Real estate agents thrive on a steady stream of clients, and prospecting is the lifeblood of their business. While there are numerous ways to attract buyers and sellers, one method stands out as particularly effective and efficient: leveraging one's sphere of influence (SOI).

The Power of Your Sphere of Influence

Your sphere of influence consists of friends, family, neighbors, and acquaintances who already know and trust you. This network offers several advantages over other prospecting methods:

1. Lower competition: Unlike cold leads, your SOI is less likely to be targeted by other agents.
2. Cost-effective: Nurturing existing relationships is generally less expensive than acquiring new leads.
3. Higher conversion rates: People are more likely to do business with someone they know and trust.

Building a Lifetime of Business

Focusing on your SOI isn't just about immediate transactions; it's about cultivating relationships that can yield business throughout your career:

1. Initial business: Your first clients often come from your existing network.
2. Repeat business: Satisfied clients from your SOI are more likely to return for future transactions.
3. Referrals: A well-nurtured SOI becomes a powerful source of referrals.

Establishing Trust and Loyalty

To maximize the potential of your SOI, you need to position yourself as a trusted real estate expert by providing educational content about all aspects of homeownership and market trends that will transcend buying and selling.

Share valuable information through:

• Newsletters
• Social media posts
• Blog articles
• Webinars or video content
• Phone calls
• Customer appreciation events & opportunities

This approach demonstrates your expertise and keeps you top-of-mind.

Host Customer Appreciation Events bring value to your SOI, such as:

• Home maintenance workshops
• Local market update seminars
• Community gatherings

These events strengthen personal connections and showcase your commitment to your clients' well-being.

Maintain Personal Contact

Regular, personalized communication is crucial:

• Birthday and holiday greetings
• Check-in calls or messages
• Coffee meetups or casual visits

These touchpoints reinforce your relationship and keep you informed about potential real estate needs.

By consistently nurturing your SOI, you:

1. Establish yourself as the go-to real estate resource
2. Build trust in your abilities and knowledge
3. Maintain top-of-mind awareness

This strategy ensures that when someone in your network needs real estate services or knows someone who does, you're the first person they think of.

While there are many ways to prospect in real estate, focusing on your sphere of influence offers a unique combination of efficiency, effectiveness, and long-term potential. By providing value, maintaining regular contact, and positioning yourself as a trusted expert, you can turn your personal network into a sustainable source of business throughout your career. Remember, in real estate, your relationships are your most valuable asset.  Check out InTouch Systems to see how much of this can be automated for you to free your time for what you do best.

We've all heard the classic sales truth: "People do business with those they know, like, and trust." And while that's absolutely true, there's a fourth element that often goes overlooked and it might be the most critical one in today's crowded marketplace.

That element is proximity.

No matter how skilled, knowledgeable, or likeable you are, if you're not consistently present in people's lives, they won't think of you when they're ready to act. The simple fact is: people don't always do business with the best agent...they do business with the one who's top of mind at the moment a need arises.

And top-of-mind awareness doesn't happen by accident, it happens through intentional proximity.

Think of proximity as the act of staying close...digitally, socially, professionally—to your sphere of influence. It means showing up in their inbox with helpful updates, appearing in their social feed with value-driven posts, engaging with their content, sending birthday wishes, or sharing a helpful homeowner tip. It's not about hard selling—it's about being visible and relevant often enough that when someone thinks "real estate," your name comes to mind first.

Here's the hard truth: someone in your sphere may know, like, and trust you—but if they haven't seen or heard from you in six months, you're out of the running. Another agent who's stayed in touch just might win their business, not because they're better—but because they're closer.

The Takeaway

If you want to earn more business, don't just work on being known, liked, and trusted...work on being remembered. And that comes from staying in proximity to the people who matter most.

Make it your mission to show up, add value, and stay visible. That's how trust turns into action and how relationships turn into results.

That's where InTouch Systems can help.  We'll automate your digital marketing—emails, social posts, website updates—so you can stay top of mind with your sphere without spending your nights and weekends doing it yourself.

Let us handle the routine... so you can work smarter, not harder.

1. Top-of-Mind Awareness - Regular communication ensures your name is the first one people think of when they need real estate services.
2. Strengthen Relationships - Consistent contact builds trust and reinforces your connection with clients and prospects.
3. Stay Relevant - Regular updates keep you visible in a competitive market where people can easily forget you.
4. Nurture Repeat Business - Past clients are more likely to work with you again if you stay in touch consistently.
5. Generate Referrals - Consistent communication encourages past clients and prospects to refer you to friends and family.
6. Showcase Expertise - Regularly sharing valuable insights demonstrates your knowledge and positions you as a trusted resource.
7. Educate Your Audience - Provide helpful information about market trends, home maintenance, and buying/selling tips to keep your audience informed.
8. Build Your Brand - Consistent messaging strengthens your personal brand and distinguishes you from competitors.
9. Humanize Your Business - Sharing personal updates and authentic content helps people see you as approachable and relatable.
10. Engage on Social Media - Social media platforms encourage interactive conversations, making your communication more dynamic and engaging.
11. Leverage Automation - Tools like InTouch can simplify email and social media management, ensuring consistent outreach with minimal effort.
12. Increase Market Reach - Regular posts and emails help you connect with a broader audience and expand your influence.
13. Lead Nurturing - Consistent follow-ups ensure that warm leads stay engaged and are more likely to convert.
14. Promote Listings - Highlight your active listings to remind your audience that you're actively helping buyers and sellers.
15. Drive Website Traffic - Use email and social media to link back to your website, blog, or property listings, increasing engagement.
16. Adapt to Changing Preferences - Stay top-of-mind as people's real estate needs evolve over time.
17. Show Appreciation - Regular communication provides opportunities to thank past clients and recognize their loyalty.
18. Combat Competitor Outreach - Consistent contact ensures your audience doesn't turn to another agent simply because they stayed in touch.
19. Highlight Success Stories - Share testimonials and success stories to build credibility and inspire confidence.
20. Remain Memorable - In a crowded industry, consistent contact helps you stand out and be remembered when it matters most.

Consistent communication through email and social media is not just a marketing strategy, it's an essential part of building lasting relationships and driving success in real estate.

It costs 5 times as much to get a new customer as it does to keep an existing one.  Start with the people you've sold and the ones who already know, like and trust you and increase your list from there.

If you don't feel you have the time or resources at the current time, InTouch Systems can help you by producing an impressive newsletter and daily social media posts Monday through Friday.  Explore our website and all the examples, then, take a trial or schedule a personal demonstration.

It could be the best thing you do for your business this year.