Reviews Build Trust. Referrals Build Business. Here’s How to Get Both.

Q: Why do most agents struggle to get reviews and referrals?
A: Most agents either don’t ask, ask at the wrong time, or only ask once. They often move on after closing, missing the chance to turn happy clients into repeat and referral business.

Q: What’s the difference between reviews and referrals in real estate?
A: Reviews build trust and credibility by providing social proof online, while referrals actually grow your business by bringing in new clients who already trust you.

Q: What’s the EARN framework for generating referrals?
A: EARN stands for Engage (win clients in the first five minutes), Anticipate (lead the experience and set expectations), Retain (stay in touch after the deal closes), and Network (ask for referrals intentionally and build community).

Q: How do you “engage” clients to set up a referral relationship?
A: Respond to new leads within five minutes, show up with confidence and clarity, and set the expectation from day one that your goal is a five-star experience—so good they’ll want to leave a review and refer friends.

Q: What does it mean to “anticipate” in the client experience?
A: Don’t just react—lead clients through the process, set timelines, communicate proactively, and eliminate confusion before it happens. Clients should never have to ask “What’s happening next?”

Q: How do you retain clients after closing?
A: Check in 30 days after closing, send home anniversary messages, make 2–4 touches per year, and invite past clients to events. Keep the relationship alive so you’re top of mind for referrals and repeat business.

Q: When and how should you ask for reviews and referrals?
A: Set the expectation at the start (the “promise conversation”), reinforce it during the transaction, ask again within 24 hours of closing, and follow up with a nine-week drip campaign if needed. Always make it easy with direct links.

Q: What’s the best platform for reviews?
A: Google is best for SEO and local search, Facebook is great if you promote content there, and Zillow is ideal if you work Zillow leads. Pick one main platform, make it easy, and track your results.

Q: How do you track and manage reviews and referrals as a team?
A: Use a simple tracker (Google Sheets, CRM, or project management tool) to log client names, review status, referrals given, and follow-up notes. Update weekly, review monthly, and celebrate wins to build a culture of accountability.

Brooke: [00:00:00] you don’t need to add an additional cost to this.

Brooke: Mm-hmm. Use what you’re already using for your transaction management system or what you’re using to track other things. It \, does not matter what tool you, use, what matters is that you’re tracking it somewhere and it’s visible to you. 

Lauren: I love KPIs and just measuring and tying numbers to things.

Lauren: ’cause it just, it also makes you feel like you’re making progress within your role too. And so, like, the data’s gonna tell the story. Let’s be honest for a second. Most agents close a deal, celebrate for about five minutes, and then immediately start stressing about where the next one is coming from. They worked hard, they delivered, the client was happy, and then nothing. no review, no referral, no repeat business. 

Brooke: And here’s the thing that really drives me crazy about that.

Brooke: It’s not because the client [00:01:00] didn’t want to help or didn’t wanna leave a review, a referral, it’s because the agent never asked. Or maybe they asked once, kind of awkwardly at the worst possible time and then never followed up. 

Lauren: Yes. and then six months later they’re saying, I need more leads. no. You need to stop losing the business you’ve already earned.

Lauren: because reviews and referrals are not luck. They’re systems. and when you build the right system, your pipeline starts filling itself. 

Brooke: And that’s what we’re breaking down here for you today. The exact framework in system that we teach our teams to create experiences that really earn referrals and that tactical follow-up process that turns happy clients into your very best lead source.

Lauren: Yeah. So let’s get into it. Welcome back to the Reside Platform podcast. My name is Lauren Holland. I am the Director of Client experience here at Reside. Uh, again, my role sit across the entirety of the client journey from, when they are [00:02:00] talking to about coming into reside, from onboarding teams all the way through and helping them implement systems from our ecosystem, that actually work in the real world.

Brooke: And I’m Brooke Reiki. I am the client Success Manager here at Reside. and again, I work really hands-on with our team leaders, operators, and agents every single day, helping them simplify their operations, build accountability processes, and really focus on what actually drives the results that they’re looking for.

Lauren: Yeah, and between Brooke and I, we have seen hundreds of teams. We work with so many right now, and amongst those to this day, one of the most common frustrations we hear is, I am working so hard, why am I not getting more referrals? 

Brooke: Exactly. And so today we really wanna break down two things for you all.

Brooke: First is gonna be that experience framework that makes clients want to refer you because you can’t really just systematize referrals if the experience isn’t worth [00:03:00] talking about. There’s really no point at that point. Mm-hmm. and then secondly, we want to talk about the exact tactical system that we teach our teams within Reside to secure five star reviews and referrals consistently.

Brooke: So not hoping for them and not waiting for them, but actually building a process that makes them inevitable. 

Lauren: Awesome. So you know, whether you are a solo agent, a team leader, an operator managing this process for your team, this episode is for you because reviews and referrals are the engine that fuels everything else.

Lauren: So we are going to dive in and reframe the subject that Brooke and I have a lot of experience in, reviews or referrals are the engine of your business. So before we get into the how, because we’re gonna be giving away a lot of, uh, you know, tactical action items and scripts today, more so great Brook than we’ve really done [00:04:00] before.

Brooke: This is really, really exciting. 

Lauren: Yeah, it’s a good one. We’re excited about it. we, I think we’ve hinted, in the, previous podcast that we did a little bit about, an agent training I recently hosted. and we touched on some of this, so you might have heard a little bit of this framework, in the previous podcast.

Lauren: However, we are really taking a deep dive into, how to do it. And now we’re gonna talk about the why. So, uh, why we’re talking about this is because reviews and referrals are not just nice to have. Uh, they’re the engine that fuels everything else. So for agents, uh, I wrote this down and I really want to be, tactical about this.

Lauren: You’re gonna hear like tactical a lot today. so number one, enhanced credibility, social proof. Of your skills and reliability. Mm-hmm. Number two, increase to visibility. It’s going to boost your online presence, your client loyalty, and encourage repeat and referral. Business [00:05:00] networking opportunities is next.

Lauren: This is going to lead to new industry connections and then efficient marketing. You know, word of mouth. That’s what saves, um, marketing costs. 

Brooke: Absolutely. And then for teams as a whole, you’re looking at the benefits, you’re getting a reputation boost, so this is gonna enhance your overall image. As many agents and team members that have positive reviews, it’s really going to boost and enhance your image as a team across the board.

Brooke: Mm-hmm. You’re also looking at client acquisition. So this is gonna attract new clients through that social proof, um, team morale, so that that positive feedback really is gonna boost the motivation. So seeing all those amazing reviews come in about how great your agents are doing that, that feels good to hear and it makes them wanna do more.

Brooke: Um mm-hmm. And then also that efficient marketing, like Lauren had just mentioned, this is gonna keep your pipeline full, but at a lower cost because you already have people that know, like, and trust you. It’s, [00:06:00] it’s not a, a new lead that you had to purchase. Mm-hmm. And then you also have that competitive edge, which is gonna help you stand out in the market.

Lauren: Yeah, so for my operators and admins that are listening to this call, uh, this is where you get to see your direct, um, impact on the growth of the team. And I know that we all love data. So reviews and referrals, uh, show your visible contribution, especially you’re the one, uh, managing that client experience.

Lauren: You are the culture keepers we like to say of your team. This is what’s going to prove you’re looking for KPIs and you’re really stuck in building out your role on the team. This is a really good KPI to have. Um, you know, we wanna try to get a hundred percent of the reviews, uh, of all the clients you work with.

Lauren: Uh, this is going to prove the effective effectiveness of your system. So if we’re not getting reviews, we’re gonna be able to go in and look at the deep data and say, what kind of experiences does this person have or this client have on the journey, and how can we make it better? Uh, and then this is going to [00:07:00] help support the entire teams performance and reputation.

Brooke: Absolutely. And I think here’s what people miss the most with this is that reviews are gonna build the trust, but referrals build your business. imagine, you know, you’re going to a new restaurant or you’re in a new area and you’re looking up where to eat, you’re gonna most likely gonna go to the place that has, you know, hundreds of five star reviews versus the place that has maybe 10 okay-ish reviews.

Brooke: but with. Referrals that’s gonna build that trust of, Hey, people have already experienced this and had a good experience, so I wanna be on that boat as well. Mm-hmm. Um, but the referrals on that side are gonna build your business. So as you build that trust, when they come into your world and you work with them, they are gonna be excited about sharing with others that they know, Hey, I’ve got the secret weapon of a amazing agent.

Brooke: hey, you wouldn’t believe the awesome service that they have provided. I wanna make sure that all my people are taken [00:08:00] care of in that way as well. 

Lauren: Yeah. And, a question that I always ask everyone is, when’s the last time you had a really great experience and you’re bragging to everybody about it?

