Every time you “wow” clients by exceeding their expectations, you create referral moments. Are you skilled at creating these moments and making the most of them? The By Referral Only BRAG formula enables you to orchestrate referral moments and achieve a 50% referral rate in your During Unit.

Learn:

Brian Yampolsky, Owner and CEO of Orion Mortgage Corporation in Phoenix, AZ e-mailed this BRAG story to us.

“I had some clients who were set to close, and I got their loan approved on a Monday. One critical condition was to get approval from the Lender’s corporate headquarters. Well, on Wednesday I got the call that corporate declined the loan.

“I called the Realtor, asked if she was sitting down, and proceeded to tell her the story along with a little ‘B’ for ‘Blow Up.’ I told her that the loan was declined at corporate and that I then got on the phone with the local branch manager and spent about 45 minutes on the phone with her explaining the many merits of the file. I finally convinced her to override the corporate decline and give it an approval. The reason she gave me as to why she decided to approve this loan is because she really likes the kind of business I do.

“The Realtor then proceeded to tell me how impressed she was with my communications over the past two weeks and how I fought for the ultimate approval. She explained that she is the designated broker for Keller Williams Realty and wanted to know if she could bring me into her office to meet her agents. She is also opening offices in Yuma and Lake Havasu, and wants to know if I can do loans out there – which I can, of course! We have lunch scheduled for next week to start building this new relationship. Those referral seeds grow fast sometimes!

“Just by implementing the simple seeding and BRAG-ing strategy, I end up looking at more business than I imagined.”

Every day you do dozens of things behind the scenes to make transactions flow smoothly for your clients. Think about all the times you go out of your way, negotiate minor miracles or put in extra hours on behalf of clients. Now, think about how appreciative your clients would be if they only knew about all of your efforts. And think about how much more likely they would be to refer you to people they care about if they knew about all of your behind-the-scenes maneuvering to bring about a successful transaction.

The BRAG formula is not really about bragging. It is about making certain that your clients are aware of all that you do for them. Only Realtors and Lenders know what really goes on behind the scenes to complete a real estate transaction. Oftentimes the challenge to you is that going above and beyond the call of duty feels like status quo, so you forget to let others know about all the extra steps. By mastering this formula, you will increase your credibility as a consultant, reduce questions about fees and commissions, and orchestrate referral moments. Every time a client says, “wow, thank you,” or, “you’re great,” you have a small window of opportunity to leverage the referral moment – the best moment you’ll ever have to ask for a referral. Don’t miss the chance!

How it Works:

1. Review the BRAG Formula in the purple section of The Art of Asking Handbook.
2. It helps to jot down what you plan to say before calling your client on the telephone. You’ll feel more relaxed and the call sounds more natural.

3. The four steps to BRAG:
   
   a. B – Blow it up: Explain the challenges that you confronted. Be specific – how many calls you made, the time involved, extra resources, or favors that you pulled in to accomplish the task.
   
   b. R – Resolve it: Explain how you resolved the problem and delivered world-class service. Remember to include any “special” circumstances.
   
   c. A – Acknowledge: Acknowledge how the resolution helped the client, and reaffirm that you have their best interests at heart. Pause. Wait for the “oohs” and “aahs.” Acknowledge their response by replying, “You sound pleased,” or something appropriate. You are drawing attention to the high level of service that you are providing.
   
   d. G – Go Green: Seize the moment and ask for a referral. Remember, when asking it helps to make a specific request.

4. Build up the impact of the conversation by reiterating any conversations you may have had with your client about potential difficulties that you expected before you began the process.
5. Repeat back your client’s responses to anchor that positive experience and make you more referable.
6. Find an opportunity to BRAG at least once during every transaction. Lenders, be sure to also use this technique with Realtors.
   

BRAG

BRAG Formula – Realtor

BRAG Formula – Lender