La
bor Day is right around the corner, and this weekend is the perfect time to ramp up your referral outreach. Since the majority of U.S. residents will be off from work on Monday, this is the perfect opportunity to reach out.
Related: Building Stronger Client Relationships
How can you get those referrals to start rolling in? Here are a few ideas:
Host a barbecue. Summer is coming to an end and everyone will be looking for any excuse to enjoy these last few days of warm weather. Host a barbecue this weekend to celebrate summer one more time. And in between servings of hot dogs, hamburgers and potato salad, don't forget to remind everyone just how useful you can be to them with anything related to real estate or their home. How do you bring this about without awkwardly interjecting conversations and giving away business cards? A toast to welcome everyone, with a quick nod to your business, is the perfect reminder.
Do some door knocking. Sure, some will be getting out of town for the holiday, but many stay home for some much-needed R&R. Use this opportunity to walk around the neighborhoods you typically service and introduce yourself. You'll be amazed at how many connections you'll build this way. And even if the person answering the door isn't selling, they may know friends or family who are looking to buy or sell. Even if those folks live out of state, remind them that you can always refer out your business—that's easy money in your pocket!
Host an open house. You'll find that most agents don't host open houses on a holiday weekend. The fear? Low turnout because everyone has made plans. However, by being one of only a handful of agents hosting open houses this weekend, you have less homes to compete with. So, print out those flyers and start promoting an open house today!
Extend your call-arounds. How much time do you typically block off for your prospecting calls? Double or triple that time this weekend. Take advantage, especially on Monday, to call neighborhoods—you might catch more people than your normal 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. weekday calls when everyone is at work. If you don't have information to share about your own listings, look up the properties that just sold in your town and share that information—the point is, you’re the one that's reaching out and you're the one they'll remember, not the listing agent.
Don't discount holidays in your referral strategy. While many agents will take the day off, your willingness to put in the hours, and make yourself a well-known presence in your community, will pay off in referral business. And who doesn't want to come into the office and hear the person on the other end of the phone say, "I know someone you can help."
