Episode 59: What Happens When Your Friend Hires Another Agent?

In this episode of the Toe-2-Toe Podcast, hosts Jenn Murtland and Monica Weakley duke it out over what to do when your friend hires another agent. This has happened, and will happen to every real estate agent, so pay attention!

Episode Highlights: 

• Agents’ egos get hurt when their friends choose another agent.
• It might be on you for not doing your due diligence.
• Plenty of people don’t want to mix business and pleasure and prefer not to work with their friends.
• You can’t just assume that everybody is comfortable working with you.
• Be upfront and ask if your friends are comfortable working with you or if they need a referral.
• You never know if someone has an agent that their family has used for years.
• It’s always harder for an agent to put their ego aside when they find out in another way than hearing it from their friend.
• Jenn has incredibly thick skin from her experience making cold calls, so this does not bother her too much.
• Monica has shear-thin skin and has had her feelings hurt in the past by friends not using her as an agent.
• It’s important to let go of this one and move onto the next deal.
• If you have a problem letting go, there might be a problem with the friendship or the business.
• Agents have no problem promoting their side gigs but they do have a problem promoting their real estate business.
• Every agent has had a friend choose another agent over them.
• Instead of being poisonous, look back and determine what you could have done differently.
• Post every day on your social media about real estate in a creative and engaging fashion.
• Monica has created an entire library of creative post ideas that you can use for your social media.
• Jon Bowling, this week’s tiebreaker, is one of the top performers with ReMax out of Cincinnati.
• Running a sphere of influence business leads to an 88% failure rate amongst real estate agents.
• You can inquire about why they didn’t choose you without ruining the relationship.
• Jon has had multiple friends that have passed on using him as an agent and is still friends with all of them.
• Generating leads in multiple ways is the best way to make sure your real estate business stays above water.
• Agents have all had situations where friends did not choose them, yet they continue to come to them for advice.
• There is definitely a wrong way to react to this whole situation; don’t burn bridges.

3 Key Points:

1. It’s wrong to assume that your friends are comfortable working with you. Do your due diligence and ask them.
2. Present yourself as a real estate agent whenever and wherever you can or you will get put in the friendzone.
3. Communicate with your past clients and sphere in a fashion that will cause them to give you business or refer you.

Resources Mentioned:

• Jenn Murtland (website, LinkedIn, Facebook)
• Call Jenn at (513) 400-1691 to discuss transitioning to eXp Realty
• Monica Weakley (website, LinkedIn, Facebook)
• Toe 2 Toe Podcast Facebook Page
• Jon Bowling (LinkedIn, Facebook)
• GhostPostr