How to make your real estate lists work for you — ways to connect with people

There is a lot to be said for gathering and using real estate lists.

The information you can get of your local suburb of all the potential clients and their demographic is a vital business resource in the real estate trade.

And of course you should use Radius Suburb to get this initial information. Of course you should.

But once you have your lists, what do you do with them?

Even if you meet them in person and shower them with business cards, often they don’t turn into clients or helpful business partners.

But there are plenty of things you can do to turn an acquaintance into a client, or a strong business liaison.

Here’s how:

1. Be good to your word. If you say you will follow up, then follow up

Your reputation for diligence will go a long way, and when you match on price and service with a competitor, what will set you apart is your reliability.

Be reliable. Set up small tasks — not even related to the real estate trade — that you can deliver on. Then deliver.

2. Generously share the referrals of others

Nobody really likes to compete, and nobody likes to work with a competitive person.

Show that you are not an ambitious player by helping others in which you have no vested interest.

Spruik for someone else’s wares, and positively endorse other companies.

The more you can talk positively about others, the more positively you will be regarded, and the more you will enjoy your own work.

While you’re at it, generously sharing information that will be helpful to them costs you nothing and goes a long way to having them think of others who might be interested in the business of such a fine, compassionate entrepreneur.

3. Overdeliver

They say that the devil is in the details.

That little bit extra to make a work of art so much better.

In business, it is the little extras that make all the difference.

If you can do what is expected, then find something that you can deliver, and do it knowing that they didn’t expect it.

Turn up personally to show someone around a property, or do some extra hunting for them, perhaps find out their business and throw them a good LinkedIn connection.

Anything to go that extra mile.

4. Plenty and abundance

There is a certain magnetism around people who act as if there is plenty of everything — plenty of time to give, attention to bestow, business and money to go around.

Acting as if you have all the time and mindfulness in the world for the person you are speaking to allows you to think generously naturally, and is likely to positively influence your own character so much that you become the generous, charming person that everyone wants to be around.

It may be of use to you to not spread yourself too thin.

Making sure you have the right information in the first place will ensure that you can hone in on the smallest number of people likely to become your allies and clients, and be able to afford each of them the attention they deserve.

Start with a good list.

Here are some actions as suggested in ‘How to master networking’ by Robyn Henderson:

• Give out 25 business cards a day, and write on the back of the ones you receive
• Send a thank-you card to at least one non work-related person a day.
• Attend at least one networking function each week
• Be on the committee for something you value
• Find a good web master who understands your business
• Remember people’s birthdays and send a card

And my personal favourite:

• Develop a win/win relationship with your printers. You will meet lots of people who may be interested in your business one day, so you want to have a good quality brochure or flyer that you can leave with them or send to them.

True, true words.

So there is your method for gaining referrals for your real estate lists: Gather information on who to focus on in your suburb, then be as generous and personable as possible with your time and attention.

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Printforce is a complete service providing the marketing, printing and distribution of materials exclusively for the real estate industry.

Our service Radius Suburb through Real Estate List Provider allows you to purchase detailed demographic and sociographic data on prospective clients for the real estate industry.

So get a greater edge in the real estate market… then be generous.