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An active network is often the difference between ordinary and top-performing agents. One of Australia’s leading agents has such a productive referral network that it currently generates as much as 80 per cent of all of her business needs. We asked her how she does it.
McGrath Sylvania principal Donna Etchells follows all of the referral best practice protocols, from the telephone call at the time of settlement to the follow-up a month later. She also sends a monthly newsletter and a quarterly market update to her database, and even hosts an annual client appreciation event.
But while all of these practices have contributed to her very productive referral network, there is one other thing that she says makes all the difference.
“I am very open and transparent with everyone I deal with, and they can see that I am genuinely doing what is in their best interests,” Ms Etchells told REB.
It’s about genuinely caring for the people that you do the work for, she said, and it’s something that takes time to develop.
The idea is to not just see people as part of transactions, but rather to see them as new members of your community that you want to stay in touch with after the sale.
“I think some agents have had a tendency to fall into the trap of not looking beyond the transaction to see how else they can assist [clients],” Ms Etchells said.
Flagship event
Ms Etchells’ annual get-together is her flagship event.
It is essentially a pre-Christmas client appreciation evening, which gives her the opportunity to let her referral community know how much they are appreciated.
“There is no talk of real estate on the night. It is purely a very nice, fun night. People know that it is a thank you night,” she added.
“It is another way of connecting with people, letting them know that I do appreciate them.”
The lesson is that you need to be authentic and transparent with everybody you come into contact with, said Ms Etchells, because you don't know when someone's circumstances will change.
And when things do happen, she said, you need to be the one they come to.
[Related: Why marketing only goes so far in getting deals]
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