Want organic, evergreen leads? Develop referral partners.

You interact with dozens of service providers every day — from LOs to plumbers to lawyers. It’s crazy sometimes! But you can (and should) turn those contacts into a recurring lead source built on quality service, trust, and reciprocity.

By the numbers

• 30 to 40 percent of all buyers and sellers find their real estate agent through recommendations (NAR)
• Top agents often generate 60%+ of their annual business from repeats and referrals.

Want more referrals? Of course, you do. If you’re just starting out, your friends and family will be your core SOI (sphere of influence) and referral source. But to build a large and lucrative referral network, you’ve got to start connecting with members of your community — especially people directly or indirectly involved in real estate.

Anyone who knows a lot of people that you don’t.

The most powerful recommendations are via word of mouth. Businesses or professionals who interact with community members daily — whether virtually or in person — are ideal contacts for you because they can recommend you when the topic of real estate arises.

People who have a connection to real estate.

You might think that loan officers and title reps exist only to deliver services to your clients, but they’ve got their own connections and clients too! That’s right, referrals don’t just move in one direction!

Similarly, contractors working on renovation projects or designers working on kitchen remodels may learn about potential sellers long before a home gets listed. Your recommended roofer might know a guy thinking about buying his first home. Invite your favorite pool designer to your next client appreciation night and watch their business grow (and your referrals flow!)

Peers who don’t compete with you.

People are constantly moving into and out of your market areas. Build a network of agent referral partners in popular vacation spots or destinations for relocation. “Oh! If you’re moving to Idaho, I have a friend who is an incredible agent there!”

Connections who are confident in recommending you.

The admiration must be mutual. You trust the quality of their service and they trust yours. Referral partners or repeat clients who can vouch for you are like gold. A verbal or written testimonial gives confidence to your next client that you’re the right person for the job. Be sure to ask your buyers and sellers for a testimonial after closing — more often than not, they are excited to share their experience!

An agent’s best referral partners

The most promising referral partners for agents include: accountants, attorneys, insurance brokers, financial advisors, tradespeople (builders, plumbers, electricians, handymen, painters), interior designers, and more! Print out this handout and spend a few moments thinking about the people you’d like to have as referral partners. Write their names down and commit to building a relationship with them.

We’ve made it easy for you to download either the female or male version of our referral partners handout!

Do you have other ways of getting your name out there and boosting referrals? Share your ideas with us by sending us a DM on Instagram at @listreports_inc, or emailing us at support@listreports.com.