“Develop relationships with key people—lenders, appraisers, home inspectors, and salespeople—to minimize headaches for your clients and customers.”
What makes him special: Cultivating a referral network helped Roy boost his business from $10.2 million in 2001 to $17.3 million last year. Now, he’s using his network in a new way to create an investment group to buy, fix, and sell properties for a profit.
The source of his success: During his first meeting with prospects, Roy asks, “If I do a good job, would you recommend me to others?” When they do refer him, regardless of the outcome, Roy sends a personal note and movie tickets. If a referral buys a house, the referrer receives a $50 department store gift certificate.
Keeping costs under control: Every couple of months, Roy sends freebies to his past clients—a trial month at a health club or an appetizer at a restaurant. How does he do it? The gifts are freebies for Roy, too. “I ask businesses to be part of my client appreciation program. It’s free advertising for them. They just honor my coupon.”