Get More Business the Serhant Way

Follow Up, follow through and follow back with clients!

Today we’re jumping into the tactic that Ryan Serhant used to become the badass real estate agent that he is. And how YOU can use the exact same approach. For those of you unaware, no matter,  Ryan stars on Bravo’s television series Million Dollar Listing New York and its spin-off Sell it Like Serhant.  Like him or not, the man knows how to move product!

Ya ready? Let’s do this. 

The Ryan Serhant Story

R.S. wasn’t always the big man on campus he is today. Far from it. After college, he heads to  New York with the hopes of becoming wait for it…an actor. 

He landed a job on the soap opera As The World Turns. But that was only short-lived. So, he did what every starving artist does…he did a pivot. Well, a series of pivots. 

First into hand modeling. Then bartender. And then he got his real estate license and boom!

Fast forward a few years, and Mr. Serhant now has a net worth of $30 million. Not too shabby. 

In 2018, Serhant published his first book: Sell It Like Serhant. Great read by the way. In it, he outlines tools and tactics that made him a success. 

And the biggest factor is: Follow-up. 

This from his book: 

The three F’s Rule is one of my most valuable sales secrets and I don’t understand why everyone isn’t doing it all the time! Block out time in your calendar for follow and watch how new business practicality lands in your lap. 

Oh that last line is juicy, isn’t it? Lands in you your lap. 

How many of you reading this right now, could use a bit more business just landing in your lap? Show of hands…

Like everyone, right? Of course. 

Serhant goes on to explain there are three elements of follow-up. They are: 

1. The Follow-Up: Never expect people to follow up with you they just aren’t going to do it. So you have to reach out in order to get the ball rolling. 
2. The Follow-Through: Do what you say you are going to do. Remember these aren’t clients. These are relationships. (Oh, that’s so good, Mr. Serhant). 
3. And finally, Follow Back: Keep in touch with past clients casually and regularly.

More on that last point in just a minute. Hands down the money maker!

Something to keep in mind. This entire process isn’t about blowing up a potential client’s inbox. Far from it. Follow-up. 

Good follow-up requires a certain amount of finesse. And above all patience. 

Push too hard too fast…you are going to blow the deal. Don’t push enough…prospects are going to forget about you. 

Your goal is to find the balance. 

Let’s Reinforce Point 3: Follow Back.

Let me start with this story. 

Several years ago, my wife and I wanted to go to Ireland with our family. At first, I started to do all the planning. I was in travel after all so I should be the one to handle this part of the project. 

Guess what, planning a vacation sucks!

I was spending hours after work, researching the destination, checking prices, and doing Google searches. 

And I wasn’t getting anywhere.

Now, I do realize there are a lot of people that talk about how much fun it is to plan a vacation. For me, it was a nightmare. 

This had to change. 

So I made a few calls, found an agency, and got connected with one of their top agents. I had a brief call with her. Gave her what we were looking for including a budget and sat back. 

Two days later a complete itinerary appeared in my inbox that was exactly what we were looking for. It was perfect. 

We went on vacation and everything worked out. It could not have been better.  A week or so after we returned there was a nice card our agent had sent our way thanking us for the business and asking how everything went. 

And that was the last we ever heard back from her or the agency! 

What a loss. 

Is she the only one like this? NOPE! Many agents fall into the very same category. They never follow back. Instead, they wait until the client is ready and reaches out to them. 

That model worked ok, years ago. Today …forget it. 

Agents need to stay in front of ALL their clients. No matter where they are in the sales cycle. This is the road to your success. 

And will all your follow-ups remember you’re building relationships? Not just trying to close more business.  

Keep that in mind and you may turn out to be the first Ryan Serhant in the travel space. 

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