In this episode, we’re sharing an awesome interview with Meredith Wilson from North Carolina. She has been in the business for eight years and has a lot of valuable information to share. She has sold over 100 units in a year and did so by focusing on past clients and generating referrals to gain business. 

Today, we’re talking about how Meredith gains referrals, which are free leads. A lot of her business comes from her database, so she works hard to dominate it and add value to it. Also, she used to be a teacher, and she was able to take some of the things she learned during that time into her career as an agent. 

We’ll also cover: 

• How to work smarter, not harder 

Quotes 

Now I love calling past clients—I really want to dominate my database. - Meredith Wilson

One of my favorite things I learned while teaching was the sponge method. - Meredith Wilson 

With a team, the leverage is already there, so why try to recreate it? - Meredith Wilson 

Key Points 

1. Referrals are like free leads, so don’t underestimate them. Plus, you can get them from people who already love you, so they’re the easiest leads to convert. Referrals are most of Meredith’s business, and it’s how she works smarter, not harder. As a result, she truly likes to prospect because the process is easier and happier. 

2. One of the ways Meredith likes to prospect is circle prospecting. This is a way to brag about your successes. For example, if one of Meredith’s listings gets 10 offers, she will use the opportunity to call the neighbors and tell them about this success. This has a lot of potential to create new business. Even if those homeowners aren’t ready to act, she will add them to her database and follow up because that’s where she gets a lot of her business. 

3. It’s important to add value to your database. Meredith suggests doing anything to stay in touch with people and show them that she cares, which is critical. She encourages getting into their worlds and finding out who they know. One way she does this is through events. She hosts four client appreciation events each year, which gives her the opportunity to connect with people. This is one way she dominates her database. 

4. One of the best things Meredith learned from her teaching career that could translate to real estate is the sponge method. With this, if there’s something you can’t master, go to someone who can teach and show you how to do it. For example, if there’s a task Meredith is struggling with, she will bring a colleague or mentor with her to learn from them. This has helped her grow tremendously. However, she has also grown through gaining the help of an assistant and working on a team.