Organize your list.
There’s really no right or wrong way to segment your list. But a good rule of thumb when you’re first getting started with contacting your SOI is to list your contacts according to how you know the person.
For example; Friend, Family, Acquaintance, etc. Once you get to know them a little better, you can break it down even more into Buyer and Seller Prospects.
Where you make your list will depend on where you are in your business. For brand new agents a simple Excel spreadsheet will do the job.
Pro Tip: Star or highlight the people in your SOI who you know are the most influential ones. These could be people who know a lot of homeowners, such as roofers or maintenance pros, they could be the heads of your kid’s PTA, or even just the natural extroverts in your friend and family circles.
But once you get rolling with regular follow ups and a growing number of referrals, you’re going to want some kind of system or real estate CRM that lets you see at a glance what the last follow up was so you can keep connecting in a consistent and relevant way.
Reach out like you normally would.
Contacting your SOI in a way that feels natural is not only more cost efficient (mailers can be pricey!) — it’s also more effective.
Put yourself in your contact’s shoes. If you have a friend you usually chat with via What’sApp, it’d be weird to call her up “on business” and start asking her about whether she knows anyone who needs to buy a home.
Instead, go ahead and send her a quick message sharing a recent win, funny story, or revelation about the market. Try to do this for each and every person on your list. And remember, you are NOT selling.
If it helps you to have a framework, follow these easy-to-remember steps from Dr. Lee Davenport to help build rapport when you C-A-L-L someone in your sphere:
- Check-in: Show you care with genuine interest in their life.
- Ask: Unabashedly ask, “How can I be of support to you?” or a similar question.
- Listen: Their answer might not be related to real estate, but it will help them know you’re there (and ready to help when real estate needs arise).
- List: When they ask how things are going for you, start by listing the positive things you’re experiencing in real estate before discussing other areas of your life.
Following these steps will help show you care while also subtly establishing you as a trusted real estate professional that your connections can count on.
Pro Tip: Take the pressure out of the “big announcement” and build awareness for your role as a Realtor by simply sharing that part of your life. Remember, at the end of the day, business is about connecting with people — marketing is simply how you start the conversation.
Go ahead and get out there.
At its best, marketing to your SOI helps you establish yourself both online and offline as THE local realty expert. There are 3 primary ways to get your name out there.
- Become active in the community
- Expand your presence on social media
- Use online and offline advertising
Set aside one or two days a month to attend a local community or charity event. Start engaging more on social media (we’ve got guides on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to get you started). Send out mailers to your sphere, or use a specialized advertising tool, like Adwerx to increase your online visibility with this particular group.
As the leads and referrals start coming in, it’s important to keep track of each and every one. Use your spreadsheet or CRM to input key details like lead source, any initial questions they might have asked, and personal tidbits like their kids’ or even dog’s name.
Pro Tip: NEVER write anybody off. You don’t have to be a suited-and-booted business exec to have a great network. And you never know where your next lead will come from. So give your full attention to every person you meet, and remember everybody matters.
Keep it easy, so you can keep it going.
With all the talk about “working your sphere of influence”, 8×8 programs, organizing a million mailers, spending nights and weekends “networking” or “prospecting”, etc., it can be easy to fall into the belief that growing your sphere of influence is hard, time-consuming work.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Rockstar agents with up to 80% referral business all have one thing in common: an easy, workable system for nurturing and growing their SOI. And that’s important because not everyone in your sphere will be ready to buy or sell their home, or even make a referral when you contact them.
You need an easy, agile system for following up so that you can make sure your sphere is always well-cultivated and generating new leads for your business.
(Psst, already a Follow Up Boss user? If you haven’t seen Danielle’s hacks for following up with stale leads in under 10 min., you NEED to check these out.)
Pro Tip: Commit to having one in-person coffee or lunch date per week with a star member of you SOI. It’s not only great for drumming up referrals and staying top of mind, it’s also awesome for your personal life.
