hearing your IdealEstate success story!

As always, if you have any questions about our formula or our platform, let us know and we will be glad to help you.