The Texas REALTORS® Shaping Texas Conference is just around the corner with a full slate of courses, and Texas RRC has an exciting lineup for those heading to Grapevine next month. Join us on August 25 for our luncheon and mastermind, featuring our RRC National President, Tricia Nekota. The next day, we have two CE courses: “Serving Clients with Special Needs” and “Steal These Ideas,” both new to Texas audiences and sure to captivate. I hope to see as many Austin-area agents there as possible! Conferences like this are a fantastic opportunity to meet agents and broaden your referral network. With attendees from across the state and overseas, you will surely walk away with a hefty stack of business cards.
But what do you do with those cards once you get home? Are you leveraging those connections or simply scanning them into your phone and forgetting about them? With so much in-state migration, these agents should be added to your CRM and placed on a follow-up plan so you can remain top of mind for months and years to come. One agent I met at a conference several years ago is a master at remaining top of mind with agents in her database, and thus, referrals make up about 35% of her annual transactions.
Stacie Duffy, with Novella Real Estate in Denver, Colorado, scans business cards into her CRM at the end of each day, noting when and where she met the agent and any Mackay 66 facts she learned while speaking to them. Each month, she calls or texts to see how the agent is doing, asks about the market, and shares information about Denver’s statistics. Every quarter, she sends a small, unbranded item of value with a branded notecard, reminding the agent of who she is and what her market area is. I have received a Wendy’s Frosty gift card, felt furniture pads, a screen cleaner, and a magnifier. All items are thin, lightweight, and easily fit in a standard greeting card envelope. She also tries to send something to surprise and delight each agent in her database each year. Stacie follows everyone on social media and when something stands out to her, she acts upon it. This year, she sent a car organizer, a hat with the agent’s dog, funny socks, and an item someone had complimented in one of her weekly tip videos. She has these delivered from Amazon and Etsy to minimize shipping costs and budgets $10-$15 per person.
In addition to the quarterly notecards, she also sends holiday and personalized birthday cards. Her cards, including the envelopes, are custom-made using Canva Create. She includes her logo on the card’s interior and exterior and signs each one for that personal touch before sealing them in her branded envelope. That brand extension is great because you know Stacie Duffy has sent something special when you see that brown-speckled envelope in the mailbox.
This month, Stacie is our featured presenter for the final installment of the Summer Sizzler Series on August 15 at 2 p.m. This virtual event will begin with networking breakouts to meet agents nationwide in a small setting. Stacie will then walk you through her agent follow-up system, including her items of value and how to create easy mailers that resonate with agents to drive referrals. We’ll end with a discussion on how to apply the techniques to your business immediately and ideas from other attendees. To register for this complimentary event, visit Texas.CRS.com.
