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!