How do you get feedback and recommendations from other professionals?

1 Why feedback and recommendations matter

Feedback and recommendations are essential for any real estate agent, but especially for those who work with first-time home buyers. First-time home buyers are often overwhelmed by the amount of information, options, and risks involved in buying a home. They need someone who can educate them, advise them, and reassure them throughout the journey. By getting feedback and recommendations from other professionals, such as lenders, inspectors, appraisers, attorneys, and contractors, you can demonstrate your expertise, reliability, and value to your clients. You can also learn from their insights, improve your skills, and expand your network.

2 How to leverage your network

One of the easiest ways to get feedback and recommendations from other professionals is to leverage your existing network. You probably already have contacts with other agents, brokers, and industry associations that you can reach out to for advice, support, and referrals. You can also join online groups, forums, and platforms where you can connect with other professionals who work with first-time home buyers. For example, you can join the National Association of Realtors' First-Time Buyer Specialist program, which offers training, resources, and networking opportunities for agents who specialize in this market. By leveraging your network, you can access valuable information, exchange best practices, and generate leads.

3 How to ask for referrals

Getting feedback and recommendations from other professionals through referrals can be a great source of new business for real estate agents. However, many agents may feel hesitant or uncomfortable to ask for referrals, either because they don't want to seem pushy, needy, or unprofessional. To overcome this barrier, it's important to be confident, proactive, and strategic when asking for referrals. When is the right time? When the other professional has expressed positive feedback, gratitude, or satisfaction with your work – such as after a successful closing or an inspection. How should you ask? Politely, respectfully, and genuinely. Explain why you are asking, how it will benefit them, and what kind of referral you are looking for. Where should you ask? In a place that is convenient, comfortable, and appropriate for the other professional - this could be in person, over the phone, via email, or on social media. You can also use referral cards or newsletters to make it easy for them to refer you.

4 How to showcase your testimonials

As a real estate agent who works with first-time home buyers, getting feedback and recommendations from other professionals is a great way to improve your reputation, skills, and business. One way to do this is to showcase your testimonials. Testimonials are written or spoken statements that endorse your skills, services, and results, and can be powerful marketing tools that influence potential clients' decisions. To showcase your testimonials effectively, you need to collect them by asking for permission, feedback, and consent. You should also organize them by category, edit them for clarity and length, and format them with quotes, names, titles, and photos. Finally, you should display your testimonials by choosing the best platforms and locations to reach your target market. You can also create video, audio or infographic testimonials to make them more engaging. By doing this regularly and encouraging clients to share their testimonials with their networks, you can build trust and rapport with your clients and attract more leads in the future.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?