When it comes to success in the competitive spring real estate market, top performing agents know it’s all about making connections.
Sure, you’re going to differentiate yourself from the competition by providing exceptional service, but you’ll only get to that point if you’re able to build relationships first.
That’s where local events come in. By getting valuable facetime with people in your community, you’re more likely to find relevant leads and earn more business.
Here are some ideas for leveraging community events to meet more prospects, create stronger relationships, and close more deals.
Mingle at the farmer’s market.
Ah, the farmer’s market! This warm weather tradition has been bringing small communities together since time immemorial. While you probably can’t join as a vendor—unless you happen to harvest eggs from your own chickens or bottle your own local honey—you can still leverage a farmer’s market to attract more clients.
For one thing, many farmer’s markets are small events that rely on the sponsorship of local businesses. When you sponsor a farmer’s market, you’re getting the name of your business in front of all the people who attend, but also demonstrating your commitment to the community.
You can increase your brand recognition even more by attending the event and getting to know your neighbors. Take an interest in what they’re buying, and use that interest to jumpstart a longer conversation. If you’re a ReminderMedia customer, this would be a great time to share a promotional copy of your magazine, which features delicious recipes and compelling articles in every issue.
Eventually, many of these conversations will turn to what you do for a living. When they do, you can find out whether the person you’re talking to knows anyone looking to buy or sell in the near future.
Connect around the holidays.
There’s no shortage of spring holiday celebrations, from St. Patrick’s Day and Earth Day to religious holidays such as Easter and Passover—and don’t forget about Memorial Day which, despite being viewed by many as the unofficial start of summer, is technically a spring holiday.
Depending on your market, there’s a good chance that there are already one or more annual community events that take place around these holidays. Find ways to get involved in those events, whether that’s through sponsorship or simply volunteering your time. More importantly, get out there and meet the community you serve, and find out more about the people you’d like to have as customers.
When you make regular appearances at these events, people will learn to view you as not just another sales professional, but as an active participant in the community. This will go a long way in building trust in both you and your business.
Support local sports.
As the weather heats up, so, too, does your community’s enthusiasm for outdoor sporting events. For many families, this means little league baseball or soccer games just about every weekend. For other people, spring is a time for amateur softball and adult kickball leagues. As a local businessperson, you have ample opportunities to use these sporting events to connect with new leads and build awareness of your brand.
One popular marketing technique is to sponsor a team by providing their uniforms (which, depending on the rules of the league, could possibly feature your logo). You could also volunteer your time to maintain the field, referee a game, or even help coach a team.
If you’re a ReminderMedia customer, you can use your magazine’s customization features to wish a local team good luck in a big game, or congratulate them on a great season.
Doing any of these things will create good feelings between you and your potential clients, and make them more likely to think of you in the future.
Host your own event.
One of the best ways to connect with new prospects is by hosting an event of your own. You can plan a picnic at a local park, or, if you’ve got the space, invite people over to your place for a cookout. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of refreshments, as well as a contingency plan in case the weather doesn’t cooperate.
If you’re not sure whether you have the resources to provide food and drinks for a large group of people, consider partnering up with some other local businesses—maybe even a local restaurant that would be willing to cater in exchange for the free publicity.
When the day of the event arrives, find ways to offer value and make connections. Try to speak with as many people as possible so that you leave a positive impression. Have plenty of free, branded swag available. Let attendees know you’ll be sending out a monthly newsletter with a calendar of community events, as well as information about other local businesses. Have a sign-up list nearby, so that you can quickly take down the information of those who are interested.
Whichever events you choose for making connections this spring, remember that you’re there to serve the community. When you make yourself available and take a genuine interest in others, you’ll be greatly rewarded with more business.
