April 19, 2019
For real estate professionals, networking is everything. Learning how to network effectively is a must if your business revolves around gaining new clients and keeping the door open with previous clients for new purchases. It’s important to put an emphasis on this beneficial and crucial component to any real estate business.
Luckily, in today’s world of digital connectivity and technology-focused operations, there are many different ways to network your real estate business while also practicing classic networking strategies that are tried and true ways to bring in new business. Here’s a list of networking tips and suggestions which can be useful for those looking to make connections and move their business forward.
Have a Solid Team Around You
Yes, a lot of real estate is striking out on your own and being in charge of your own operations. But having a team that is comprised of competent and trusting people is an important part of success in real estate. You’re really only as good as the people around you, so having those on your side who can help move business forward will help the greater good.
Strengthen Your Reputation
In the real estate world, reputation is king. If you’re known as hard to work with or not communicative, it can be detrimental to what your goals are. If someone hears about a real estate professional who acts out or isn’t well-informed about the market or properties they’re looking at, it could mean the difference between having future clients and not.
One way to do this is to stay on top of industry trends and do your homework. The housing market is always changing and with things like blockchain upending traditional real estate deals, those in the industry need to know how homebuyers are wanting to invest and what they want to know. Being educated on trends and knowledgeable about new ways to do business will let clients know you are making an effort to serve them in the most modern and efficient way.
Lastly, having real estate sales insurance is something that is not only beneficial to your day-to-day work, as it protects you in everything from drone mishaps to lockbox issues. This shows clients that you are putting responsibility first for not only your own operation but the people around you.
Create a Professional Website and Blog
Everyone is online today in some way or another. From Facebook to Instagram, LinkedIn to dating apps (yes, dating apps), there are many ways in which people are developing their own brand. Having a presence on social media is helpful when giving people a glimpse into your day-to-day and can help you feature listings as well as connect with people in general.
But having a dedicated website or blog where you can extrapolate on your thoughts on the market, your listings, or your business can bring more humanity to your real estate venture. From there, you can get the word out about your site through social media (LinkedIn and Facebook are great avenues). But being able to editorialize on a regular basis will help online visitors see how engaged you are.
Social Media
Piggybacking off the previous strategy, social media has quickly become the most trendy and helpful way to connect with potential buyers and other professionals in the industry at no upfront cost. There are ad buying services and promotional opportunities that you can pay for to give you more exposure, which is helpful, but even setting up profiles and getting content out there for free is a good start.
Millennials make up about 66 percent of the current homebuyer market, and those in that generation (born between 1980 and 1998) are the ones who were targeted as users when sites like Facebook and Twitter went live. Real estate salespeople can use this to their advantage and get active on social media to connect with tomorrow’ homebuyers today.
Attend Industry Events and Conferences
Possibly one of the most traditional ways to network is getting face to face with others in your industry. Real estate networking events are about engaging with other professionals in your world, so take advantage of conferences as ways to learn about new market information and innovations your colleagues are using. These events are great ways to hear about something new or hear about different ways in which other real estate salespeople are using technology today.
Try to expand your geographical network by engaging with influencers from other parts of your state or greater city area. These new connections can help you gain new ideas and strategies that you may not have thought about before. And as always, stay in touch with your new connections through social sites like LinkedIn or through email and set up time to chat with them to trade ideas.
About Associations Liability Insurance Agency (ALIA)
The ALIA Team (part of the Riverton Insurance Agency Corporation), specializes in helping real estate professionals find the affordable and comprehensive coverage they need, without the hassle. ALIA dates its roots to 1991 with the founding of FREA, Foundation of Real Estate Associates. In 2013, ALIA was created to work with multiple insurance companies thereby broadening the portfolio of products to customers. In 2017, ALIA was purchased by Riverton Insurance Agency Corp.