Referral and repeat business play a vital role in a real estate agent’s success
No matter where you are in your real estate career—three weeks in, three years in, or three decades in—repeat and referral business will always be a major driver towards your long-term success.
Here’s why this matters: the typical experienced real estate agent earns over 42% of their revenue from repeat and referral clients, and 25% of agents earn more than 50% of their income this way. That’s not accidental. It’s the result of intentional systems, service, and relationships.
Below are five proven strategies to help you grow your repeat and referral business—and increase your overall revenue. I also did a video on this topic, check out here.
Build a Strong Foundation by Tracking Your Results
Everything starts with knowing what’s working.
You need to clearly understand where your leads are coming from and which platforms are producing the best return on your time. Is your business being driven by:
Email marketing?
Cold calling?
Social media?
Content creation?
Once you know what’s producing results, double down on it. At the same time, identify weaker channels and improve them so they begin contributing consistently. This only works if your CRM is dialed in. Every lead should be tracked with source, date and time, contact details, and notes from every interaction
When your CRM is organized correctly, it becomes a roadmap for where to focus your future efforts and investments.
Provide Truly Exceptional Service
This sounds simple, but it’s where many agents fall short.
A closing gift alone will not earn repeat or referral business if the experience itself wasn’t exceptional. Outstanding service starts with knowing your market better than anyone else and continues through every interaction.
One of the most common complaints clients have about agents is poor communication—slow callbacks or no follow-up at all. Being responsive, proactive, and informed immediately separates you from the competition.
When clients feel taken care of, they come back. When they feel ignored, they move on.
Build Trust, Not Just Transactions
Repeat and referral business is built on trust.
That trust starts with taking the time to truly get to know your clients—their goals, motivations, and concerns. Practice active listening throughout the relationship so clients know you understand what they’re trying to accomplish.
Position yourself as an advisor, not a salesperson. Never force decisions. Instead, guide clients through options and help them make informed choices.
Communication is also critical. Early in the relationship, ask:
How do you prefer to be contacted—text, email, or phone?
How often would you like updates?
Matching your communication style to your client’s preferences strengthens the relationship and builds long-term loyalty.
Encourage Loyalty in Meaningful Ways
Encouraging loyalty doesn’t require grand gestures—it requires thoughtfulness.
Yes, you should send a thank-you card at closing. But even better is giving a gift that reflects something personal you learned during the relationship. Maybe it’s a favorite bottle of wine, a book they might like, or something meaningful they mentioned along the way. This shows you were paying attention.
When a client sends you a referral:
Send a thank-you note immediately
Consider a small gift as a gesture of appreciation (many agents wait until they close the transaction to send a gift to the referring party, but really, why are you thanking them, for the
business that you may or may not get, or for just thinking about you and sending potential clients your way).
Follow up again once the referral transaction closes
These small touches keep you top of mind and reinforce positive feelings about working with you.
Actively Ask for Feedback
Feedback is one of the most powerful—and underused—growth tools in real estate.
After a closing, invite your client to coffee, lunch, or a casual meeting and ask a simple question:
“What could I have done better?”
Listen carefully and don’t get defensive, even if the feedback is critical. Thank them for their honesty and let them know you’ll apply it moving forward.
This approach does two important things:
It helps you improve as an agent
It gives clients a sense of ownership in your success, making them more likely to work with you again.
Final Thoughts
Repeat and referral business isn’t built by chance—it’s built through intention, consistency, and care.
Track your results, deliver exceptional service, build trust, reward loyalty, and seek feedback. Do these five things well, and no matter what stage of your career you’re in, you’ll create a sustainable business that continues to grow year after year.
If you have questions or want to go deeper on any of these topics, feel free to leave a comment. Taking that first step can feel daunting—but it’s also where the journey begins.
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