67 Strategies to Get More Referrals

The Parkbench Secret to Geo Farming

Parkbench is rethinking the way real estate agents do prospecting in their local communities. In order to generate leads, you have to generate value first. And guess what? That refrigerator magnet with your face and contact information…ain’t it.

The Challenge

Let’s have a frank conversation about real estate prospecting and lead generation. 

When you go knocking on doors in your geo farm, you’re asking for something. You might have the best intentions, the friendliest disposition, and the utmost genuine desire to help people. Nevertheless, you’re the one “taking” in that exchange. You’re single and ready to mingle…but they weren’t asking. So, by taking up their time–like many others who came before you–you’ve used up a little bit of good faith. And it was only your first interaction. 

What do you think the odds are that they’ll call you when the time comes to buy or sell a home? How likely do you think they are to refer you to a friend? Chances are, they already know someone in their network who either is an agent or knows one. After all, agents aren’t exactly hard to find. So, how do you become that person that they want to reach out to? How do you get them to want to refer you to their friends?

Parkbench is a solution that flips the sales script. It’s genius. It’s innovative. And it’s stupid-simple.
67 Strategies to Get More Referrals

The Solution

The not-so-hidden secret to success in real estate is to build relationships. If you take care of people, they’ll take care of you. Not only is this the right mindset for living a good life, it’s actually how the world works. Of all the keynotes we’ve heard, all the books we’ve read, and all our years in the industry… If we had to boil them down to one piece of wisdom, it would be this: You need to give to receive.

Parkbench is a neighborhood website that you sponsor and give to your community. Think Groupon meets Yelp and Eventbrite, but hyper local. They use artificial intelligence and machine learning to curate all kinds of local insights, from news and events, to information about schools, property listings, deals, and more. And it updates every 24 hours, so it’s always current. 

For local businesses, community organizers, and residents, it’s an invaluable resource for staying connected. But, to you as an agent, it’s a system for real estate prospecting that helps you build real relationships with people in your community.

Parkbench has helped over 7,000 agents over the past 10 years gross over $1 billion in commissions. They do this through their innovative real estate prospecting system they call the “Local Leader® System.” In fact, the National Association of REALTORS® selected Parkbench to be part of their Technology Accelerator program, REACH. This is because NAR understands that agents do better by pursuing relationships and referrals than advertising and buying leads. In other words, the Parkbench system works!

How it works

When you sponsor a neighborhood on Parkbench, they create a webpage specific to your community. Parkbench gets millions of views and actually outranks real estate giants like Realogy and Tom Ferry. So, even if you already have a website, which I’m sure you do, your Parkbench website will rank above it for more local searches… And you will actually get seen. Plus, they only work with one agent per neighborhood, so you will be the only REALTOR® with the ability to promote yourself in your geo farm. 

Parkbench real estate prospecting efficacy chart compared to other real estate websites

Unlike other websites that work like digital catalogs, Parkbench is a dynamic platform for community building. Not only is content regularly updated, there are meaningful things to do on the site no matter who you are. Local businesses are able to update their profile, publish job listings, and create coupons. Residents are able to browse deals, explore events, leave reviews, and learn more about their community. And all of this will be completely free to use – your gift to your neighborhood.

For residents, Parkbench is a virtual place to:
  • get deals to their favorite neighborhood shops
  • find out about upcoming events
  • stay up to date with local news
  • browse neighborhood listings
For business owners, Parkbench is a platform to:
  • further promote their business and connect with customers
  • create and distribute coupons
  • generate and host client reviews
  • post job postings and find workers
For you, Parkbench will be:
  • a gift you give to your neighborhood
  • your foot in the door to meet community organizers and business owners
  • a resource to host all your listings, drive newsletter subscriptions, manage your contacts database, and so much more 

Why it works

How do you feel when someone does something nice for your business, like write a review or refer a friend? You probably feel grateful, don’t you? Well, the same goes for other business owners in your community. And when you take the initiative to get to know them, you’ll be surprised by their response.

Seriously… The level of enthusiasm and gratitude that people feel is palpable.  

Parkbench local business reviews

This is why the first step in the Parkbench playbook is getting in touch with local businesses. But, you don’t just tell them that they have a spot on the neighborhood website, you ask to interview and feature them. Then, you record a thoughtful interview, getting to know everything they want to share with the community. The Parkbench team of coaches help at every step of the way, from teaching you how to book, conduct and post the interviews to technical support with video editing and social media.

Real Estate Agent and Local Leader, LeeAnn Blanchard explains why the Parkbench real estate prospecting system works.

Helping agents become Local Leaders®

Parkbench exists to empower real estate agents to build respected businesses by delivering value at the local level first. They do this through a combination of technology, coaching, and support. Their mission: To help 10,000 agents grow their business, enhance their reputation, and improve their quality of life by becoming Local Leaders®.  

Remember the “give to receive” axiom?

Perhaps that local business down the street is looking for some extra support on the weekend… Well, that young family you just met has a teenager looking for a part-time job. The more you know about who makes up your neighborbood, the more you will be able to help. In this way, Parkbench transforms the way agents conduct business. Your real estate prospecting strategy and giving back…will become one and the same.

How are they so sure that this works? 

Well, for one, the founders were realtors and small business owners, too. And this was the model they personally used to scale their business.

But…if you need any more assurance, they also have a 100% money-back guarantee. That’s not a typo. 

Follow their blueprint and you will generate at least 6 new closed transactions in your first 12 months. If you’re not 100% satisfied with their service or your results, they’ll give you your entire investment back!

19,000 communities and counting have been sponsored to date.

Click here to book a demo now and lock in a FREE YEAR of Parkbench!

Reviews from Local Leader AKA Parkbench customers singing Parkbench praises because their real estate prospecting system helped to grow their business

At Local Leader®, we help real estate professionals grow their business by providing expert advice and actionable tips. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the know.

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