Sphere of Influence is your collected relationships with the people in your family, circle of friends, and community. Anyone you have a regular interaction with, however infrequently, is potentially in your Sphere of Influence.
This group of people is a tremendous source of referrals from people who really know you. But many agents dismiss these connections as low-value. They assume these people already have a realtor. Or that friends and family don’t want to hear about their business. These are dangerous assumptions that could be leaving a ton of business on the table.
Don’t be shy about reaching out to your Sphere! A person who knows you is more likely to pick up your calls and reply to your messages. There’s an inherent level of trust that you can build upon through regular contact. Just be sure that you personalize your conversations. Sticking all your contacts onto an email newsletter list is ineffective (and disrespectful).
Starting a conversation is as simple as sharing what you’ve been up to, offering to help with any problems, and expressing a desire to stay in touch. Encourage two-way dialogue — take interest in their lives, ask questions, and listen sympathetically. Close out your conversations by reminding them you’re always open to referrals if they know anyone who needs help.
Keep organized to make this process more efficient. Use your CRM to make notes of your conversations and schedule callbacks once or twice a year. Use tags to group contacts by how you know them. You can also tag people for specific issues that come up in conversations.
Leverage your social media connections as well. Share social updates to your Sphere of Influence so they know what you’re up to.
Remember also that your Sphere of Influence includes leads you’ve attracted through your marketing, especially those you’ve had a previous conversation with. The above strategies can work well to re-engage old leads.
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