How to Use WCR.org Member Finder to Get More Business
By Tracey Velt
Stacey Krolak, team leader of The Krolak Group of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty in Scottsdale, Arizona, worked with a past client who was moving to Baltimore. "I put it out on the Women's Council Member Finder (powered by Radius) that I needed some help from a Baltimore agent, and Christina, a Women's Council member in that area contacted me," says Krolak, who has been using Radius for about 18 months. “I am confident that she’ll treat them just as I do.”
That's just one of Radius's benefits, a virtual referral and networking service offered as a member benefit to the Women's Council of REALTORS® members. Radius allows members to showcase their expertise and listings using a public profile in the Women's Council member search referral directory. They may also broadcast buyer needs and listings to Women's Council network groups, participate in a national referral concierge program and earn a 25% referral fee, and take advantage of an optional lead qualification ISA service. The program is available via an app for desktop and mobile platforms. "I've been using Radius for over a year now," says Kay Merg, MRP, PMN with RE/MAX United in San Diego.
Merg says she uses it in two different ways. "When I have a client looking to move from San Diego, I use the wcr.org Member Finder (powered by Radius) to search for qualified Realtors in the different cities," she says. "The other way I use it is to showcase listings."
With an interface that resembles Facebook or LinkedIn, the platform is user-friendly. “I feel it mirrors Facebook,” says Krolak. “You set your profile and connect with agents and lenders from around the world.” From there, you can share listings, put out referral requests to connect with agents outside of your area, and more.
Here are some ways to use Radius to build successful relationships and get more referral business.
- Fill out your profile. Members using Radius search for qualified Realtors whom they can trust, and Women's Council members seek out other members as preferred referral professionals. You aren’t findable if your profile isn’t fully completed. “The more information you can provide on the Radius profile, the better off you’ll be. I’m looking for more than basic information about the person to whom I want to refer business," says Merg. "I look for what areas they cover, specific designations, and more." Merg includes information about her niche working with military buyers and sellers and provides community information about local communities and cities that she serves. “There are over 30 cities within San Diego county because someone might not realize that Rancho Bernardo, for example, is part of San Diego.” To claim your profile, view this one-minute video.
- Get the lead. Julia Montei, AHWD, CIPS, GRI, PMN, RENE, RSPS, SRES, a Realtor® with Keller Williams Classic Group in Sarasota, signed up to use the service in January 2020 but found that it was especially helpful in today's market of virtual real estate. "I'm using it to generate leads and get referrals from other agents," she says. Other agents put referral requests out there. "If it's in your area, you get the lead through the phone app with Radius," says Montei. “As soon as you see the lead come in, you have to be quick to accept it by calling the contact.” During the stay-at-home orders, Montei was able to keep her pipeline full. "I accepted renters because 85% of those folks state that they intend to buy in the future." Note that while there is a lead generation tool, Women's Council member-to-member referral tools, including using the platform, are a complimentary membership benefit. Neither Women's Council nor Radius will ever charge any associated fees.
- Search it. “Radius has set up these profiles to make searches easy. You can identify real estate agents by name, city, county. You can identify certain designations, including the PMN Designation. I can drill down and narrow my search,” says Merg. RPAC investment levels are another search filter, given the member's supersized involvement in that area, further showcasing business leadership. A profile claimed badge denotes that a member has updated his or her profile.
- Make a connection. “I was looking for an agent who was also a Women's Council member in Sacramento, so I went on the wcr.org Member Finder and found Rosanna Garcia. I read through her entire bio, and she's perfect. She also understands the military. So, I made a phone call. I don't automatically send a referral to someone because what if they're on vacation?” says Merg. “My client needed to start looking at homes immediately. I called Rosanna and let her know that I had a client for her. We talked, I gave her some background information, and she said, "Absolutely, I would love to have the referral." While I was talking to her, I went to Radius and sent the referral through the complimentary member-to-member platform. She was notified that the referral came in before we even finished the conversation.” Now, Merg and Garcia have a connection and are building a relationship.
- Try the live chat. “I like that there's live chat,” says Montei. It's an easy way to connect with another agent and find out more about them before sending a referral. In today's social distancing environment, this feature has proved to be an invaluable tool.
- Post your listings and open houses. “I post all my listings and open houses on the platform,” says Krolak. “We learned to be completely mobile. Now, I post visual tours on all of our listings, which makes it easy for other agents to see what I have for sale,” she says. Krolak also posts videos offering information about her area on the Radius app.
Overall, all three Women's Council members interviewed have found success with Radius. Analytics show that a sizable percentage of members are enjoying this complimentary benefit, designed to help you find each other and do business."I just wish that more Women's Council members realized how valuable it could be," says Krolak. "It's another free way to get exposure for yourself and your team to sell more real estate. I love the ease of it." Montei agrees, "It's a great way to market yourself nationally to all of the Women's Council."
About the Contributor
Tracey C. Velt is a freelance writer who specializes in real estate.
