Take 5
Get More Agent-to-Agent Referrals with These Proven Methods
By Eli Torres
TRT 3:11
Transcription


Eli Torres directly addresses camera:  You’ve got a database of potential buyers and sellers, right? And, you’re doing a great job touching base with them in some form. But, what about agents? Do you have a targeted plan to build relationships with them? If you don’t, you should.

I’m Eli Torres, team leader of the One Sixteen Group at Keller Williams Realty in Houston, Texas. I’m also the founder of a very large Facebook group dedicated to real estate agents and referrals. Let’s take five minutes to talk about how to increase your agent referrals with some good, old fashioned prospecting.

When I first moved to Texas, I didn’t have a sphere of influence. I was new to the business and came here from Puerto Rico. I took a class by Keller Williams called Bold, where you are supposed to make 100 calls in one day to your sphere of influence. I didn’t have a sphere of influence.  So I called two Keller Williams’ agents from each state, totaling 100 calls that day. That was just the start. 

Here are a few other ways I build my agent to agent referral business.

In 2014, I hopped into social media and created a Facebook group for real estate professionals. It’s a private, invitation only place for real estate professionals to vent and talk about real estate. Just think of happy hour after work.  Same concept but online. I expected a couple hundred people would join the group. I’m up to over 15,000 members now and we have seven posts a minute, 24 hours a day. That became part of my sphere. If someone in the Facebook group is looking for a real estate agent in Houston, they come to me. Or, sometimes they’ll post that request in the group, so I’ll jump on it. Others will also chime in, in the comments and say things like “Contact Eli, he’s in Houston.” In a way, it becomes a fan group for the real estate pros inside that group specifically. 

Another way to build your agent referral network is at franchise meetings like for example, Keller Williams Realty Family Reunion or Keller Williams Mega Camp. You can do the same at Leading Real Estate Companies of the World or through the state and national Associations of Realtors. Reach out to agents in your database and let them know you’re attending so you can arrange a meeting, or just have a drink.

Speaking of meet-ups, there are plenty of opportunities to mingle and network with other agents locally. People in our Facebook group have organized meetups. We call them Llama meetups.  We’ve had meet ups in Houston, Dallas, San Diego. We’ll also organize meetups at Inman or the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals Convention. We will get at least 120 people at those. About two years ago, someone organized a meet up cruise with about 40 people from our group. 

We use the same touchpoints with agents that we use with our prospective clients and customers. For example, the out-of-town real estate agents in our database, we sent them a Houston Emergency Kit that included freeze-dried astronaut ice cream and other items related to our city to help them make the connection that they can refer business to us. We’ll also send video emails through BombBomb so the agents can put a face with the name. 

Building your agent referral network begins with prospecting and ends with trust and relationship. Provide value to other agents and you’ll become the name they think of when they need to refer a buyer or seller to your area.