Lauren: Versus when’s the last time you had a very poor experience or something that just like, it didn’t make you feel good? you don’t get to tell people you’re great. Word of mouth. Does your and reviews, do you know everybody’s going to Google, and looking things up. You know, if you’re, especially if you’re on a trip, you’re going to Google, you’re going to Yelp maybe wherever that is.

Lauren: And if, , I do this for book reviews, like if I’m deciding my next book that I’m gonna read, I’m gonna look at how many, how close it is to five stars, you know, and how many, or if you’re on Amazon, uh, Amazon will now tell you like, this item’s been returned a lot. Like, not that we’re gonna re return an agent, but you know, you get the point, um, on your review.

Lauren: So the fastest way to grow is not chasing cold leads. it’s turning every happy client into [00:09:00] three more conversations. 

Brooke: Absolutely. And I think here’s , the big problem is that most agents think that referrals happen,, because they did a good job. And yes, of course that matters. It, it does matter.

Brooke: You did a good job. But doing a good job is just the baseline. That’s the bare minimum. What actually earns referrals is creating an experience that’s so exceptional that people can’t help but to talk about you. , They wanna brag about you. 

Lauren: So before we get into the tactical system for asking for reviews and referrals, we need to talk about what makes somebody actually want to refer you.

Lauren: because you can have , the best follow-up system in the world, but if the experience wasn’t memorable, no one’s sending you that business. A really great book to read is Unreasonable Hospitality. , I always forget the name of the Michelin Star restaurant, but it’s about the general manager’s experience and how he went above and beyond for the clients.

Lauren: It is so good. So see, read that and see how you can [00:10:00] apply that,, to your team as well. 

Brooke: Absolutely. Yeah. That is a, an amazing book and it’s something that we’ve actually, I’ve taken within my own experience with, my role with when reside is, here’s my process that I currently have, now what else can I implement to make it that much better?

Brooke: To really give that, that loving touch a little bit more. And jumping into the framework here further, we, if you caught our last podcast, you heard us talk about the earn framework. so you have to earn the referral. So we built that framework, again, called earns. We wanna break that down for you because you do have to earn the relationship, the trust, the referral, and then it really breaks down into four parts, which is engage, anticipate, retain, and network.

Brooke: So let’s walk through each one. Let’s start with E. 

Lauren: All right. , So E is engage. You win the client. In the first five minutes, we’re talking about CRM follow up. We’re not talking about an in-person interaction with, [00:11:00] out in the public, out in the community. We’re talking about in your database right now.

Lauren: So, engage is everything that happens before somebody decides to work with you. and this is where most agents do not realize that they could be losing business, because it’s all in the data. the numbers tell the story, and it can remove a lot of the emotion. So, because we’re thinking, oh, you know, I’m just gonna win them over at the appointment.

Lauren: But then you don’t, because you can’t even win them over with that, with setting the appointment. Right. Because you, it’s speed to lead. We talk about this a lot. You win them in the first five minutes, of them coming into you, right? 

Brooke: Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, when a lead comes in, think about what do most agents do?

Brooke: they might wait. They might overthink it, they respond later. but what do the top agents do? They respond immediately. They take control and they really guide that conversation. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Yeah. We talk a lot about showing up, especially Brooke and I to together and just like, how [00:12:00] do you can’t really motivate people.

Lauren: Suneet this, I think it was this week in our, uh, leadership call on Monday, he was talking about, a doctor tells you, Hey, you need to change this, or, you know. The worst. What’s the worst that can happen? You, you know, death, right? So we’re gonna make this a little bit morbid. If death can’t scare you, you’re not gonna be able to motivate your agents to go do anything.

Lauren: if that’s not something they’re willing to go change the behavior over. I did not say that as eloquently as Sunni did, but you get the point. it’s not just about speed, it’s about how you show up because your client is asking, can I trust this person before they ever meet you?

Brooke: Absolutely. And this really is where it gets practical. you wanna start thinking how do you dress? Is your car clean? Are you prepared? Do you sound confident? I’m not saying you have to feel confident, but do you sound confident because How you show privately is going to [00:13:00] be how you show up publicly.

Lauren: Yeah, we hear John Schack say that a lot. this is the mindset shift that changes everything. You’re not just in real estate, you’re in the, that’s where you’re, licensed as you are. Yes. you are licensed to buy, sell, and help others invest in real estate. but it’s not all transactional.

Lauren: You know, people can smell commission breath from miles away. It’s about the experience that, you give people. So you’re really in the relationship, the relational, the experience business. 

Brooke: Absolutely. And that’s so huge what you just said, because I think most agents think that their job is by to help people buy and sell homes, but that’s not actually what the clients experience.

Brooke: Yes, you’re helping them buy or sell, but that’s not the whole picture of what they’re experiencing with their time with you. 

Lauren: Yeah. So, okay, especially if you’ve, you’re an agent or you’re just, [00:14:00] even somebody listening in today. Have you bought or sold a home before? Like you personally not working with somebody else, but have you gone through that, transaction before?

Lauren: having to hire an attorney or a title company, having to work with a lender, hiring, home inspectors, going through those reports, et cetera? It’s a lot, and especially we’re gonna get into this, but it’s a very emotional human experience. No matter, we can have the most emotional fitness, out there.

Lauren: There’s still things that come up because this is the biggest, one of the biggest transactions that most people make, right? So our clients put yourselves in their shoes. They are going to experience stress, uncertainty, emotions, pressure. And what they remember isn’t always, I’m gonna say always, ’cause some people do, but they’re not gonna remember the paperwork.

Lauren: They’re gonna remember signing things and that it’s a lot, but they’re not gonna remember verbatim what’s on there. They might remember how [00:15:00] pretty the MLS looked, but, you know, co coming from past experience, I don’t actually, I remember the photos, I do not remember the description. Anything from our last listing.

Lauren: the logistics, they’re going to remember how you made them feel during the process. 

Brooke: Absolutely. So you wanna consider, think about your last transaction process, or if you have not had one yet, what would you want this to look like? But you wanna consider. Did you make it easier? Did you make it clearer, make them feel really taken care of?

Brooke: Or did you at some point just disappear? Maybe you went under contract and then you, you gave a step back. Did you react instead of lead? So okay, a bad inspection came up and nowyou’re frazzled and trying to handle it. Or did you lead them through that and set expectations that, the inspection reports might not always be great, and you, that’s why you’re hiring inspectors to find the problem.

Brooke: being really prepared for that. Um, and did you leave them confused? Did something, not quite click with [00:16:00] them, that you could have been explained a little bit further? 

Lauren: Yeah. And it’s so big and important, what we’re talking about right now. Yes, we’re talking about reviews and referrals, but really what we’re talking about is the client journey and the client experience, and that’s what leads to the repeat business.

Lauren: so it’s gonna start with your funnels. It’s gonna start with your database. It’s gonna start with lead generation to lead, nurturing lead. all of this is going to determine whether the client refers you, whether they trust you again, and whether they’re gonna talk, about you after the deal is done and closed.

Brooke: Absolutely. So let’s wrap up the e here. This engage. So we’re engaged. We’re only 

Lauren: on EI know 

Brooke: I guys, there’s just so much great things like with each of these that we just wanna make sure that we are, we’re hitting home here with you, so you, know what this looks like, to really boost that review and referral process within your business.

Brooke: but that engaged system looks like. The five minute response rule. So speed to lead, [00:17:00] fast replies, that’s gonna really build that trust immediately. You wanna script your conversation. are you practicing your scripts? Do you know what to say? You wanna qualify quickly, really lead the conversation and set the next step.

Brooke: And you really wanna show up like a professional. ’cause remember, first impressions matter. Confidence is contagious. And preparation shows respect that you’re not there to waste their time. 

Lauren: I remember what I wanted to talk about. I just didn’t wanna interrupt you because I was like, my mom brain is so I have a nine month old, he like.

Lauren: It just, it’s real. That’s all I’m gonna say. Yes. Mom’s not real. So when we’re talking about confidence is contagious and, um, I really don’t like the term anymore. Um, I’m a recovering people pleaser. I’m not a people pleaser anymore. I used to be because I used to, if we were wanna get down their rabbit hole, I think people pleasing is actually a form of manipulation.

Lauren: And that’s not really what we’re talking about here, because you want the other person to a certain way about [00:18:00] you, which might not be their interpretation. So when I am talking about now, like. caring about your reputation or caring what others think about you, or, you know, sometimes comparison can be a really good thing because you’re comparing yourself to someone that’s doing it at a higher level, so you can not be them, but, imitate their behaviors and the actions that they’re doing.

