Top mortgage originators understand that the care and energy they devote to their referral partners can be paid back tenfold. The more value you can provide to your referral partners, the greater the level of trust they will have in you, and your partnership will grow and become stronger.
Whether creating new referral partner relationships or deepening the bond with existing ones, you will want to educate your referral partners on the benefits of having a strong relationship with a lender and shine a light on your unique value proposition, which sets you apart from the other originators in your market. One way to do this is to provide consistent value to them and their business.
Here are 10 tips for providing more value for your Realtor referral partners:
1. Get To Know Your Realtor Referral Partner by Sending Them an “Intake Form”
Create a list of questions that you can ask your Realtor referral partner that helps you get to know their business better. Let your partner know that the purpose of the form is so you can get an idea of their strengths and how to best promote them.
Examples of questions could be: “Who is your ideal client?”, “What are your goals for the year?”, or “What are your greatest strengths as a Realtor?”.
Feel free to use this ‘Getting to Know You’ REALTOR INTAKE FORM that my team and I used.
You can also use the form to find out where they may be lacking in their business and how you can help support them in that area. A referral partner intake form is a great way to figure out how to best support your partner while simultaneously showing them that you take their business and your partnership seriously.
2. Send Your Referral Partner Books and Resources That Have Helped You Grow Your Business
Send your Realtor referral partners your favorite business book with a handwritten note explaining to them why you are sharing the book with them and what you got out of the book for your business. Receiving a personalized gift in the mail is a special gesture that shows you are thinking of them and actively helping them achieve success.
No time to handwrite each note? Check out www.handwrytten.com – a platform that does it for you!
3. Create a Referral Partner Mastermind Group
Host a monthly (or quarterly) mastermind group and bring together Realtors, financial planners, CPAs, etc. to share ideas and strategies for improving their businesses and better serving clients. Mastermind groups are powerful for people who want to grow and leverage the collective mindset of their peers.
Referral partner mastermind groups can be hosted in person or virtually. Provide a topic of discussion and bulleted agenda to follow each meeting. Make sure to encourage sharing and discussion, as engagement is where the power of the mastermind sessions come from.
4. Create a Networking Group for Local Businesses
Create and host a networking group for local businesses and invite your Realtor referral partners. You can structure the meetings similar to your mastermind group with a focus on sharing business strategies and successes. Or you can host more informal meetings where the focus is on encouraging one on one conversations and relationship development.
5. Provide Your Realtor Referral Partners with New Marketing Strategies
Do some quick research on the best marketing strategies for Realtors and create a list of ideas for your referral partners to implement. Marketing ideas can range anywhere from ways to grow their social media to how to leverage email marketing or local marketing.
If you have a particular marketing strategy that works well for you, share it with your Realtor referral partner and explain how it can work for their business too. The success of your partners’ marketing efforts will translate to more potential clients for both parties.
6. Educate Referral Partners on a CRM System
Another creative way to provide value to your Realtor referral partners is to ask them if they regularly use a CRM system. If not, let them know the importance of a good CRM and how it can help their business. Do a little research on the top CRMs for Realtors and provide them with a few options they could look into. You could even offer to help them get it started if you have the knowledge.
Two of the top platforms you can look into are: LionDesk (best overall and for budget-conscious agents) or Realvolve (the Real Estate CRM preferred by thousands of top-producing agents).
7. Share What YOU Do to Continually Grow Your Business
If you are in a coaching program, take courses, or listen to a particularly helpful podcast – share it with your Realtor referral partners! If it relates well to them, share a few key takeaways you got from it and share the source so they can enjoy it themselves.
If the content you are consuming is geared towards mortgage professionals and doesn’t apply as well to Realtors, you can still share it with your Realtor partner but perhaps do additional research to provide them with content they would find useful as well. Either way, the fact that you are in a constant state of growth and learning shows that you care about improving your business, which in turn makes you a more valuable referral partner for THEM.
If you are in a coaching program, you understand the value that a coach can provide for improving your business. Consider sharing with your Realtor partner the value you have received from coaching and share the top Realtor coaches with them. A few of the top coaches to look into to provide as a resource are: Brian Buffini or Michael Maher.
8. Provide Closing Gift Ideas
It can be tiresome to constantly try to come up with fresh ideas for closing gifts or client thank you gifts so it’s always nice to have new, creative ideas for gifts. Look through these lists, or do your own research, and create a list of your own closing gift ideas that you can share with your Realtor referral partner.
20 Best Realtor Closing Gifts Under $100
35 Real Estate Agents Reveal the Best Closing Gifts They’ve Ever Given
9. Create a Clear Communication Plan with Your Realtor Referral Partners
Communication is key when it comes to working with referral partners. Layout from the beginning how you plan on communicating at each crucial step of the client’s loan process and what your referral partners can expect from you.
Establish a preferred method of communication and select a day that works for both of you as a weekly checkpoint. Stay consistent with your communication plan and you will bring a level of support and comfort that will help build loyalty.
10. Share Your 3 Greatest Strengths and How They Can Utilize Them
Get clear on what your 3 greatest strengths are as a mortgage professional and what your company’s 3 greatest strengths are and share it with your Realtor referral partners. Consider how these strengths translate into actions that you will take for clients and as a partner. Let them know how your strengths can help them and their business and be clear on the value you will bring them.
As mortgage professionals, the greater the value we can provide to our Realtor referral partners the stronger the relationship will be. Not only will we increase trust and deepen our partner relationships, but as we help our partner’s business grow, we reap the benefits of their success too. Always strive to provide value from a genuine place of care for their success, and you too will see great success in your own business.
Are you looking for more specific strategies for creating and developing referral partner relationships such as proven Cold Call Realtor Scripts, a 6-Week Referral Partner Program, or a complete Real Estate Marketing Guide to share with your Realtor partners?
The Defining Difference mortgage coaching programs provide valuable information for growing your referral partner network. We are committed to help you reach your true potential and to find the success you deserve and desire.
Click here to schedule your complimentary coaching call to learn more.
Or contact our team with questions: info@CindyErtman.com
