Why you need to be more than ‘just’ an estate agency
Morning %FIRSTNAME%
I’ve spent a good bit of time this week working on award entries for a fantastic family run agency on the south coast.
Their doing so many things right that it’s absolutely no surprise they are number one on their patch (according to Rightmove, not just some plucked from the air chest thump).
One of the things that stands out about them, and indeed will help their entries massively, are the dozens of testimonials they’ve diligently collected from delighted clients.
And they are proactive about getting them – which is something I don’t come across with every agent.
For me asking for a testimonial or a review from a client when you’ve successfully helped them should be as automatic as raising an invoice to get paid for work you’ve done.
But here’s the thing that really sparked an idea in my head.
Several of the testimonials among the dozens of others were from suppliers or from businesses that this agency recommends and works with.
That tells me two things about this company.
Firstly, they are good people to deal with. I always think you can judge a business by the way it treats its suppliers as much as its clients – in my experience agencies that are late payers usually have other areas we’re they are sloppy or simply have a culture problem.
And secondly, and this is the entire why behind writing this blog – this agency has a network of different trusted suppliers from carpet fitters, window installers to the usual mortgage brokers, solicitors and valuers.
They don’t ask for commission from suppliers – they simply want to know that if they refer a business then their clients will be well looked after. And from what I’ve seen putting these entries together that’s 100 per cent the case.
In that respect they have become more than ‘just’ an estate agency. By referring good suppliers, they are now in the ‘very handy to know’ category and have become go to guys when local people are looking for new flooring, windows, a gardener etc.
When I lived in London I created a series of mini guides that acted as a perfect way for agents to gather together their trusted suppliers and promote them to their clients and prospects.
And I’m now intending to start these up again at some point soon.
So, the question is do you have a referral system in place where you show the local community that your agency is respected, connected and cares enough to share their experience for the benefit of clients (and indeed prospective clients)?
If you would like to see a sample of what I produced as a guide, please drop me an email.
Thanks for reading and here’s to your next instruction.
Jerry
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