Sphere of Influence Guide-Authorify

Many agents say they shy away from face-to-face marketing because they fear being perceived as a dreaded “car salesman” type. But there is a way to market in person that will help you foster relationships with your sphere and solidify your reputation in the right way. 1. Focus on your sphere. People you know personally are a great place to start when it comes to personable marketing. You’ll feel more comfortable reaching out to those who attend the same PTA meetings and neighborhood fundraisers as you. Ask who they know, and get your name “out there.” “I've been living in the same area for 23 years. My husband said to me, ‘Abbe, just focus on your sphere. You know so many people.’ Also, I've been a fitness professional for 23 years. Here's the deal — I get up at the crack of dawn, and I go and train clients, and then I switch gears and put on my real estate clothes, and then do real estate.” 2. Keep your marketing materials with you. Think about the marketing materials you have on hand, whether you have business cards, brochures, postcards or even handwritten yellow letters. Are you primed to use them any moment the opportunity strikes, or are they sitting in a closet inside your home or office? It’s important to have your printed marketing materials with you at all times. That way, you can offer something tangible to prospects you unexpectedly meet. 3. Add a personal touch to anything you mail or drop off. Let’s say you put effort (and money) into printing postcards or brochures with your business name and photo, then mailed them out to prospects or dropped them off. Did you include a handwritten note to introduce yourself? It’s more important than you think — most people will just throw your materials away if there isn’t a more personal “nudge” involved, preferably with the recipient’s name. And what will you do after mailing or dropping off those materials? If your answer is, “wait for people to call me,” you’re in for an unpleasant surprise. They likely won’t. A successful real estate agent understands the importance of following up in solidifying connections. If you don’t follow up, you risk being forgotten. For example, one real estate agent, Abbe Chane, decided to use her own local network to her advantage. She even talked real estate with people she knew from the gym!