Lauren: Right? So going back to, 

Lauren: what shows up privately shows up publicly. So we were talking about comparison, and so the people that, that do it at a higher level than us, you know, what are the action items that they’re taking and how can we replicate those, I think is what I was saying. we all go through seasons of life, right?

Lauren: You know, sometimes it’s really great. Other times, you know, it’s, what is this teaching me, , this event in our life? , Sometimes like for me personally, when I’m feeling a little bit cut, chaotic, like, you’re gonna be able to tell that like, are there rappers, , in my car or, you know, am I in more lounge wear than I would be, you know, more put together.

Lauren: So when I know a lot of you listening probably can relate to this, I love [00:19:00] some lounge wear, however. Look good, feel good? I think we’ve talked about this before. Faking until you make it. Uh, especially like if you’re not sick, I’m gonna put on some something that makes me feel good and like it’s that mindset shift that we’ve been talking about.

Lauren: So that’s really when the confidence is contagious part, um, your clients are gonna, uh, realize that too. Okay? So, you know, you really wanna make that best impression that you’re taking that, , what’s the phrase you’re best putting your best foot forward 

Brooke: best. Yeah. 

Lauren: Thank you. I can remember things anymore.

Lauren: I always butcher those things. , But like, make sure you put, it’s the simple things right? Like steamer iron your shirt. Don’t go look in a little bit wrinkly with your clothes. , People are gonna notice that, you know, when you look sharp, , I am not saying you have to wear a three piece suit, but, you know, wear something crisp.

Lauren: Wear something clean. Don’t have that mustard. Stand on there. Okay? Make sure it smells good. Don’t overdo it with the cologne, with the perfume. Just things like that. You look like you take care of yourself and [00:20:00] when you look like you take care of yourself, you’re going to look like you’re gonna take care of those, the other people as well.

Lauren: Anyways, digress. We can talk a little bit more about that later if it comes up. But the, the next is a and anticipate. This is how you lead the experience and do not react to it. , And then this is really where those top agents are going to separate themselves because most agents operate like this.

Lauren: Something happens, then they respond. And, you know, they think ahead. Top agents do, they, they prepare the client, they eliminate confusion before it shows up., Brooke, what are, what are your thoughts on that? 

Brooke: Absolutely. I mean, I think clients don’t get frustrated just because something went wrong, because that’s, 

Lauren: mm-hmm.

Brooke: It’s in a transaction. Something’s found to happen, here or there. That’s not the way you planned. , But they get frustrated because they didn’t know what was happening or, or why, or have that expectation that, hey, again, you go back to inspections. This might not be [00:21:00] super pretty and fluffy and look great.

Brooke: And just setting that expectation. and then so it removes that frustration when that report comes out and they’re like I wanna pull out of this right now. I’m, I, yeah. Don’t wanna move forward. 

Lauren: It’s scary. It, it goes back to the, it’s a human experience, so something really impactful that if you take anything out of this, please let it be this.

Lauren: Um, if your client ever asks you what is happening, you have already lost control of the experience. 

Brooke: Yep. Yes, and, and so let’s talk about what does that look like practically? This is gonna be your client communication standard. Give them a timeline on day one. So they know exactly what’s gonna be happening when, and then set a weekly communication cadence.

Brooke: I know Lauren and I used to do, when we were in transaction management, we would do follow up Fridays. So every Friday we would go to the clients, go to the vendors, any anyone that was partnered in the transaction and say, here’s where we’re at with [00:22:00] everything. Do you have any questions? here’s what’s happening next.

Brooke: You always wanna lead with here’s what’s happening next. So reach out first. Don’t wait for them to chase you or ask you questions. 

Lauren: And I have my, my dog next to me. So if you’re, um, so yes, the follow up Fridays, the, it just is like through back Thursday, remembering all the, the things we used to do. Um, I would do follow up Fridays on Thursdays.

Lauren: I’m doing this backwards for whatever reason, but on Thursdays I would send a, file audit, if you will, to my agents as well with a property address. This would be to each individual agent, , because that’s your job, right? I’m sure you could automate it. Now, this was pre AI and having a lot of, you could do so much with it, but every agent would get a, file update every Thursday because that helped us, , eliminate things slipping through the cracks.

Lauren: And we, could communicate on like if they talk to the client and it jog their memory, they could tell me in case like, you know, when I called the [00:23:00] client, we look competent is what I wanna say, because we’ve been communicating with each other. Communication is what is going to, to win.

Lauren: So ask the client what their communication preference is, because some clients want texts. Some clients want emails. Some clients want phone calls. Ask their preference, honor it, document it, and stay consistent with it. 

Brooke: Absolutely. And there’s a really, a simple communication order that you can think of is, it may if they don’t have a preference mm-hmm.

Brooke: Fast replies, that can be a text, big information that’s an email, any confusion or clarity needed, that’s a phone call that you can talk through. Mm-hmm. 

Lauren: And a big thing that you’re always gonna hear me, say on coaching calls and drainings is document everything. after, even if their preference, this is how you honor a really good client experience, even if they prefer a phone call and they don’t check their email, what you’re gonna do is after every phone call, you’re still going to send a recap.

Lauren: Mm-hmm. After every [00:24:00] conversation, you’re gonna send a text or an email summary, I would send the email. And if you do have a group thread with a property address, you have your tc, the agent and the clients all on a group message, whether that’s on, uh, Facebook Messenger. , How Slack, whatever you guys communicate on a text, , you are gonna confirm the next steps there.

Lauren: And that’s a real, it sounds simple, which it is. , That’s the point. But it’s also how you separate yourself from the rest. Uh, you’re mute, you’re, wow, I can’t talk. Today. You’re removing confusion because when the client is feeling informed, they also feel taken care of. And when they feel taken care of, they remember you.

Brooke: it’s leadership. You’re not just responding to what happens, but what you’re really guiding that experience from start to finish. 

Lauren: Yeah. So we’ve talked about e engage, a anticipate. Next we’re gonna talk about retain, that this is the third part.

Lauren: this is where you do not disappear after the deal. And then this part is also where a lot of agents are at risk of [00:25:00] losing few business. We’re not talking about the client’s gonna terminate in the middle of the contract. We have a method and everything here, and that’s what we’re talking about. You know, you, you as an agent, you’re working hard, you close, but then you disappear and you never talk to these people again.

Lauren: We’re not gonna do that. We’re eliminating that here. Yeah. 

Brooke: And they say, um, I need more leads. Like we had, we had just talked about. No, you don’t need to wear leads. You need to stop losing the people who already trust you. If you think about it, you’ve already done the initial work of building a relationship, um, you know, just dominating those first impressions and making a great first impression.

Brooke: You’re taking out a, a big leg of work with, that you would have to do with a new lead when you can focus on somebody that already knows, likes, and trusts you. 

Lauren: Yeah, because people don’t remember transactions. They remember how you made them feel. I’m gonna sound like a broken record. They remember how they felt in the experience with you.

Brooke: Absolutely. So you’re really what your, at your retention system can look like. [00:26:00] Is a a 30 day check-in after closing. Hey, how’s everything going? Are you feeling settled in? Do you have any questions? having a home anniversary message every year. Hey, happy home anniversary. maybe it’s a quick little pop by or a a, you know, a small little, um, something or just a quick message.

Brooke: Mm-hmm. Uh, two to four touches per year. So this could be during holidays, market updates, personal notes, again, anniversaries, um, and then being able to invite them to client events or, or things that you are doing around the community just to stay connected. 

Lauren: So good. we could dive deep into all of that too.

Lauren: I’m like, 

Brooke: now I’m like, we should do a pocket for 

Lauren: We can. We sure can. If y’all want that, you let us know. we like to save money here. We like to cut costs, especially for your p and l and your bottom lines are my ear earphones falling out again. Uh, and this does, so this does not have to be expensive.

Lauren: It just has to be thoughtful. Mm-hmm. Think of anything, client experience versus being thoughtful. So moments they matter. They [00:27:00] need to be thoughtful, personal, memorable, and repeatable. And there is a system for the client experience and client journey. 

Brooke: Generosity is a strategy by the way. Yeah. Which you can give first, stay top of mind and then create moments that, that people really remember.

Brooke: So that might not be a, a closing gift, but maybe you’re donating to their favorite charity or something that’s close to them. that’s you’re, you’re showing, Hey, I’m here. You and I understand what you care about. and that again, it’s creating that moment that people are gonna remember that you did for them.

Lauren: Yeah. And this is gonna make me hungry by saying it, but one thing that one of my agents said like, you don’t need to do closing gifts. You know? I mean, yes. I think I said this on a call the other day, if you wanna gimme some cleaning supplies, I am never gonna turn that down ’cause I’m constantly cleaning and you can always stock up on those.

