One of the keys to new connections is just making sure that everyone you come into contact with knows what you do. Being prepared for planned and unplanned contacts can garner new clients. Read below to learn how.

Previously, we looked at ways to increase your business by referral, simply by reaching out to your communities and making sure everyone you know knows what you do. We continue that theme with two more areas to cultivate clients: both planned and unplanned.

Regularly scheduled events through your organizations and associations

All of us wear many hats aside from the one labeled “REALTOR.” The best business though comes when you can seamlessly merge you business with other parts of your life. Given below is a simple list of groups you may belong to, or places you go to regularly in your life, that you might not have realized offer a chance to network.

• Religious groups: church, synagogue, temple: a trusted place could yield life-long clients
• Your sports team: network with your team mates
• Your kid’s sports team/Little League games: help the parents in your community with their real estate needs.
• Your fitness/country/golf club: tell the people you see so often what you do. Pack your business card in your gym bag!
• Local sports games: your city’s soccer, basketball , baseball regulars could become future clients
• Charity groups: like-minded people who share your own concerns and passions are natural clients
• Parent/teacher/school groups: Your kid’s teacher, coach, fellow parents, all of these people could bring you business
• Book club: as with any group that meets regularly and shares an interest, a book club can be a great place to network

Any of these organizations may have newsletters to which you can contribute an article on real estate or place an ad. You may also be able to hold a seminar/workshop, such as a new buyers workshop, or sponsor an event.

Unplanned events and occasions

Not all of your time is scripted, and even the most random event can be a place to grow your business.  For example:

• Garage sales or estate sales: many times someone at these events is moving, thinking of buying, or thinking of selling
• Shopping: anytime you enter a store, you meet potential clients, whether they’re employees or fellow shoppers.
• When traveling: even though you may not be licensed in the area you’re vacationing in, you create an opportunity for referral networking.  The same applies for business travel.

Whenever you go out, consider advertising yourself as a real estate agent. A shirt or cap with your company’s logo, a nametag with your name and occupation– these do a lot of the talking for you.

These are just a few more ways to “make sure everyone knows what you do,” a major factor in your successful real estate career built on referrals.  Next week, we’ll look at a few more.

Where do you find your referrals?  Feel free to share them in the Comments Section.

ReferralExchange makes it easy to find the “right agent’ for these referrals – even if they’re outside your area.  ReferralExchange has over 12,500 top-performing REALTORs nationwide.