On today's 208th episode of my Monday Morning Pep Talk, I will provide you with a simple response/script that will help you remind your satisfied clients that you are happy, willing and able to assist their families, friends and colleagues with all things real estate.
You spend money on marketing trying to convert new clients, you work really hard during the transaction to create a remarkable experience for your clients, and you've built a CRM to stay in touch post-closing but you’re not quite getting the number of introductions and referrals that you should. Have you felt that way?
Let me ask you some questions that I want you to ponder during your next "thinking time”:
- Is it possible that your clients who love you and respect your work don't want to overwhelm you with referrals/introductions?
- Do your clients see you as being too "busy?" Do you use the phrase "I'm so busy with work and life" when someone asks you how you're doing? Are you putting the right message out there?
- Do you ask for referrals/introductions?
- Do you feel weird asking for referrals/introductions?
- Do you know how to authentically ask for referrals/introductions without feeling "salesy?”
Fact: The majority of your clients will not refer or introduce you if they think that you don't have availability.
Think about these questions and consider using the following response (script) when prompted:
Step 1: Create a remarkable experience during the transaction. If you do, most clients will acknowledge your efforts. They will thank you for all of your efforts. If they don't, consider that when you categorize your Top 100.
Step 2: Be incredibly aware of when they do give you praise for your efforts, particularly using phrases like "You and your team were so great throughout the process," and "Thank you so much for all that you are doing for us. We couldn't do this without you."
Step 3: Use an "Acknowledge and Remind" response. Thank them for their kind words and remind them that you would welcome their introductions to their family, friends, colleagues, etc.
It could simply go like this (in your own words):
Client: "Thank you so much for everything you did during our purchase/sale of our home. We were talking and just couldn't imagine trying to do this on our own without you. We're so grateful."
Agent/Broker: "It's so nice that you said that. Thank you so much for those kind words. (pause) If you find one of your family, friends or colleagues in need of my help and could use my expertise, I'd love to be a part of that conversation. It would be terrific if you would make the introduction."
This simple response/script, in your own words, is the final step during a transaction to teach your clients that you are referable. It lets them know that you've got room in your business for additional clients. It takes the inauthenticity out of "asking for their support" because they are in essence giving you permission by giving you the compliment. Most of the time, we just play around the edges hoping that our clients will mention us. That "wait and see" strategy is inefficient.
Pro tip #1: Never use the word referral with your clients. Use “introduction.”
Pro tip #2: If the transaction just closed and you get the praise/feedback, add that "our relationship is just getting started" to set the expectation that you will be staying in touch.
This simple "wait for the right moment, acknowledge and remind" response is a powerful way to gently and authentically remind your clients that you are open for business and it gives them permission to refer you. Having this response in my toolbox was so powerful for my business after I discovered it, so much so that I wanted to dedicate an entire MMPT to it.
Take this final, no-cost, easy to implement and highly impactful step during the right moments within each transaction to be rewarded for your hard work. You deserve it.
