Boost Your Profile with Realtor-Sponsored Events
Events are a spectacular way to gain name recognition in the community. The magic, however, is in the follow-up.
Paul Andres Domenech knows how to plan and promote special events in his Panhandle community. “Use your creativity, personalize your invitations and follow up with everyone,” he says. “That’s the best way to leverage events to generate transactions and referrals.”
Add Oomph to Your Real Estate Outreach
Every year, Domenech, principal with ERA American Real Estate in Shalimar, plans a series of family-oriented events that bring people together, foster a sense of connection and raise money for a local charity.
For instance, he’s organized a Fourth of July “Top Dog” party in Fort Walton Beach where attendees can purchase tickets and try two different toppings—bacon-jam was last year’s winner—while their kids enjoy face painting, a bounce house and other activities.
“Whether or not people show up is not as important as reaching out to them consistently, Domenech says. “That’s why organizing a year-round calendar of events is so important. Put a system in place that reflects your effectiveness and efficiency in the real estate business as well as special events.”
Reasons for hosting events
There are lots of reasons to host events that go from relationships to referrals, says Michael Maher, CEO, REFERCO in Marietta, Georgia.
“First and foremost, we should host events because they are fun! Having an event will increase energy for you and those in your sphere of influence.”
Hosting events also gives you a strong reason to contact your clients and referral sources on a regular basis.
“If you’re wondering what to say or write, just tell them about your next event,” says Maher, who teaches a course on event mastery. “It conquers the challenge of what to communicate to your sphere.”
A special event is also a great opportunity to generate leads from beyond your sphere of influence.
For instance, Christina Bentley, broker-owner, La Rosa Realty in St. Augustine, organizes a family-oriented gingerbread house “building party” on the first Saturday in December with raffle prizes from local businesses. “We put specific questions on the raffle slips, like ‘Are you interested in finding out the value of your home?’ or ‘Who do you know that is planning to move in the near future?’” Bentley says. “That generates leads that typically carry us for several months.”
If you’ve been thinking about new prospecting strategies, consider special events as a way to generate new relationships, strengthen existing connections and create memorable experiences for your community.
“There is nothing like that feeling of having a great two-hour event and all those people mingling, meeting and talking about you and your team,” Maher says. “And when it’s over you have a big stack of referral forms for you and your sponsor partners. It just doesn’t get any better than that!”
20 great ideas for Realtor-hosted events
- New Year’s celebrations
- Sweetheart parties for Valentine’s Day
- “March Madness” get-togethers
- Spring break party
- Graduation-related events
- Fourth of July festivities
- Back-to-school get-togethers
- Pumpkin carving get-together
- Thanksgiving food drives
- Holiday parties
- Community picnics
- Beach events
- Concerts with local performers
- Pickleball, golf or tennis tournaments
- Housewarming parties
- Miniature-golf tournaments
- Welcome parties for new businesses
- Annual or quarterly market update in-person presentations
- “Olympic” style events with multiple recreational sports
- Walkathons, bikeathons and similar charitable events
Richard Westlund is a Miami-based freelancer writer.