Brokerage Marketing Secrets: How to Help Your Agents Get More Referrals

Brokers need to look beyond their office doors and find unique and affordable ways to help their real estate associates build successful businesses.

There is growing evidence that the BIG venture capital funded real estate companies are becoming more transactional in nature and, thereby, losing out on what really matters--the human element. This is in direct contrast to the small business owner-operator brokers who create profits for their teams and are the true "backbone" for their agents.

So, what value are brokers offering their real estate agents?

Many are now partnering with cloud-based tech companies in an effort to stay ahead of their competition. They still provide training, support and technology. Many spend a great deal of money on advertising to drive people to their websites and keep their brand top of mind. The real issue is that about 10% of the top producers benefit from this strategy, while the remaining are struggling to stay afloat.

From an agent's perspective, the burden lies on them. They are paying monthly brokerage fees, regardless of their sales volume. There isn't a reliable way to generate appointments consistently, and new technology is often a difficult and slow process to learn.

Brokers need to start investing more in the people they have vs. acquisition

Getting back to the basics is a good starting point. Real estate agents used to be looked upon as their neighborhood hub, the go-to person for advice, contacts and relationships. However, during these past few decades, this role has taken a back seat to the "tech platforms," which has eroded the key influencer to one of a transactional nature.

What the industry needs now is for agents to take on the role of the community expert once again and establish relationships with people. For those who have committed to this path, however, it can be a lot of work. Imagine starting out now not knowing where to start. With the traditional system, one would need to set up and manage several activities, including, but not limited to:

1. Research every community that you could potentially work in. Then find market trends and know the stats like days-on-market, absorption rate and percentage of list, etc.
2. Email your database every week. Keep it personal by creating new content that adds value for them.
3. Reach out to friends and family. Ask them for referrals.
4. Post relevant information on social media platforms.
5. Create YouTube videos.
6. Door knock in hopes of catching someone ready for your services.
7. Cold call strangers who don't know who you are and try to create a relationship within seconds.

Feeling overwhelmed yet? There is a better way.

Here's a solution that is working well for Rich Johnson, Broker and Owner of Windermere Homes & Estates, a leading real estate brokerage in San Diego, in partnership with Grant Findlay-Shirras, co-founder of Parkbench.com, a leading online platform that helps local professionals connect with their community.

In a time when #supportcommunity has become a mainstay in today's economy, Parkbench has pioneered a new and innovative way for community residents and small business owners to connect and support each other.

"Locals must support each other, and I created Parkbench to be the one-stop shop for people to do this and stay up to date with what's going on around them," Findlay-Shirras explains.

Create and use blogs and videos to reach out to potential clients. The use of blogs and videos is paramount in today's marketplace as both sellers and buyers are starting their search, looking to consume content to learn before they start the process. As clients demand more from their agents, agents have to move with the trends or they will become irrelevant. The savvy home buyer/seller will know more about you and your business before they actually meet you. The content you provide on your website and social media is what will make your phone ring. Always provide value first. Educate your audience with what is going on in the community. For example:

1. You can create an informative blog about the best parks in the area. Add pictures or a short video with highlights.
2. You can create an article about home buying and point out the five hidden fees people should be aware of.
3. Another helpful tool would be to write a blog listing the pitfalls to be aware of when hiring a house inspector.

A common mistake real estate agents make is they talk about themselves and believe people will respond to their slick messaging. The truth is you must give people information and educate them first. People prefer to work with people they know, like and trust.

"The use of videography has gained much popularity over the years, allowing real estate agents to become more 'humanized' to their audience and ultimately their clients," Rich explains. "Video marketing links the motivation behind the Parkbench platform, which is to create community and connection. This is central to our core values at Windermere Homes & Estates. My agents will be able to profit significantly from the use of this website platform for years to come," says Rich.

Interview business people to expand your sphere of influence. Nowadays, all you need is a smartphone and a willing participant to create a compelling interview that will attract people to watch. This process accomplishes a few things:

1. It gets you out from behind your desk and getting to know people in your area.
2. You become the neighborhood "connector" that people will naturally migrate towards.
3. It increases your database exponentially.

But who do you interview? Again, the list is endless, but here are some good ideas:

• Local Small Business Owners. They could use your help to promote their goods and services, and rarely are you turned away.
• School Administrators/Council Members. One of the top questions people ask before considering buying a home is, "How good is the school district?" School quality has a big influence on people's choices when considering which neighborhood to move into.
• Community Associations. People who are involved in their community associations tend to know a lot of people and are good connections to have. They also host various events throughout the year that you can be involved in.

For a comprehensive list of people you should contact, click here for a free ebook:
"30 Local Professionals Real Estate Professionals Should Meet"

Relationships. Relationships. Relationships. Agents need to focus on fostering relationships to get clients. The key to becoming the agent of choice in your neighborhood is to add value to your community members.

At Windermere Homes & Estates, Rich and his team honor the true value of the human-to-human connection, or the "Human Algorithm," as they call it. They don't just pay lip service to this idea; they roll up their sleeves and get involved in their communities. Every year since 1984, all Windermere offices participate in a Community Service Day, an event where they help make a positive difference in their local communities.

In addition, The Windermere Foundation has raised over $41 million dollars since 1989 to help low-income and homeless families in the communities they serve. Now that's commitment!

As for Grant and Parkbench, "We are excited to partner with Rich and his team to help provide a local news source for the people who live in San Diego and the free marketing platform for local businesses. We encourage everyone to check out their local Parkbench website and learn about the people behind the businesses, the events happening down the street, the deals being offered, and much more. Together we can improve the economy and our quality of life."

Are you ready to learn more? Do you want to be a community minded broker?

Maybe it's time to rethink how you have been doing business. If you want to become the local market expert and increase your exposure within your geo farm community, reach out to Grant Findlay-Shirras or Rich Johnson for more details and become a Local Leader®.

Next Steps:

If you're an agent in San Diego, contact Rich to get access to Parkbench at no upfront cost to you.

If you're a broker/owner or team leader who wants to give their agents a systematic and predictable way to create high quality leads in their geo farm that doesn't cost you any money, then contact [email protected] to learn more about "the local broker program."

Free Resource

Do you want to know the top 30 local professionals who refer the most business to agents?

Download this free ebook and learn who they are and how you can connect with them. Also, you will learn how to add value to business owners so that you can build referral generating relationships with them.