Real Estate Networking Tips for Success

Successful Realtors all have one thing in common: strong networking skills. It doesn’t take a genius to realize the more people you know, the more houses you sell. But in a saturated career field, how can you connect with clients and other real estate agents to give your business an edge over the competition? Here are some suggestions to help you find more success as a real estate agent.

1. Attend networking events

   If you’re looking for professional support and networking opportunities, try attending local networking events in your area. You can find professional networking opportunities in almost every major city in America. Sites like Meetup and LinkedIn are treasure troves for discovering opportunities to meet new people, connect with potential clients and mentors, and learn more about your target market.

2. Go to industry conferences

   Real estate and niche-specific conferences are a great place to connect with other professionals and potential clients. More importantly, conferences provide real estate agents with valuable education and training. Conferences offer breakout sessions that will allow you to rub elbows with successful Realtors from your community. Use their knowledge to your advantage: take detailed notes and find ways to implement their suggestions in your own business. Ask for contact information from leading industry experts, and exchange business cards with speakers and other attendees.

3. Follow up with new contacts immediately

   After you’ve attended networking events and conferences, you’ll have a stack of business cards sitting on your desk. Now, it’s time to follow up with each contact. But how can you possibly remember each person you’ve interacted with over the past few weeks? That’s where these tips come in handy:

   • Make notes as soon as you receive a business card. Jot down some information about the contact’s personal appearance, hobbies, business knowledge, or other notes that will help you remember each person later on.
   • Call, text, or email the contact soon after your initial meeting to thank them for exchanging their info with you. Make it personal: use some of the details you wrote down to show you were paying attention.
   • Ask for what you want. Are you looking for referrals? Do you wish to join their next networking event? Want to learn more about their real estate business, or become a partner? Be bold and ask!
   • If you don’t receive a response, try again in a week or two. Don’t be pesky, but a second or third attempt to reach new contacts is entirely appropriate.

4. Engage in your local community

   One of the best ways to gain recognition is to engage with your local community. Prospective clients hire real estate agents who know the area well. Furthermore, you add to your credibility when you are actively involved in your community. Plus, each event is a chance for you to interact with local residents and market your real estate business. There are a variety of ways to get involved. For instance, volunteer at local schools, attend city social events, bring water or supplies to local shelters, or sponsor community sports teams.

5. Have a strong social media presence
   

   Social media marketing is one of the most cost-effective and successful strategies to boost your business. Real estate agents who are actively engaged in social media tend to sell more homes than agents who aren’t engaged on social networks. Advertising researchers at Adweek recently reported that 66% of all new homebuyers are Millennials. Of those, 99% will begin their home search online. If you’re not reaching out to this demographic via social media, you’re missing out on valuable marketing opportunities. Here’s how you can get started with social media marketing:

   • If you haven’t already, create a professional website. Then, post content regularly: blogs, news releases, and updated information.
   • Create social media accounts if you haven’t already. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are just a few of the places you should regularly be posting. Learn how to use hashtags (more about that here), and connect with other real estate agents, past and current clients, and members of the community.
   • Learn search engine optimization or SEO basics. When you understand how search engines rank content, you can create content that increases your readership.

6. Send handwritten notes to your contacts
   

   Handwritten notes are an often overlooked – but very simple – way to make those on your contact list feel special. An automated birthday email doesn’t make much of an impression, but a handwritten birthday card stands out. Spend a few minutes every day writing thank you cards, birthday cards, or “thinking of you” cards to clients, co-workers, mentors, and friends. You’ll be surprised how this simple act makes a big difference in your overall business.

If you’re ready to enjoy real estate business success, it’s time to join the networking game. Looking for more tools to help your business thrive? Our website and products are designed to help real estate agents reach new clients and make more sales.