The Dos and Don’ts of Networking With Other Real Estate Agents

Knowing how to network is integral to achieving success in real estate marketing. It’s an indispensable part of the business, and as most realtors already know, it never hurts to have another specialty vendor or well-vetted loan officer in your Rolodex.

However, one question many agents are afraid to ask is: how do you effectively network with other real estate agents?

Other real estate agents can be a great resource for your business, and while it’s understandable that most worry about getting too close with their competition, some of those fears are largely unfounded.

For the most part, a lot of luxury real estate agents are willing to give each other a hand as long as there isn’t a direct conflict of interest, and having a mutually beneficial relationship with these folks serves everyone, including your clients.

In the luxury market, finding qualified buyers can be a challenge, so having other agents who you can reach out to can help move things along for all parties involved.

As for actually networking with these other agents, there are a number of ways to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your contacts and engaging them in a reciprocal, professional manner that doesn’t read as self-serving.

Let’s look at a few simple “Dos and Don’ts” of networking with other agents that will enable you to leverage your connections and maximize the results of your real estate marketing campaigns.

Do attend live events and professional gatherings outside of your market

Attending live events and professional gatherings is the easiest and most obvious way to network with other agents, but one of the best ways to do this is to attend events outside of your local market.

The reason for this is that agents outside of your market are less likely to see you as competition and may be more open to sharing real estate marketing advice. Local agents may not be as willing to “give their secrets away”, so to speak.

Luxury Live, presented by the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing is one of the most convenient ways for agents to meet other new and elite agents. Despite the fact that online communication has in many ways supplanted face-to-face contact in countless industries, there’s still no substitute for the in-person approach.

Events such as Luxury Live not only enable you to effectively network with your peers, but they teach you how to grow your skill set, uniquely brand yourself, engage in effective real estate marketing and win affluent, global clientele.

Do take more cards than you hand out

Not only does this help to build up your professional network as you accumulate the contact information from agents around the country, but it also demonstrates a willingness to learn and eliminates the “sales-y” feeling which can come along with aggressively marketing yourself.

The minute your fellow agents feel like they’re being “pitched,” the walls go up and the connection is lost. The point is to connect in a professional, yet sincere way, and to create a network of friendly professionals that you can call upon for assistance or guidance as necessary.

Do ensure that you have a professional and brand-specific online presence

Your online persona dictates a great deal of how your fellow agents and potential clients perceive both you and your business, so be sure to present yourself in an impressive way.

Additionally, make sure that you include your website, social media profiles and email address clearly on your business card, to guarantee that the folks you’re contacting can find you easily.

Don’t make the mistake of being too “plugged in

We all know that constant contact is essential in today’s business, but some tend to make the mistake of prioritizing their phone over the person standing in front of them. This tends to create the impression of disinterest, or even boredom, and this can make it much harder to make meaningful personal and professional connections.

Try to take whatever steps you need to in order to block off a chunk of time that you dedicate exclusively to the event you’re attending. Treat it just like you would an important meeting… because it is!

Be present, and give yourself the opportunity to learn as much as you can from the resources surrounding you.

Don’t forget to nurture the professional relationships that you were able to form

When you receive an agent’s business card, try to enter his or her information into your CRM as quickly as possible, along with relevant notes. And don’t just stop there. Too many of us make momentary connections and don’t take the steps to follow up and grow the relationship.

Your goal is to build a permanent and reliable professional network that you can call upon throughout your career to strengthen your own real estate marketing efforts.

Remember that a professional network is a reciprocal exercise. You’ll get out of it what you’re willing to put into it, and when you’re called upon by other agents that you’ve made meaningful contact with, be sure to give as much as you get. That fosters a dynamic of complementary exchange of information and ideas, which will pay dividends in the long run!

Ready to network with the most impressive community of luxury real estate agents in the world?

If you’re serious about generating more income, growing your network, and having the kind of luxury real estate career that most agents only dream of, we encourage you to join us at our next Luxury Live event. These events give you the opportunity to earn your Certified Luxury Home Specialist designation and to gain insights from top-performing agents worldwide.

Click here to see our Luxury Live schedule.

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