Lauren: However, another really memorable thing you can do, especially I think also one point that we haven’t touched on, is the reason someone is buying or selling, maybe both, is it’s not always. [00:28:00] Hooray. This is exciting for you, which it can be even the hard seasons. But if someone you know is going through a divorce or they’re going and selling their family estate because there was a death in the family, something happened.

Lauren: How you can ease for, that single mom with the kids at the home, you book a pizza or something that’s like, Hey, congratulations. We don’t want you to stress out about cooking tonight. Especially if utilities or like the oven’s not in whatever, get ’em a pizza from Domino’s or your local restaurant or whatever it is, because getting somebody food or in a meal, that’s the way to my heart, man.

Lauren: That’s what I would, I would want from my agent. 

Brooke: Same, same. I would remember that. I would be like, 

Lauren: yeah, 

Brooke: that was good. 

Lauren: Yeah. So anyways, here’s the reality. Most agents we’re not always thinking about staying in touch. High, high level. but they’re not. They send, a generic quality card once a year and think that’s enough.

Lauren: It’s not, we’re gonna talk about some systems on how to do [00:29:00] that. 

Brooke: your past clients shouldn’t feel like they’re, they should feel like they’re still your clients. Not like you had one transaction and that ended and then you just walked away from them. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Yeah. and when you do this well, retention becomes referrals.

Lauren: And that is why we’re talking about this earned framework and the client experience. Man. it’s, I keep saying the same thing, but 

Brooke: internal madness here, guys. we’re, we’re looping it all back around because this, again, we promise, experience peoples referrals and reviews. So we just wanna make sure we all feel really confident and comfortable in what those steps are.

Lauren: Yeah, and I hope y’all are taking notes because people who feel remembered, they refer people and people who feel valued, they’re gonna talk about you. It’s all word of mouth, you know, especially if you’re in a small town, even a big city, you know, you got your billboards up, whatever, people are gonna know your face.

Lauren: So that’s when we’re talking about the, how you show up your confidence. , Also confidence does not mean huge. Ego confidence means being confident and educated in your work and knowing that you are [00:30:00] the best person to be serving your clients. So get out in the community. I think we’re gonna be talking about this next, so I don’t wanna jump too much ahead, but people who feel cared are going to send you business because they know that you are going to take care of the people that they love.

Brooke: Absolutely. And you wanna ask for your referrals intentionally. So let’s talk about in which is networks. So our fourth part of earn, , this is where everything’s really gonna multiply for you because now you’re not just chasing leads, but you’re really building relationships that are gonna keep working for you.

Brooke: Because again, everything we just talked about, that client experience, , they want to keep working with you. 

Lauren: And I know we just passed St. Patrick’s Day, but referrals don’t come from luck. That was so cheesy, but it does. Thank you. , Yeah, totally forgot to send my kid in to gr in green into school that day, but.

Lauren: , So referrals are gonna come from 

Brooke: Yeah, I don’t think they’re pinching nine months old, I hope. 

Lauren: , So referrals, they come from, , intentional experience and consistent visibility. 

Brooke: [00:31:00] And I think here’s what most agents do wrong here, is that they wait until the end of the transaction to ask for a referral.

Brooke: Um, but by then it just feels awkward. It’s, it’s really not the best time when they’re in the middle signing a packet of paperwork, um mm-hmm. To ask for that referral. Yeah. 

Lauren: So what you’re saying is, instead we’re gonna plant the seed early, we’re normalizing the ask so that it feels organic and then they know that it’s coming.

Lauren: So you’re gonna build toward the referral from the very beginning, especially if this is someone that you don’t know. 

Brooke: Yes. You’ve never before we call. Absolutely. And we call this the referral seed script, which happens during, our promise conversation, if you will, which we’re gonna break down here in detail in, in just a minute.

Lauren: , Here’s the key, all right? Reviews are given, referrals are the goal, right? 

Brooke: Yeah. Reviews, build trust. Referrals are gonna build the business, and we’re gonna, you’re gonna keep hearing us say that too. 

Lauren: Yeah. We sound like broken records, but you [00:32:00] know, it takes seven times to, to hear something until it really clicks.

Lauren: I hope we’ve said it. I think we’ve said it more than seven times, so I’m sure you guys are gonna get it. But, , community, this is also part of the experience. we will talk about this in another podcast, but host events, create that connection. Be the local agent in your community, show up to, what do they call them, the, like, when you’re.

Lauren: Cutting the rope. The red ribbon events. Oh 

Brooke: yeah, the ceremonies and 

Lauren: stuff. Ribbon cutting. It’s literally called the ribbon cuttings. pay attention to, those magazines in your area of, local businesses. what there’s new restaurants opening in town. Go do a fun, like taste testing if, tacos are your thing.

Lauren: You know, like go, go be that local fun real estate agent and put it on social media. Contribute to your client’s lives beyond the transaction. you’re gonna stay visible. You know, don’t be a secret agent because it’s not your client’s or your family’s or your SOI your audience’s job to remember that you’re in real estate.

Lauren: It’s your job to remind ’em. So when you build that [00:33:00] community, this is really going to help. These referrals are going to become natural. 

Brooke: Yes. And we’re gonna get more into how to ask for the referrals. But before we move on, let’s recap the earned framework. E. So engage, win them in the first five minutes, show up with speed, confidence, and clarity.

Brooke: And then a, that’s our anticipate. So lead the experience over communicate and really eliminate any possible confusion before it shows up. And then R, which is our retain. So don’t disappear after the deal, stay in the relationship, create those memorable moments that we’ve talked about. and then finally end.

Brooke: So network, ask for referrals, intentionally build that community and stay visible. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. So when you do these four things consistently, referrals become inevitable. because you’re not just closing deals, you are creating experience that people experiences that people just can’t stop talking about.

Brooke: Mm-hmm. Absolutely. But I now let’s, get tactical. [00:34:00] Let’s get down to it as far as how do we actually. Do all this because even with the best experience, you still need a system to ask for and really secure those reviews and referrals. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. And that’s what we’re here for. So now congratulations, you’ve made it this far with us.

Lauren: Let’s walk through the exact system that we teach our teams, and we’ve been coaching people for years on, these are gonna be four touch points. We’re not just talking about frameworks. This is how you can implement and take actionable items, and execute on things today. You don’t have to wait, implement them today, in the client journey where you set the stage for reviews and referrals.

Lauren: and if you miss these moments, you’re leaving money on the table and no one wants to do that. 

Brooke: Yes. and that first touch point should be happening at the very beginning of the transaction as soon as the contract is signed. This is what we call the promise conversation. is what’s happening here at the beginning.

Brooke: And this is where agents, completely miss the opportunity. Not a lot of agents are, are doing this.

Lauren: Yeah. And we have it written [00:35:00] down because this is not something we made up. This is something that has been coached for years and years. I’ve gone to so many, events and conventions, if you will, and trainings, and this is the script that everyone that seems to just keep popping up. we think, Hey, I’m gonna ask for the review at the end.

Lauren: But by then, you know, clients have moved on. they’re thinking about, Hey, we closed on our house. Now what’s next? Like, are the utilities set up? when’s the furniture? When are the mover gonna be here? Oh, shoot, did that break in the move? You know, like, we’ve all had that. They’re also unpacking boxes.

Lauren: They’re, they might be stressed, they might be happy, but they’re not thinking about you anymore. And that’s just the hard truth. 

Brooke: So instead you just wanna set that expectation early, make it part of the experience from day one, and set that expectation from day one. 

Lauren: All right. I might get a little winded, but this is the exact script, so write it down.

Lauren: Feel free to rewatch this if you need. Hey Brooke. is now a good time to talk? Awesome. [00:36:00] Congratulations on your accepted offer on 1 2 3 Main Street. What, and then now what you’re going to do is review the expectations on next steps of the transaction. Our goal is to provide you with such an exceptional five star, with such exceptional five star service, that at the end of your transaction, you’ll be eager to leave us a five star review on Google, Facebook, Zillow, wherever, Google, Google.

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Um, and refer a family member, friend, or colleague who’s planning to buy, sell, or invest in real estate soon. If at any point during our process you feel that I am not living up to this promise, please let me know immediately and I will address your concerns. Is that fair? Great. Please save my cell number and feel free to call, text, or email me with any questions or concerns.

Lauren: Thank you and your for your trust in us. We’re here to make this process as smooth and enjoyable as possible. [00:37:00] 

Brooke: Yeah. Yeah. I want you to all just to notice what just happened here. , What Lauren just said. , You’re not asking for anything yet. , You set the standard, you told them what to expect, and then you gave them permission to hold you accountable to that.

