How Real Estate Agents Can Build Their Sphere of Influence

Spheres of Influence (SOI) is the idea that people are more inclined to choose you as a reference when you start to accumulate resources and expertise. It’s the idea that once you gain a reputation or expertise in one area, it creates an influential power or SOI.

There are so many SOI-building opportunities for real estate agents, especially now with the popularity of online lead generation tools. But SOI-building is not only for agents who want to build wealth for themselves. It’s also for agents who want to help others build wealth.

Whether they’re new to the business or have been around for years, every real estate agent can benefit from expanding their sphere of influence. It’s not as hard as you might think, as all you need to do is follow these recommendations to help you reach out and connect with more people.

Join a Real Estate Organization

Joining a real estate organization is free and can give you access to tools and resources like mentors, coaching programs, and educational training opportunities. This is also an excellent opportunity to network with others in the industry who can help you professionally and personally and can also be helpful resources for referrals. Ask other organization members what they do to expand their sphere of influence, and in turn, look for ways to support them as they will support you in your real estate endeavors.

Expand Your Social Media Presence

Your social media presence reflects you as a person and the way you connect with others. Keep your posts professional, honest and uplifting. Take the time to engage in conversations with those who respond to your posts to build relationships and trust.

Here are some ways you can use social media to build influence:

• Post valuable articles from sites like TopRealEstateAgent.com or other industry publications.
• Post honest reviews of the homes you’ve sold.
• Give out kind and straightforward encouragement to others.
• Make posts that encourage others to reach out to you with their needs or offers.

Host Q&A Sessions on Your Blog or Website

Having a blog allows you to provide added value for your followers. Choose topics relevant to your target audience, then post interesting and honest questions you get daily. You can do this via comments or a Q&A page where you’ll answer these queries in text form.

Reach out to Local Businesses That Rely on the Real Estate Industry

One way to gain influence is to contact businesses that rely on the real estate industry to sell or purchase real estate products, services, or equipment. These businesses may include:

• Property management companies.
• Tenant screening business.
• Property tax preparation services.
• Title agencies and attorneys.
• Real estate MLS services or systems providers. Etc.

At first, you may have to hunt for contact information. Then, send a short email introducing yourself, then make an appointment to meet in person.

Find a neighborhood and start mailing postcards with market updates or automated home valuations. Use postcards for realtors to highlight the positives in a neighborhood, then follow up with an email or phone call. You can also focus on neighborhoods with homes for sale that don’t have an agent. Postcards are great for generating leads, and they cost very little.

Utilize Social Media to Help Get Your Foot in the Door

As you build your social media presence, you’ll get to know what your followers enjoy seeing and hearing about. That information can help get people to take action on what you share with them. For example, posting pictures of properties you’ve sold or information about a neighborhood can help you get one more name on your list. Start with your friends on Facebook, and then work your way out from there. You could also email contacts from your phone’s address book to get their attention and follow up with a phone call.

When done right and consistently (daily!), real estate agents can build their sphere of influence by getting access to a circle of industry experts, professionals, and influencers that can help them become better at what they do.

Speak at Local Events or Associations

Speaking at an association or local event allows you to connect with others right away. Keep your topic focused on those who are likely to be there, and in turn, keep them intrigued by adding in crucial information they can use.

Speak to local boards, associations, and chambers of commerce. Opportunities may also be available at local schools as you speak to groups of students or parents in the evenings. These are opportunities to network with others who can be potential clients or referrals.

Run an Email Marketing Campaign

To help build influence and provide value to your followers, you can use a simple email marketing campaign that provides updates and offers related to the real estate industry. You can use tools like MailChimp or Constant Contact for this, as well as for your social media posts.

Set aside a certain amount of time each day to follow up with people. Be sure to take advantage of online tools such as Real geeks that allow you to send mass emails and text messages when your schedule permits.
Send emails and postcards for realtors every time you gain or close a listing. You can offer to send an automated valuation or an article to keep them in contact with you. Take the time to give your clients a quick call, even if it is just a “thank you.” Not everyone will respond, but remember that when sending out content, you have the opportunity to gain new relationships and influence potential clients who may not be in your current social media circle.

Keys to Consistently staying in contact with SOI:

Sending out a weekly newsletter

Let your sphere of influence know about what is going on in your life directly from you. It’s always great to make new connections, but old friends and family deserve to hear from you too!

Creating a guest post opportunity

Don’t be afraid to give back. Consider creating a guest post on any industry site that can help promote and grow your brand. Take this opportunity to build a relationship with the authors or editors of these sites.

Asking for reviews and testimonials

Don’t wait for others to take the initiative to give you a review or testimonial. Go ahead and ask! Make sure to ask your clients who give you positive reviews to share them directly on your website or your Facebook business page.

Scheduling time for networking

Networking is about building relationships with other people so that you can help each other. Make sure to set aside time each week to get out there and meet new people. There are many ways to do it.
You could attend an association meeting, or many agents get together every morning at a favorite coffee shop or restaurant. Join LinkedIn and reach out to people in your network; see if anyone is scheduling time to meet for breakfast or lunch within the next month.

In conclusion, building influence and growing your network is like building a solid foundation—it takes time, hard work, dedication, and determination. There are no quick fixes or shortcuts. The best way to do it is by being consistent and starting with the people you know best: your friends and family!