How to Ask for Referrals to Build Your Business

Speak With the Right People and Say the Right Words to Attract More Introductions

It is so much easier to get repeat business and referral business from the people you already know than to try and find new business opportunities. It is also less expensive, and the returns are so much higher!

One of the most important topics agents can discuss is referrals. They are the lifeblood of most agents’ and brokers’ businesses, so you need to have a strategy to make them happen. Two simple points of guidance are to purposefully choose who you speak with, and to have an effective script that will generate more referrals.

Who to Ask
If you are in a conversation about real estate, you can always ask for referrals, no matter who you are speaking with. When making a specific effort to have referral-generating conversations with people in your sphere, it is best to do it with people that know you, like you and trust you. That may seem obvious, but these people are your unofficial “fan club,” and the easiest and simplest sources for new referrals. The good news is that you probably have a much larger list of these people than you realize. They can be past clients, family members, friends, neighbors, local merchants or service providers that you use…anyone that you would say hello to when you meet and that you have a pleasant relationship with. The first step to increasing your referrals is to identify your “fan club” and resolve to contact them.

What to Say
If you don’t already have a script to ask for referrals, here is one that we provide to our coaching clients:

“I’d like to ask you a quick question because I’m taking on new clients in my real estate business now. Who do you know of your family, friends, neighbors or work associates that I can help sell a home or buy a new one in the next 6-12 months?”

This script is designed to communicate several things simultaneously. It states that you are taking on new clients now. It is a direct call-to-action, specifically asking for their referrals. It breaks down specific categories of people that the referral source may know so that they can more easily scan their own thoughts for potential clients, and it gives a timeframe that lets the person know that their referrals do not need to be actively buying or selling now, but still may be good candidates to speak with you immediately. You can also follow up with suggestions of types of people that you can help—newly married couples, new parents, empty-nesters…whatever may spur the person’s thoughts and fit your business goals.

Purposefully taking these actions—identifying referral sources and using a script to ask them for referrals—can dramatically increase your pipeline of potential clients and your future production. Contact our coaching team for additional tools, scripts and strategies, and take action now to enjoy more referrals and more income in 2020!

Give yourself the gift of coaching! Sign up in December with Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting and receive 50 percent off your first three months and have your best year ever!

Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 20 years of experience in real estate, Johnson offers coaching, consulting and keynotes, and is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour and the Official Real Estate Coach for McKissock Learning and Real Estate Express. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching strategy session or visit www.sherrijohnson.com for more information.