Five Simple Ways to Grow Your Word-of-Mouth Referral Base

Word-of-mouth marketing is the best way real estate agents consistently land new clients and property listings. Whether you’re just starting in the industry or a seasoned realtor looking to increase your revenue, leverage these fail-proof tips to grow your business. You’ll stand out amongst other local agents and generate buzz.

1. Create a memorable experience for clients

The most authentic and effective way to increase word-of-mouth referrals is by meeting your existing clients’ needs. Be accessible to your clients. Make sure they feel welcome to ask questions, air concerns, and solve problems before, during, and after listing their homes on the real estate market.

Offer easy, affordable solutions to obtaining the best price possible for their property (like Curbio’s home improvement services). When you provide consistent rockstar experiences for your clients, they’ll remember to give you glowing reviews to their friends, colleagues, and loved ones.

2. Organize social and educational events for local homeowners

Low-commitment social and information-gathering events (whether online or in-person) are great opportunities to build relationships with warm leads. Host events to showcase your real estate expertise. Market informal gatherings with refreshments as chances for homeowners to ask questions about the local market conditions and home selling process. Alternatively, you could advertise a free seminar/webinar event (or series of events) to educate homeowners on the process of selling their homes.

Making yourself available publicly and advertising these free “open houses” or courses will introduce you to prospective clients and open doors for later communications. You might consider promoting these gatherings online. With a small budget, you can boost social media posts or place ads in local, real estate-focused publications or websites.

3. Start a mailing list to grow word of mouth referrals

Keep in touch with your current client base and prospective sellers. Create opportunities for them to opt-in to newsletters and communications. Create a form for clients to fill in during meetings to request their email addresses.

Send regular updates and tips relevant to the home owning, home selling, and moving experience. Create a post-sale survey with a section requesting referrals. Use Google Forms or Survey Monkey – both free tools that are easy to use.

Make sure homeowners and prospective clients share their emails when they RSVP to your social or educational events. Create a separate list for this group with altered content for this audience’s needs. Offer insights into current market conditions and local real estate trends. Highlight success stories and case studies that demonstrate your professionalism and expertise.

Aim to communicate through email channels at least once a month to build word-of-mouth referrals and keep your services top of mind. MailChimp is an excellent email marketing tool that allows you to create a free account, with features to segment lists and track email campaigns.

4. Network with other real estate agents and adjacent professionals in your area

Always give the professionals in your network a business card to leave them with a warm first impression. Send thank you emails to the agents, contractors, financial advisors, brokers, attorneys, appraisers, and other specialists you collaborate with within your industry and adjacent fields. Consider joining your local chamber of commerce and other associations to establish yourself on the scene and build your reputation as a reliable, knowledgeable agent. Refer your clients to the professionals you enjoy working with to create opportunities for them to reciprocate. Professional networking is a fantastic way to market your services and increase word-of-mouth referrals informally.

5. Up your marketing game

From swag to online brand building, there are several ways to make yourself known. Invest in a functional website that’s easy to update. Develop branding guidelines. You might consider giving your business a name or using your own. Create a logo, brand palette, and font scheme. Branded content builds associations with your services and expertise. Add a blog section to your website to further distinguish yourself. Publish links to newly generated blog posts on social media and in your email newsletters. Consider sharing content with local publications as “guest features.”

Have branded merch (like pens, notebooks, keychains, cloth bags, or mini-USB drives) to gift to your clients and prospective clients at meetings and events. Once you have swag to share, you can sponsor local community organizations, food drives, or races to get your name out there and connect with local homeowners.

Word-of-mouth marketing: final thoughts

Building relationships, fostering trust, and increasing your exposure takes time. Ultimately, providing an incredible experience and finding strategic opportunities to demonstrate your expertise will go a long way in growing your word-of-mouth marketing efforts. Keep putting yourself out there to give yourself an edge and create memorable first impressions.

Your track record is your greatest weapon, and Curbio can help! Curbio works with real estate agents throughout the U.S. to create optimal experiences for their home selling clients. Our end-to-end pre-listing home improvement services help homeowners increase property values. We’ll project manage repairs and renovations of all sizes with upfront financing. Your clients are responsible for fixed fees only after their homes sell. Curbio allows your clients to realize their dreams of selling quickly at the best price possible –and makes you the hero of their stories! Learn more about how Curbio helps agents like you.