Connecting with people and building relationships is one of the keys to a successful Real Estate business. I don't meet people and attend events hoping to meet someone that is looking to buy a house in the next 30 days. I think if the motive was greedy, you'd get a slap in the face.
I use Social Media to connect with people. Building off of a common phrase used at Inman, while in San Francisco, Rudy from Trulia and I would say, "It's all about building relationships" when we'd see each other - as a joke - but both knew it to be very true.
Trulia hosted a cocktail party during Inman, they used Trolleys and transported people to Trulia's offices - it was more personal; it was a connection that I wouldn't have with Trulia without it. It was ranked high in my book for "Building Relationships".
(psst Thanks Derek Overbey, of Roost, for being the driver for The Triple B's: Ginger Wilcox, Heather Elias, and I :)
There are many different ways to build relationships. I enjoy it. It comes natural for me. If it doesn't, however, I think it can be developed. The best way? Get out there and do it! Step out of your comfort box - and do it.
Here are my Top Five Favorite ways to Build Relationships....
ActiveRain: Here on ActiveRain, if you allow it, you will build relationships. I've written about many of my meetups ..... however, even before meetups, I had a connection with certain people. Read posts - get your favorites and subscribe to them - comment. If you do that enough - you will build relationships.
@Twitter: Are you tired of hearing about Twitter? There are lovers and haters of Twitter, I'm a lover. It's not easily explained - I usually say you have to try it for a while, then make a decision. Sign up at Twitter, then go find people to follow (in the beginning its easiest to use someone else's follow list to find people - there is a huge network of Real Estate Agents).
Meetups: Local meetups are harder to do for me. Thankfully, another local Realtor and I (John Lauber, that I met on Twitter), went together to my first - so that made it a little bit easier. But I would have gone alone. I would have made myself. You can visit Social Media Clubs, Meetup.com, or Facebook to get started on finding some. I would not have met my now very good friend if I wouldn't have made the effort to attend a recent Philadelphia Meetup.
Flickr: I love photography. So I love this site. If you don't, I'm sure there are others that would fit your niche better. Make the effort and search out locals. I've been able to connect with a few people on Flickr I wouldn't have maybe met otherwise. Join a local group - or start one of your own.
Facebook: I joined Facebook because I wanted to connect and find people I went to high school with. However, my network has grown and grown. I love it! Once you get in there and start, its an awesome resource for meeting local people! (Please don't throw sheep, water gun fights, etc. - I stick with fairly basic)
The important thing to remember with any of these things, is that you can not just sit back and expect the connections and relationships to come to you. You have to get out there and make it happen.
I'm so thankful to have met some wonderful people along the way. Your motive should not be that of, "I hope if I start this I will sell five more houses this year because of it". I really believe it won't work as favorable for you. The leads and referrals I have received are all icing on the cake of some fabulous relationships that I would have never had if I didn't reach out.
