(11) Powerful Ways for Realtors to Get Referrals

To my realtor friends, here are just some of the great ideas of how to use thank you notes and greeting cards to create a stream of referrals from your existing clients and your circle of influence:

1. Send a warm thank you note after speaking with someone on the phone.

2. Send a "Just wanted to send you a note" card to everybody who came to your open house.

3. Send them a card when they listed with you.

4. Send them a personalized card and gift following the closing day, that includes a picture of the client's brand new home.

5. Send them a 30 - day follow-up card.

6. Send them a holiday card (Season's Greetings, New Years, Thanksgiving, Valentines, Labor Day, etc.). Holidays are great times to be remembered by your clients.

7. Send your clients a birthday card and also birthday cards to their children.

8. Send an anniversary card or a home anniversary card. A congratulations card signifying a special event in your client's life goes a long way to building a special relationship...:)

9. Create a sequential campaign and send them a referral card every other month. For example holiday recipe or home improvement campaigns are quite effective.

10. Take a picture of your client in front of their new home or accepting their new keys at their closing and send it to them in a greeting card. Then offer to send the beautiful card to their friends and family, FREE of charge. You can obtain a list of prospects that way. Also offer to send a house warming party invitation to their friends and family. You then create a custom card, import the speadsheet with the contacts they gave you into your card system contact manager, and with a couple of clicks of a mouse send the invites to the entire list! The client is happy, and you get a list of great prospects.

11. Create a monthly campaign to go out to your Circle of Influence (trades and other professionals who refer clients to you). Educate your Circle on what you do, how you do it and how you may help them. Send out thank you cards to lender, title, and insurance people that touch your deals. They will contact you and ask you how you did the card.

A good rule of thumb is that greeting cards should be sent at least one week before a holiday to STAND OUT. Remember the unexpected greeting card is one of the most powerful ways to gain someones attention and build upon that strong and lasting relationship!