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Yes. And everybody, this is leadership, okay? You’re not hoping they’re going to remember to leave a review. That’s not their job, okay? You are building the expectation into the experience from day one, and if you’re doing this, you’re ahead of the game. You know, no one else is, well, I won’t say no one else, but not many other people are doing this.

Brooke: And here’s why I think that works so well is because when you say this at the beginning, the client hears this team is super confident in their service, and that’s gonna build that trust immediately. , And again, show that you know what you’re doing. 

Lauren: Yeah, and if you’re having these conversations as you should be weekly, one thing, this is what I wanted to say earlier, you know, even if there’s no updates, that can freak some people out if they’re not hearing from you.

Lauren: [00:38:00] Especially someone like me, you know, if I don’t hear from you for a while, I’m like. Am I missing something? Did I not do something I was supposed to do? Are we delayed, you know, overthinking, right? Over functioning? So for any, , operators, transaction coordinators, solo agents that might need some leverage, we can talk about that one day.

Lauren: Don’t leave your clients in limbo, please, just even if you’re saying, Hey, just wanted to check in. There’s no new updates. We are in this waiting period. And then say what you’re waiting for. And you know, then if you have those, high highly worried or anxious clients, you’re gonna be like, Hey, this is normal.

Lauren: , This is what , the lenders waiting back, to hear on, , et cetera. Really, whatever title needs, and it, it allows you to give essentially what I’m saying, uh, permission to follow up later with the client. So it’s not as awkward. ‘Cause I mean, it’s not awkward for me, but some of us feel uncomfortable reaching out to people just to say hi.

Lauren: I love it. , But you’ve already told them that this was part of the [00:39:00] process. So when you ask for the review at the end, you’ve already been asking consistently through, and they know that you’re gonna ask again. And they’re gonna probably joke with you, Hey, I know you’re waiting on that. I got you.

Lauren: So just send the link and make it easy for them. It feels expected. 

Brooke: Yes. And that , second touch point. We’ve covered that first. We’re at the beginning, you’re setting the expectation. The second touch point is gonna be during the transaction, and this is where you’re really gonna reinforce the value of their feedback.

Brooke: Again, you’re not asking just yet, but , you’re just subtly reminding them that they’re experience matters here. 

Lauren: Correct. And this can be as simple as we are. So glad everything’s moving smoothly. Our goal is to deliver a five star, , service experience. Let us know if there’s anything we can be doing better or, you know, if, this is where you asked for the referral.

Lauren: If, you know, I love adding this one, if you know anyone else thinking about buying or selling real estate, we would love to help them the same way we’re helping you. And then that plugs in that experience and that feeling for those people. 

Brooke: [00:40:00] Yes, you’re planting seeds here., You’re keeping it top of mind and you’re really shown them that reviews and referrals are a normal part of working with you.

Brooke: So at this point, you’ve now set that expectation and you have , this second touch point throughout the transaction. And again, there’s no confusion. It doesn’t feel awkward. Mm-hmm. They, they know. 

Lauren: Yeah. And it, it becomes muscle memory for you too. You’re gonna get so comfortable asking for reviews and referrals.

Lauren: It’s gonna be second nature. , And this does not have to be formal. You know, I think we get so worked up in our head and we start overthinking, especially as, um, for any of my admin or operators on this call. , I know that we are not the salespeople. I know we sometimes prefer, , to be sitting behind the computer and getting our work done.

Lauren: , And just being behind the scenes. However, you are just as much as this client experience as the agents are because you are that culture keeper. We said that in the, the start of the call today. , All of these are part of the experience. It can be woven into your regular check-ins, but this is what it is.

Lauren: Consistency matters. [00:41:00] Okay. The systems matter. , I have a water glass right here. I don’t know if, if you guys are watching on YouTube, you can, you can see that. So, um, I always go to, when I’m thinking of consistency, um, this graphic of, um. It’s not gonna be perfect every single time. It’s not gonna be perfect every single day.

Lauren: If you have templates in a process, , you’re gonna nail it every time. But I guess what I’m saying, , it’s building the muscle. So start doing it. Go back through a list of your past clients who has, and who has not left a review yet., That’s called an audit. You should be auditing that weekly.

Lauren: , If you’re not, or at least quarterly, have a virtual assistant do it. If you wanna automate it, just, just go do it. And have one source of truth of where you’re leaving these reviews. I like Google. Google. , I don’t know if we’re gonna get into this, but, when someone’s searching local real estate agents in Vermont, you know, the more Google business reviews you have, , and you’re verified on your business page, you’re gonna pop up towards the top, right?

Lauren: So go get those reviews, it’s gonna motivate you so much more. , But because by the time you [00:42:00] close, they’ve heard this message multiple times and you know it’s gonna feel natural for them and they’re going to wanna leave the review, especially if you make it easy for them. 

Lauren: Okay, so we are going to move on to the third touch point, which is, within 24 hours of closing, what do we do? This is when emotions are still high, because, you know, they’re excited, they’re grateful, they’re thinking about you. Final walkthroughs coming.

Lauren: Have you got, you should have had the title commitment already, you know, ’cause of mm-hmm. You know, the Alta statement, hud, what’s it called? Um, three day trip. 

Brooke: All 

Lauren: right. I dunno. I could been, it’s been a minute and everybody calls it something different, but, um, they’re excited, they’re grateful, and they’re thinking about you.

Lauren: This is when we get it. And they can leave a, a review before too. Like it doesn’t have to just be at the end of the transaction. 

Brooke: Of course, of course. Really around this time, this is where you can make it just like a personalized thank you email and this is where you can make the ask. , So here’s, we’ll go over the template here briefly.

Brooke: If [00:43:00] you, want the full template, feel free to reach out to Lauren and I, we can provide you with a copy of it. but I’ll be, hi. Clients name. So, hi Lauren. Congratulations once again on your new home. We hope you’re settling in. Well, your satisfaction’s incredibly important to us, and we would love to hear about your experience working with our team.

Brooke: if you have a moment, could you please leave us a review on, on Google? Your feedback helps us continue to provide excellent service , to our clients. And again, you wanna add the link here for your Google Review page. Um, and additionally, if you know anyone looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate, we would really be honored if you refer them to us.

Brooke: And thank you so much for your time and support. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Yep. So that’s short. It’s simple, it’s direct it, have a clickable link. You’re not being pushy, you’re giving them an easy way to help you. And people do wanna help too, right? Yeah. Coming from contribution, they’re not gonna do it if you don’t ask.

Brooke: Absolutely. And again, make sure they, like we can’t stress this enough. If you can’t tell, we, we mentioned it, don’t forget to include the direct link on your review platform. [00:44:00] Don’t make them hunt for it. Don’t make them search your name and try to find it. It’s not gonna happen. The easier you may, especially when they’re trying to move and they’re in the middle of unpacking and all the craz that comes with moving, the easier you make it, the more likely that they are to do that.

Lauren: Mm-hmm. And here’s a key point, okay? pick one. I think we’ve said it already, I won’t beat the dead horse with this, but pick one. And also, why do people say that? Um, pick one platform to, to focus on me and all my analogies and sayings today. The easier you make it for somebody, the more likely they are going to do it because it’s simple and you need the process.

Lauren: Uh, easy, easy, easy for them. 

Brooke: Absolutely. And if you’re wondering, let’s say that you’re using all, you’re using Google, Facebook, and Zillow, and you are wondering what would be the best channel? here are some thoughts here of, of where to collect reviews. So, Google will be best if your team, runs Google Ads or focuses highly on SEO.

Brooke: ’cause again, like Lauren mentioned, [00:45:00] the more reviews that you have, the higher you’re gonna be when they search, you know, realtor in my area, you’re gonna pop up there. , Facebook is, is effective if your team promotes content or listings on Facebook. , If you’re doing Facebook ads, that’s a great place to have your reviews collected as well.

Brooke: , Zillow would be ideal when you’re working Zillow lead, if you’re part of a a Zillow team, that would be a great place to go ahead and, collect those as well. 

Lauren: Yeah, I mean, you can collect all three too. You could put three different links being like, here’s this link to my Zillow page.

Lauren: This is why we put here, and here’s for Google, this is why we do, all they have to do is copy and paste what they said before. It’s not like just give them the script or not the script. Don’t give them the review, but give them,, that little touch of like, Hey, you’re welcome to just copy and paste them on these things if you want.

Lauren: And or if they do leave it on Zillow or they do leave it on, Google, just screenshot that review and go put it on your Facebook page. 

Brooke: Mm-hmm. 

Lauren: Right. You’re getting the review. Still, people are gonna go look at your Facebook page. , , just make sure your agents know which platform to promote, , and make sure that [00:46:00] the links are saved and ready to send, like we’ve been saying.

