The Kate Show | Episode 161
The Kate Show is proud to be part of the Design Network. Looking for your next home industry podcast on business growth, profitability, architecture, or designer camaraderie? Look no further than the Design Network.
Do you struggle to find the right referral sources for your design, organizing, property styling, or staging business? Whether you just launched your business or you've simply moved to a new area and feel like you're starting over, you will benefit from connecting with the right people in your industry. There isn't a paid advertising campaign in existence that can do for you what word-of-mouth referral does. If you feel like you are without connections and floundering in the sea of ambiguity, get ready.
In today's episode of The Kate Show, I'm teaching you how to become the home professional who knows the right people. If you've listened to Episode 153, in which I shared actual scripts for connecting with referral partners, this episode is not a repeat. Rather, it builds off the methods and strategies I shared previously, with specific positioning toward realtors and similar professionals. Business is about relationships. When you embrace this, the likelihood of your business growing quickly will greatly increase.
Today's topic was requested on Instagram by Brenda of BDC Interior Design. Brenda works with short-term rental hosts and real estate agents. Check her out at www.bdcinteriorsanddesign.com. Brenda, this one is for you!
If you want to be cool like Brenda, DM me on Instagram (@kate.the.socialite) with your topic requests for the show. If I choose your topic, I'll give you a shoutout just like this one.
Listen to the Episode
5 Easy Ways to Connect with Realtors, Builders & Investors
Rather than asking your peers to refer you, offer to refer them. Tell them about your ideal client and ask if someone like that would be a good fit for them. If yes, ask how your clients can best get in touch with them and whether they prefer only certain types of projects.
1 | Verify that you share the same ideal client. Sure, you both serve people who have houses and bank accounts, but that alone isn't enough. What pain points does this shared ideal client have? You are suited to solve some of those problems, but not all. The builder / investor / realtor is suited to solve some problems, but not all of them. This is how you can help each other serve the client well. Together, you can work as a team to ensure all the home-related needs of your clients are anticipated, planned for, and met.
2 | Pinpoint their pain points. These professionals have stressors too, and you might be able to help. Ask them about the most difficult or stressful aspects of their career. You might be surprised by how many ways you could help them, even ways that align perfectly with your own business goals.
3 | Use your existing network. Do you know anyone in these fields? If not, do you know someone who could introduce you to their realtor, builder, or investor contact? Cold-calling should be your very last resort, one that you should, ideally, never use. Focus on connecting with specific people at specific firms and not, "To whom it may concern." The best way to do this is to either use your existing contacts or ask for an introduction.
If you have no idea who in your existing network could introduce you, make a social post about it. Post your request on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Use the script below if you aren't sure how to craft this "ask."
Do any of you have connections with _____________? I would really like to get connected with someone there, but I don't want to pester them with a cold call or email. Would you be willing to introduce me to them via email?
To be clear, I'm not trying to sell them anything. My goal is to have an actual person within their firm that I can refer my clients to, versus just telling my clients to go work with a random builder / investor / realtor. I want to take care of my clients, and I want to support other local businesses at the same time.
If any of you have connections to _________ and wouldn't mind introducing me via email, I would really appreciate the help. Feel free to DM me or email me at you@youremail.com. Thank you!
4 | Make them a value-driven offer. How can your staging, styling, or design business partner with realtors? From sending them referrals to helping them serve their current clients at a higher level, you are in a position to offer them actual value, regardless of how long or short you've been in business.
If you are targeting real estate agents...
Offer to provide a live or pre-recorded webinar that teaches their clients how to allocate their money for interior improvements. What items should receive the most investment and which items can be "cheaper" and easily replaced later? This won't teach them how to decorate. It will teach them something more valuable: How to make their house a home while properly respecting their budget. Your presentation should end with a simple call-to-action that directs them to your website if they need help or have further questions.
If you are targeting builders...
While you can always offer your consulting or hands-on assistance in bringing builders' homes to life through staging / property styling, you don't even have to go that far.
Instead, you could offer to make a walk-through video of you touring the empty home and providing suggestions on decor, furniture, and art placement. This video can be sent to the builder's interested leads to help them fully envision the potential of the property while also showing them why they need to work with you. If you mention specific products, you could curate a Side Door collection for each home and include a link to that collection along with the video.
Pro tip: Don't walk around with your phone. Have a friend film you so that all potential clients can see you in the space.
If you are targeting investors...
Show them proof of concept that they can't ignore. Create a side-by-side template in Canva that compares what their current real estate property is versus what it could be. This reusable template is essentially a visual proposal. In fact, it could be a really short presentation, no more than five slides. It should include photos of properties that are styled correctly with a bulleted list of reasons why that property is / was successful, how fast it sold, the selling price, monthly / nightly rental rates, etc. Drop the photos of the investor's current property into this template as needed.
Example Canva proposal and presentation outline:
Slide 1 - A photo of their interior / exterior property on the left; an image of your design or staging suggestions / renderings on the right. You can use several slides for this if the property has many different areas that need improvement.
Slide 2 - The one-time investment of working with you on the left; their long-term profit (faster sale at a higher dollar amount or high monthly / nightly rental rates with specific dollar figures attached) on the right.
Slide 3 - A short description of the service you are offering with an image of your best, most relevant work.
Slide 4 - Your strongest positive review. Ideally, this review should include dollar amounts.
Slide 5 - How to contact you for the next step, such as your online booking link.
5 | Be the host with the most to offer. Host a virtual or in-person event and ask your realtor / builder / investor if they would speak for 10 minutes on a specific topic that would interest your clients or your mutual clients. Let them pitch their company at the end. This provides exposure for them, while also publicly solidifying your informal partnership with them. After doing this, you might be asked to present to their clients. Perfect! If not, continue looking for ways to help them get more exposure. Give what you want to receive.
Regardless of which method you use to connect with realtors, builders, and investors, the importance of staying top-of-mind with the proper follow-up doesn't change. Put these people on your mailing list and send an email once or twice per month that speaks to one of the issues they are facing and how you can help.
Resources
Get single-use scripts for connecting with referral partners by going here.
Get prewritten, fully customizable, and ongoing email templates for realtors, builders, investors, and homeowners by claiming your membership in Socialite Vault.
