Building Business the Old Fashion Way

Automation and advancements in technology have long been renowned as great tools for building business, but what about good old-fashioned conversation? Recent studies have proven that both in-person conversation and live phone calls are still overwhelmingly the best way to recruit referrals and new business. Here are a few tips to help get those recommendations rolling in the start of the new year.

Sooner is Better Than Later

We all are familiar with the phrase “outta sight, outta mind,” which is certainly relevant in a business setting. While it’s important to be mindful of asking for referrals at the right time, it is equally important to remember that asking sooner – like right after helping a client secure their bid for a new home – has a much higher success rate than later – when they’ve possibly moved on to other projects regarding their new home and your assistance starts to become a bit of a fading memory.

Capitalizing on those pivotal windows of opportunity is key. In-person meetings with clients are becoming more and more scarce these days, so it’s super important to constantly be on the lookout for natural openings in the conversation. Listen for cues like when clients talk about family members or friends, people they work with, or when they bring up experiences others have had with buying or selling a home.

Real FaceTime Still Reigns Supreme

While follow-up emails and text messages can certainly be personalized and well-timed, a recent study by Cornell University clearly illustrated that in-person requests are overwhelmingly the most successful. In fact, they were 67% more effective than audio or video calls – making it well worth the effort to carve out the right moment to ask your current clients for business recommendations when you get to physically see them in the flesh.

If you are not lucky enough to get the chance to spend time with your clients, another study found that both video and audio requests were 86% more effective than email requests, placing further emphasis on the need for some personalized and human element necessary for successful conversation. After all, it is much easier to ignore or delete an email versus an invitation that happens in real time.

Follow Up on Feedback

Perhaps clients will have an immediate recommendation for you of somebody looking to buy or sell a home or you want to know about First Time Home Buyers Guide, but often times they won’t right away – not because they’re not willing to help you, but because the legitimately can’t think of anyone at the time. Another advantage of starting a conversation in-person about who they might know is that it allows you to receive valuable feedback on any possible future leads. Maybe their son and his wife will be moving to town soon before the birth of their first child, or maybe their neighbors have been unhappy with the realtor they selected to work with on possibly buying a larger home. At any rate, you’ll have those personal details with which you can use to follow up with later and hopefully build upon the connection.

Source By: https://www.fairway-newengland.com/building-business-old-fashion-way/