Lauren: Because if you have to hunt for the, the link every single time, you’re adding friction. We wanna create not only a frictionless experience for our agents operators, but for the client as well. Friction just kills that follow through. 

Brooke: Absolutely. , Let’s talk a little bit about our fourth and final touch point here, because this is a big point we’ve talked about it.

Brooke: Some agents, will close the deal and then that’s it. You don’t hear from it anymore. So let’s talk about sending, they send that one email. Maybe let’s, I’ll give ’em that. Maybe it’s that one email. Thanks for everything and then that’s it. But really, here’s the reality. Most people need multiple reminders.

Brooke: I mean, I know, I do. , And not because they don’t wanna help because life gets busy. So again, they are moving, they’re unpacking, they’re dealing with the chaos that comes with coming into a new home. It’s not ’cause they don’t wanna help you, it’s just at that moment when you texted them and they were, had five boxes that they’re gonna deal with and missing a box and something broke, it is just not a good time for them to leave that [00:47:00] review for you.

Lauren: I remember one time my, I was moving and my TV. I mean, I don’t actually know how this happened, but you know, that I packed it properly in, it broke. So I still remember how bad experience made me feel. Yeah, I’m 

Brooke: a like, you leave me a review as you’re dealing with your, your broken tv. It’s like, okay, yes, I will get to that at some point.

Lauren: And you know who’s the worst at leaving? These is your friends and family, especially your family, your immediate family. You just sold ’em a house and they’re like, yeah, yeah, I’ll get to it later. And then you’re like, Hey mom, can you please leave that review? And they’re like, yeah, I’ll get to it. And then they just don’t.

Lauren: anyways, so if you don’t get a review within 48 hours, start this nine week drip campaign. Brooke, one thing we haven’t talked about is the who, admin that are running the client experience as a transaction coordinator, especially if you have your hands on the templates and you’re talking to the client and you know what’s going on more than the agent knows what’s going on.

Lauren: You certainly can be the one because you created such an amazing experience for these people. Ask for the reveal. However, if you know, every team’s different, [00:48:00] if your team leader or, just know who owns it on the checklist. So admin remind the agent, Hey, I haven’t gotten this person’s review yet.

Lauren: Could you reach out? Like, make it easy. Send the agent the link so they know what to do. Just make things easy for people, , to get the goal done. Right? So here’s the cadence of what we’re gonna do. Week one, you’re gonna send a reminder email out. Week two, you’re gonna do the same thing. .

Lauren: Week three, it’s gonna be a care call, voice to voice ask. You can also do that every week, but you know, it just really depends on the client. , Week four, you’re gonna send another reminder email. Same with week five. Week six is gonna be that care call week, , seven and eight, those reminder emails. And then week nine, a care call voice to ask voice.

Brooke: Absolutely. And you can see that pattern there. So reminder, email reminder, email care call reminder, reminder, care call reminder, reminder care call. And you can automate most of this in your CRM by the way. So think about setting up the email sequence as an action plan and follow up boss or, or whatever system you’re using.

Brooke: Um, but the care calls, make sure that those are personal. Those need to be a personal voice to voice [00:49:00] ask from you. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Okay. So we’ve given you a lot. We’ve given you scripts, we’ve given you cadences., Another thing on top of that drip campaign, you’re going to pick one day a month. These are your monthly tasks.

Lauren: , We recommend the third Thursday. I actually don’t have the data on why. I think we just picked a day of the month. And, uh, you spend one to two hours making care calls to clients who have not left a review or a referral yet. 

Brooke: And this is one of our favorite scripts for those calls. It’s called,, the event giveaway sandwich.

Brooke: So it sounds like, , something like, and again, if you want the, uh, actual copy of this, let Lauren and I know, but, um, it sounds like, hello Lauren, is now a good time to talk? Great. , I wanted to let you know that our team’s hosting an event for all of our past clients. , Please keep an eye out for a text message or phone call , from their agent to be invited.

Brooke: Also I was doing, , our monthly bookkeeping and realized that we have not received a five star [00:50:00] review from you or from somebody that you know that’s looking to, or a name of someone that’s looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate. , If I send you a text message with the link to our Google page after this, would you be able to leave, your agent, um, if you’re the transaction coordinator here, , and our team a five star review.

Brooke: Do you know anyone who has real estate related plans that I can provide to your agent? Awesome. Thank you so much. We’ll reach out to you again here soon with some more details about the event. We can’t wait to see you talk soon. Bye. 

Lauren: Okay. And that was a call, that was a, a phone call. I mean, you can turn these into, , email scripts as well, honestly.

Lauren: Use ai, run it through chat, GBT and say, make the prompt is make this an email as well. Yeah. , Uh, another one that works really well is the, can you help me script? Hey, Brooke, is that a good time to talk? Great. I was wondering if you could help me., That was supposed to be a question. I was wondering if you could help me.

Lauren: Our company is hosting a competition on collecting five star reviews and referrals. This one is so [00:51:00] good. I remember when we did this and I noticed that you’ve, uh, that since you’ve closed on your home at 1, 2, 3 Main Street back on this day, we haven’t received a five star review or referral from you yet.

Lauren: So good. You guys, this one’s probably gonna be the one that gets it. , If I send a text message with a link to our Google, Facebook, Zillow, you know, pick one page after this, would you be able to leave? Um, I’m talking to you, ee and our team, uh, five star reveal. , And then this is where we go in for the referral.

Lauren: do you know of any, anyone who has had real estate related plans that I can provide to Suneet. Awesome. Thank you so much. I’m sure I’ll talk to you again soon, but do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything else that we can assist you with.

Lauren: In the meantime, talk to you later. 

Brooke: And I want you to notice the tone here, that you’re not begging, you’re not being awkward. You’re simply just asking for help in a way that feels natural and conversational. 

Lauren: Yes. And practice that a few times. You know, that was just [00:52:00] me reading it off a page. , If I was really talking to somebody, , I would really kick it into gear.

Lauren: But here’s the thing. People want to help you. We’ve said this before, okay? They just need to be reminded to help you, and they need to be asked in a way that makes it easy. , So Brooke, talk to us about, why these scripts work. 

Brooke: Yeah. So I think at least with the event and giveaway sandwich, that one specifically works really well because you are leading with value.

Brooke: You’re giving them something first, and then , you’re making the ask, it’s saying, Hey, we’ve got this, , super valuable, amazing event that’s coming up. I wanna make sure that you’re aware. It’s, that’s on your radar. And then you’re making that ask right behind it. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. And the, can you help me Script works because it’s personal.

Lauren: You’re being vulnerable. You’re asking for their support, and people genuinelywanna help when you ask directly. 

Brooke: Mm-hmm. And now let’s talk about the operation side, , which is our, Lauren, 

Lauren: I we’re loading y’all up today. 

Brooke: I know when we said we were giving you Yeah. A lot and we were [00:53:00] diving in deep, we’re not kidding.

Brooke: We are giving you lots and lots of tools. So again, let’s talk here about. Operations here and the tracking around here. Because if you’re a team leader or an operator, this is where you need to come in. You need a system to track all of this, because again, that was a lot we just threw at you. So how do you keep track of who’s done what and who owns what?

Lauren: Oh yeah. , I’ve texted my team, Brooke and , another one of our amazing people that we get to have, we work with., I was like, guys, it’s been such a productive, busy week. I feel a little scatterbrained and like, I have my task list here. We use monday.com for things. And I’m like, what am I forgetting?

Lauren: But, you know, it’s all systematized and we have each other to remind, to remind each other, you know, just remember what gets measured, gets managed, and if you’re not tracking reviews and referrals. They’re not gonna happen consistently. So this is what I recommend. All right, so step one, you’re going to build an internal tracker.

Lauren: , Some columns can include the client name, the [00:54:00] closing date, the review status, the referral given follow up notes, last contact date. And you could do all, uh, Berg is gonna talk about this, but you could do all of this in a free platform. You don’t have to pay for this. Absolutely, 

Brooke: absolutely. You can use, if you’re already using Google, you can use Google Sheets.

Brooke: It doesn’t have to be fancy as anything, be anything crazy. , You can use your CRM, so if you’re in Follow-up boss, you can use the, make custom fields, , with, you know, trying to track all this and then be able to sort from there. You can use monday.com, you can use Airtable. Anything that you’re already using, you don’t need to add an additional cost to this.

Brooke: Mm-hmm. Use what you’re already using for your transaction management system or what you’re using to track other things. It \, does not matter what tool you, use, what matters is that you’re tracking it somewhere and it’s visible to you. 

Lauren: I love KPIs and just measuring and tying numbers to things.

