You have an agent referral and need a partner agent to exchange the outbound lead. Or you are looking to grow your business, figured best way is to attract inbound referrals, and looking to find a referral agent to award you a referral.
In either case, you need to know how to find a find a perfect real estate referral agent for inbound-outbound referrals. Finding perfect agent to refer a real estate client is not an easy task as it may seem.
Just by looking up for agent reviews online is not enough to know whether referred agent is available to help, is willing to pay referral fee and has time available to provide best service for your lead.
Inbound-outbound agent referrals
Ask any agent and they will tell you Referrals are number one source of leads for their business. There are mainly two types of referrals: referrals from past clients and referrals from other agents.
Referrals is an interesting business model. You may ask is it worth paying referral fee and deal with troubles of receiving referral from another agent.
But converting a referrals, providing excellent service will lead to many referrals from the happy client.
One highly qualified referral from another agent is way more worth than thousands of raw online leads from big portals.
How to match client to referral agent
Now you have a great client lead and need to find perfect agent. Easiest way to go about is by utilizing platform build just for referral agents. Sign up in the portal, create account, use it to match your referral client to agents easily.
It is built for agents by other agents specifically for agent to agent referrals. It does one thing “agent referrals” for “referral agents” and does it well.
Alternative is a daunting time consuming task
- Look for agents in the desired area by researching online
- Pick up phone, call them one by one
- Interview, enquire whether they are available to help
- Check if they are accepting new referral leads
- What is their referral fee offering
- How many sales they closed recently
- How busy they are to provide best service to referral client
- Do they fit for client specialization needs like luxury, investor
- Do they speak client desired language
- Do they have experience closing referral clients
- How will they keep referral sending agent in loop with communications.
How to ensure Referral is successful
Real estate referrals are highly desirable and many agents eagerly looking to receive referrals from other agents.
However, once referral is received, many issues may arise leading to lost referral. Follow below few simple steps to reduce chance of losing the referral.
- Understand clearly how agent referrals work, have assurance in your mind that it is worth paying the referral fee.
- Sign all agreements in written agreement
- If possible; do a warm introduction between both agents and referral client.
- Provide as much context as possible about client needs to receiving agent.
- Communicate regularly. Lost communication is lost referral. Communication is critical.
- Use automated referral agent tool kit with proven successful methods to ensure referral is successful
- Above all, provide top notch service to the referral client.
If you are still confused to decide if it is worth referring leads to another realtor or real estate agents then we can assure you that you’ll be able to offer best service to your existing customers.
Agent-to-agent networking for referrals
It is very hard to replace the personal touch that comes with networking, building rapport with other agents over the years to build own partner referral agents network, manually one at a time.
Solution built for referral agents to network, build their own network has made it easier for other real estate agents to network and exchange referrals.
Conclusion
Finding a referral to share and receive referral fee is not an easy task. Equally difficult task is finding perfect referral agent.
Follow above tips and tricks to ensure good referral partner agent is found for successful referral.