Real estate agents are in the relationship-building business. The key to success isn’t just showing people houses that they’re interested in, but building rapport, so people contact you for their real estate needs when the time comes. In today’s episode, Jimmy is joined by partner and owner of Berkshire Hathaway BPFLA, JD Sullivan, to learn how to create meaningful relationships with potential clients.

Focus on the conversation, not your goal.  

• Create a relationship before you try to achieve your goal (whether that’s obtaining an email, a phone number, or anything else.)
• You can’t build an automated relationship. Learning about the individual you’re speaking to and understanding their thoughts and goals in life will help you realize how best to support them.
• When JD first meets someone, he waits until they ask to reveal he works in real estate. He lets the conversation flow there naturally instead of inserting it in the middle of an entirely different discussion.
• At the end of a conversation, don’t be afraid to give them your contact information. Allow them to reach out and talk about things that aren’t about real estate.

The more you act like a friend instead of a salesperson, the better.

• JD takes notes over different conversations he has with people to remember things about them, which he then uses to make follow-up messages as personal as possible. 
• It could be how many kids they have, sports teams they support, or even their favorite brand of beer; just write down what you learn so that you can use it to make more connections down the road.

You’re selling the lifestyle. 

• It is critical you don’t just sit in your office and cold call. You need to be social.
• Because he works in a vacation destination, JD meets people at the bar, the golf course, and even the pool. He meets people anywhere relaxed and relatable that shows the lifestyle they want to have.
• It’s about being genuine and staying connected with people, whether that’s a happy hour, cup of coffee, sporting event, or golf outing. If they’re from out of town, find out when they come into town to maintain a positive connection.

The final takeaway? The agent who makes the most relationships and has the deepest connections with those people will find the most success and do the most business.

Connect with Jimmy Burgess on LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as his YouTube channel.  If you like what you heard today, we’d love it if you’d share a rating or review and then subscribe to the podcast and tell others about it as well. You can find The Real Estate Sales Podcast on Apple Podcasts,Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Audible, and our website, The Real Estate Sales Podcast.