Lauren: ’cause it just, it also makes you feel like you’re making progress within your role too. And so, like, the data’s gonna tell the story. The next thing we’re gonna talk about is updating weekly your systems. So every week you’re gonna update the tracker. [00:55:00] You’re gonna have, uh, your virtual assistant, , or a designated team member or yourself, , assign it to them, okay?

Lauren: If you’re the agent. Keep track of your referrals. It’s gonna be great if you’re a brand new agent. , If you’re an existing agent, you don’t have leverage, maybe take some time over the weekend or whenever you’re not showing and do some admin work. I know it’s not that fun, but if that’s not your wheelhouse, but trust me, you want that repeat business, you would be really surprised, especially if you’ve been in the industry for a long time.

Lauren: You go back to someone you sold a house to, \, 5, 8, 10 years ago, you might be surprised that , they’ve been thinking about you too. And, they could be ready. So use the tracker to, , identify who still needs to be followed up with. 

Brooke: Yes. And that’s where the operators really shine because mm-hmm.

Brooke: Agents, let me so much, but you are focused on the next deal. Okay. It just happens. But 

Lauren: you should be right 

Brooke: as you 

Lauren: should be. 

Brooke: Yeah. You’re like, great. Okay. , That close. Let’s, let’s move on to the next. , But operators can really own this process just to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks here.

Lauren: Yeah. So next we’re gonna talk about [00:56:00] step three, the, , reviewing monthly performance performance metrics. Uh, so we’re gonna talk about tracking and reviewing. , You’re gonna review the growth percentage month over month, year to date, total reviews, year to date, total referrals, and then the conversion rate of that.

Lauren: So the reviews request requested versus re Wow, that’s a tongue twister. Reviews requested versus reviews received. 

Brooke: I know that’s a lot of rs. Yep. 

Lauren: That was a lot. And I can’t pronounce my R as fun fact had a speech impediment when I was in elementary school. My last name, my maiden name is RAF Gap. So I even have to like really put some enunciation behind that.

Lauren: This 

Brooke: is what’s gonna give you that visibility, , into what’s working and what’s not. Because if you’re requesting reviews, but you’re not getting them, you just need to adjust your, approach. So maybe your timing’s off, maybe your messaging needs work, maybe you just need more personal touches. , But you really wanna have that visibility so you can review how are we doing month over month?

Brooke: Are we [00:57:00] increasing? And if not, then what do we need to change? What do we need to update? 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Yep. The data tells you where you need to focus. 

Brooke: Absolutely. And then step four, let’s get a step four here where you can coordinate weekly updates. So the purpose here is to stay current and proactive, and then the action that you’re taking is to update that tracker weekly.

Brooke: So if applicable, assign, again, sign this to your virtual assistant or another team member that can help you out here. But use that tracker to identify again, who still needs that follow up. 

Lauren: Okay, are you guys still with us? Because we are almost done, I promise, and I hope you’re taking lots of notes and getting lots out of this.

Lauren: This is basically a webinar and a podcast, but , the next step is you are going to celebrate and motivate. Okay? So the purpose here is maintain team morale and visibility. Your action, is going to be partner with your marketing team to share, and that could be you. So partner with yourself. If you’re growing a team to share a review and referral shout outs on social media, you are going to, then this [00:58:00] is how you be the culture keeper.

Lauren: I recognize team members during meetings. Okay, so when’s your weekly sales meeting? Make sure you have these things up. Celebrate them, especially, the agents that are doing a great job. And it’s okay if it’s the same agents every single time because they are the ones showing up and leading from the front and doing it right.

Lauren: Let them be recognized every single week. Agents love that. Make it visible and make it celebrated. 

Brooke: Yes. Because what gets recognized gets repeated. So when agents are seeing that their reviews are shared on social media, they want more of them, they want more of that recognition. And when other agents are getting, when agents are getting referrals, it really creates that healthy competition.

Brooke: So when you’re making it visible, like, Hey, you know, John just got three referrals. It’s like, uh, oh, I only have one this month. I need to, I need to get more. More. Zero. 

Lauren: Yeah. Yeah. You’ve never had a referral. Hey, how are you getting those, right? 

Brooke: Yep. Absolutely. 

Lauren: Yeah. So it creates that healthy competition for [00:59:00] sure.

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Um, I had something to say and obviously I forgot. So for the, um, operator, this is your proof of impact, okay? You’re not just managing the transactions, you are driving the growth, and that feels really good for us. You’re building the team’s reputation and you’re creating the systems that fuel the business, and that’s how you establish, yourself in the role too.

Brooke: That’s why this matters so much is because reviews and referrals aren’t just nice to have. It’s great, you know, to have that, but they’re the foundation of really a sustainable growth process. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. I remembered what I was gonna say. We’ve been talking a lot about love languages lately. And so, like, if your agents love languages are, you don’t have to ask them.

Lauren: ’cause I know that could be a weird, but it’s a favorite book called, um, like a team level language. Mm-hmm. You know, I think we’ve heard of that before. I don’t know the, the, the title or anything of that, but, um, you know, especially if words of affirmation are, um, some of your agents, like they love to be recognized.

Lauren: Do it, especially if they’re doing a great [01:00:00] job. , It acts of service could be like your tc This is a good recruiting tool. I know we’re going a little off topic, but I just thought of this like, 

Brooke: this could be a whole other segment that we need to get into. Everyone up. Yeah. There love languages as well with your team and your clients.

Brooke: So 

Lauren: yeah. So, service, access service, so especially if you’re a team leader, recruiting to agents on your team, do you have, what kind of leverage do you have? That leverage could be a love language of,, transaction coordination, listing management. Oh, they don’t have to do that. They’re so excited.

Lauren: And especially if you have an amazing admin that, you know, most of the time I’m like, oh my God, we love that person. They’re like the Director of Chaos. They’re the director of awesomeness. It’s just like that. They’re the backbone of the team. That’s super, super impactful. So for my admin, my operators, out there, this is your proof.

Lauren: Okay. It just is. , Brooke, I’m gonna stop talking and let you, you take it back. Sorry guys. 

Brooke: There’s no problem here. Now. This is all so true. And, [01:01:00] again, again, we’re building that foundation of really sustainable growth here and you’re creating that fuel. Let’s talk now a little bit more about the accountability piece,, which is a, a favorite topic of us, of keeping it accountable.

Lauren: Yeah. And we’ll keep this quick because we talked about it a little bit in a previous podcast that we’ve done. it’s like the elephant in the room, right? Mm-hmm. A lot of people are like, yeah, hold me accountable. It’s, uh, what EE says is, what level of hot sauce do you want? Okay. , You want the, , it’s habanero one of the, the hot ones, or do you want mild?

Lauren: Like what’s actually gonna make or break you? we can always have the best systems in the world, but if no one’s actually doing it, it doesn’t matter. Right? 

Brooke: Right. So, and this is where, you know, team leaders, again, I, I love you, but this is where you need to, to step it up, is you need to inspect what you expect from your agents.

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Yeah. . Yeah, I just accountability. John Chela says this a lot. Layla Hormo, says this too. Accountability is the best form of love you can give anybody. So, you know, especially for my team, they know I’m gonna come at them, not come at them in a mean way, but [01:02:00] just like, Hey, let’s see the results.

Lauren: Like you remove the emotion out of it when you do see the data. And that’s why I keep talking about numbers and, , just clarity in the data. , Because, I’m coming at you because I care and I wanna see your, business grow and support you in the goals that you said you wanted to do.

Lauren: Right? So, if reviews and referrals matter to your business, and they should, they need to be part of your team standards, just like appointments met, just like new contacts added each week, and just like making sure you’re inspecting your database and that’s updated every single week. 

Brooke: Yeah. And reviews and referrals should be tracked by the way, they should be discussed in one-on-ones.

Brooke: They should be part of your team’s scorecard. So if you’re already doing coaching calls or one-on-ones , with your agents, be sure that you’re incorporating these reviews and referral metrics as well. 

Lauren: So let’s talk about mindset, because I think this matters more than like, okay, Lauren, okay, Brooke, you’ve given us all the tactics, but like, man, that’s a lot of work.

Lauren: I, I’m already doing so much, I don’t wanna do it. Here’s your mindset, shift. This is not micromanaging. This is, expanding your leadership cap. You know, you say you want growth, it’s time to grow. [01:03:00] Okay? Because when you hold your team accountable to asking for reviews and referrals, you’re helping them build a sustainable business.

Lauren: And that is the point, right? Otherwise, why are you an agent? 

Brooke: Yep. Exactly. You’re teaching them that their past clients are one of their best lead sources because you’re showing them that relationships compound. And then you’re building a culture where referrals are just the norm. Not just an expectation, but they’re the system.

