5 Great Ways to Increase Real Estate Referrals for Your Investment Business

Real estate investing is a people-driven business, where connections mean everything, and referrals are a great way to gain new opportunities. Successful real estate investors understand the necessity of leveraging connections to increase their competitive edge; this is not a go-it-alone kind of business.

So what’s the best way to increase referrals?

There’s no one surefire way, but there are a number of factors to keep in mind if you want to get (and keep) those referrals rolling in.

Do a Great Job

It may seem like a no-brainer, but with so many things to juggle, investors sometimes focus on marketing, promotion, and other tasks and forget that ensuring customer satisfaction is the primary way to get referrals. Those who spread themselves too thin and offer less than their best will have a hard time getting anything more than one-time clients. Keep your focus where it needs to be, do a fantastic job, and referrals will naturally follow.

Be Personable

In a people-driven business, you have to have people skills. Brush up on your manners, work on perfecting your small talk, and relax so that your genuine self shows through.

Drop the Hard Sell

As an investor, sales are part of your job. Not only do you have to sell properties, you have to sell yourself. But pressuring potential clients and business partners by always chasing the sale can backfire. You have to strike a balance between staying visible and available to those who need your services, and remaining low-key enough to make people feel comfortable with you, and confident enough .

Find Opportunities

Opportunities abound when it comes to networking. Buying a home is a commonplace event, and everyone knows someone who could likely benefit from your services. You never know where new leads can come from, so start with the people you know, but also use the tools that you have at your disposal. Cutting edge tools like Find Cash Buyers Now and Find Private Money Lenders are tremendously beneficial for helping you build a network of connections.

In addition you can scour the Internet, newspapers, and local rotary clubs for networking groups, events and seminars. They don’t have to pertain to investing; any groups or events related to entrepreneurs, small businesses, or even marketing can be useful for networking. Sometimes just getting your name and reputation out there in the business community is all it takes to get the ball rolling.

Follow Up

You can increase your referrals – and your profits – simply by following up with people to whom you’ve already marketed yourself. So if you hit it off with a prospective client or potential business associate, give them a quick call a week later. Refresh their memory about who you are and how you can help them. You’ll be surprised at how well this works to keep you relevant and at the forefront of their minds.

In the end, it’s all about reaching out, putting yourself out there and gaining a reputation as a likeable, trustworthy and highly competent professional. If you can achieve this, the sky’s the limit for your business.