Brooke: The process is what? A huge vein of your business. 

Lauren: Yeah. And a lot like we’ve really focused heavy on operators, team leaders and teams in general. I wanna shift gears for you solo agents out there, that are listening to this, you need to hold yourself accountable, okay? Mm-hmm. Put it on your calendar lock time every month for care calls.

Lauren: It should really be every week for active clients, but like, there’s cadences, but just, just make sure you’re talking to your clients, okay? And don’t forget about them. Don’t be a secret agent, okay? Especially once the deal goes under contract. Do not forget about them. I know most of you [01:04:00] don’t, but just a friendly reminder because no one else is gonna do this for you.

Lauren: You gotta do it. Absolutely. 

Brooke: Yes. Because your business is your responsibility. And then the reviews and referrals are just gonna be that fastest path for you, for that sustainable growth. 

Lauren: And we’re gonna wrap up soon. We, I keep saying that, but I do promise. , Before we do, let’s talk about the common mistakes we see agents and teams make with reviews and referrals.

Lauren: So the first one is waiting too long to ask. 

Brooke: Mm-hmm. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. The longer that you wait after closing, the harder it’s going to get. So, strike while the iron is hot. Ask within 24 hours., If you, again, if you, a lot happens in that timeframe from when you close, when they actually move into the home.

Brooke: So if, if you’re waiting too long again, they’re not thinking about you anymore. 

Lauren: Hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Hard truth. And, the second one is we are making it too complicated. So don’t ask sleeve reviews on different five different platforms. I mean, you can like the top three that we gave, [01:05:00] but, you know, pick, you can pick one or pick those top three.

Lauren: Copy and paste. Just make sure you’re making it really clear on what the client needs to do. Make it easy. Send the direct link. , What’s another mistake, Brooke? 

Brooke: I think, another big one that we see is that only asking once. Mm-hmm. Most people, again, need that multiple reminders. A lot’s going on. Don’t give up after one email.

Brooke: Follow up consistently with them. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Another one we see is you’re not tracking it. So if you’re not tracking who you have asked and who’s responded, you’re flying blind. Okay, we’re gonna build the tracker. You’re gonna use the tracker. 

Brooke: Yes. And then I think another big one is forgetting to thank them.

Brooke: , Seems simple, but it happens. So when someone leaves your reviewer sends you that referral, especially when you’ve asked for it, acknowledge it. Send a handwritten note, call them personally, show that gratitude. Thank you so much for taking the time outta your busy schedule to, leave a review. That kind review or to give me that referral.

Brooke: I’m gonna take great care of them like I just did with you. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. And I really wanna highlight that ’cause what you said was really important because when [01:06:00] people feel appreciated, they’re gonna do it again. So they’re gonna buy and sell you again. 

Brooke: Yep. Absolutely. And I think, the last mistake that comes to mind is that not earning the referral in the first place.

Brooke: This is going to go back to the earn framework. So when we talked at , the first part of this podcast today, we talked about earn in the client experience. You can’t systematize referrals If , the experience wasn’t worth talking about, you’re not gonna get very far with your referrals if they don’t have a good experience with you.

Lauren: Yeah. The system amplifies it, right? But the experience has to be there first with who you are. Brooke, bring us home. 

Brooke: Alright. Alright, let’s go. So let’s talk to you about what we want you to walk away with today, because we talked about a lot. Let’s break down our takeaways. 

Lauren: I’ll go first.

Lauren: The first reviews, build, trust, referrals, build business. You need both. Okay. Reviews give you the credibility. Referrals give you conversations. Yeah. 

Brooke: Takeaway [01:07:00] two. You have to earn the referral. Use the EARN framework. So again, you better know it by now, what it stands for. You’ve got Engage. Win them in the first five minutes.

Brooke: Anticipate lead the experience. Don’t react to it. Retain, don’t disappear after the first deal, , or after the deal closes here. And then network. Ask for referrals intentionally again using the frameworks that we provided you today. 

Lauren: Sun, it’s gonna be so sick of hearing. Earn and all. I’ve been so into making acronyms lately and just naming everything.

Lauren: So the third takeaway, , we’re gonna build the system. Okay? We’ve given you so many tactical things to take away and implement this next week. , The promise conversation. You’re gonna set the expectation early, during the transaction. You’re gonna reinforce the value of feedback immediately after the closing.

Lauren: You’re gonna ask for the review and the referral, both hand in hand within the first 24 hours, and then the follow up system. If they don’t leave that ’cause they’re busy and they usually do not. And that’s okay. [01:08:00] You got the nine week drip monthly care call system. 

Brooke: Yes. And then our next takeaway, track everything.

Brooke: Build that internal tracker and update it weekly. Have someone that’s owning that process. If it’s not, you review your monthly metrics so you can see your month over month growth. And if anything needs to be updated or tweaked, and then you wanna celebrate those wins and make it visible to agents. 

Lauren: Yeah.

Lauren: The next one, I would say number five is to make it part of your culture. So for team leaders, this needs to be part of your team standards operators. This is your system to own and manage for agents. This is your responsibility, especially if you’re a solo agent. I mean, your, the team standard is your standard.

Lauren: So, 

Brooke: absolutely. Because here’s really the truth. Most agents don’t have a lead problem. They have a follow up problem. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. It’s not always that the leads are bad or that we don’t have any, , we just gotta stay patient and stay consistent. [01:09:00] Remember us talking about those glasses, the water’s full, the water’s empty, or not empty, but you know, halfway full.

Lauren: The point is, you’re working hard, you’re delivering great service, but you’re not asking for what you need consistently, and you’re leaving money on the table and you gotta feed your family. Right? That’s what’s your why. Just ask yourself what your why is. 

Brooke: The agents who really grow the fastest aren’t the ones with the most talent.

Brooke: You don’t have to be in the business for years and years and years, um, or know everything about real estate. They’re the ones that are growing the fastest, are the ones that are being the most consistent. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. All right. We’re gonna leave you here with a couple things, not like we haven’t already, but build, build the system.

Lauren: Set the expectation early, follow up consistently, and make it easy for, clients to help you. Okay? 

Brooke: Because when you do this right, your pipeline’s gonna start filling itself, and you’re not chasing leads anymore. You’re really building relationships that are gonna keep working for you. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. And this is when your business [01:10:00] becomes sustainable, that’s when growth becomes predictable.

Lauren: And that’s when you stop feeling like you’re starting from zero every single month. 

Brooke: Yeah. And so here is your action step everybody for this week. If you’re an agent, pick one thing from the earn framework and implement it this week. So pick one of those and implement. Maybe it’s setting the promise conversation expectation on your next deal.

Brooke: Maybe it’s scheduling your monthly care call day. Maybe it’s building a review tracker. But, but pick one thing to act on. 

Lauren: Yeah. And if, you’re a team leader, audit your current review and referral processes, leverage it off to your admin., Do you have one? Has it been documented? Is it in an SOP? You can really make that easy.

Lauren: Put it through chat, GPT and say, make me an SOP off of this. It doesn’t have to take a week. , Is this being followed? If not, start there. Okay. 

Brooke: And if you’re an operator, this is gonna be your system to own. So don’t wait on anyone else to take action. This is , your time to shine here, build [01:11:00] that tracker, set up the drip campaigns with, in whatever CRM you’re using, block that monthly care call day on the calendar.

Brooke: Make this that process that runs without the agent even having to think about it. ’cause now , you’re adding more value as well on the team. 

Lauren: Yep. It’s consistent effort. All right. It’s long-term success. This is not just a one-time thing. This is the rhythm you’re building into your business.

Brooke: Absolutely. And when you do it consistently, reviews and referrals are going to stop being something that you are hoping for and you’re waiting for and you’re looking and refreshing constantly. , You start being something that you can really count on. 

Lauren: Yes. All right, Brooke, thank you for spending the time to really break this down.

Lauren: We know it was a long one, so if you did make it through this whole thing, thank you and congratulations, because now you have so many tactics to go get those reviews and referrals, and I cannot wait to hear about how many of this landed for your team. Thank you everybody for joining us on the re the Reside Platform podcast.

Lauren: Brooke, anything else? 

Brooke: Yes, just I hope that this episode helps you. I know we gave you a lot [01:12:00] of information, so it really helped, this helped you think differently about how you approach reviews and referrals. Mm-hmm. , Hopefully you can share it with another agent, with a team leader or, or somebody else in your world, an operator, whoever that could possibly use this.

Lauren: Yep. Because like we say, work works when it’s focused on the right things. 

Brooke: Yes. All right. We will see you next time everybody. Thank you so much. 

Lauren: Yeah, thanks guys.