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Florida Home Building Report – January 2016

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Erika Carruth

Home builders in Florida had a solid opening to 2016 with nearly 4,000 housing starts in the first month of the year.

Across the state, Florida’s economy and housing continues to grow, especially in Orlando and the southwest portion of the state. In January, nearly 4,000 new housing construction permits were added to the HBW database, with a total construction value exceeding $1.1 billion.

Leading the way in residential construction as usual, the southwest region had 1,025 housing starts for the month with an average construction value of approximately $270k. Not far behind in total permits (987 permits) and with an even higher average value ($307k), Orlando held strong as the second highest area for total housing starts in January. Tampa held the third spot with 877 new residential construction permits and an average construction value close to $283k. Although Jacksonville was lowest for average residential construction value ($247k+), it was fourth for number of starts with 631 permits. As for Southeast Florida, the area continues to lead in average total construction value ($396k) but falls shorter on total starts with 434 new residential permits for the month.

Florida New Residential Construction Permits – January 2016

Taking a deeper look, we focused on counties with the highest total number of housing starts for the month. According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel earlier this year, Central Florida’s economy continues to grow. It is reported that job opportunities are increasing, along with salaries, and the real estate and home building industries’ patterns are reflective of this growth. More specifically, Orange County (Orlando) was #1 in January with 452 new residential construction permits and a total value of nearly $159.4 million. In Tampa, Hillsborough County was the second highest for housing starts in the state with 325 new permits added to the HBW database and a total value in excess of $113.6 million. Lee County (SW) was third highest for total permits (298) and had a total residential construction value of $73 million for the month. In fourth and fifth, Polk County (Tampa) had 277 housing starts (total value: $53 million) and St. Johns County (Jacksonville) had 268 starts with a total value of $72.5 million.

Florida Top 10 County - Total Permits, January 2016

Florida Top 10 Counties for New Residential Construction – January 2016

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures was directly derived from HBW builder data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest building activity in Florida and beyond, please contact HBW for details.

Get Local and Hit Your Target

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Erika Carruth

To reach your target audience, you will need to be specific and take advantage of local marketing opportunities.

You are surrounded by a community of prospective clients. They are your neighbors and the people that you see every day, many of whom are in need of and can benefit from your services. HBW subscribers know how easy it is to locate community members who are getting started with a new home building project, as well as access the HBW archives to locate those who may be due for upgrades, maintenance and replacements services. Contacting your leads is the obvious step in reaching your target audience; at the same time, you will also want to build brand awareness at a local level. Tapping into your local community is a must for your marketing strategy, and there are many easy and effective ways to begin building your presence and gaining visibility for your brand.

Truth be told, not many home builders have the budget for major commercials and advertisements. All of us would jump at the chance to have a major Super Bowl ad or a spot on prime time, but such expenses are simply not realistic for most businesses. When it comes to reaching your audience, it is important that your marketing efforts are effective, affordable, sustainable and provide a clear return on your investment. Here are few ways to develop your local presence and build brand awareness in your community:

Public Reviews – Don’t underestimate the power of reviews. As reported by Entrepreneur, 80% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business. In addition to reviews that you have on your own website and social profiles, consider having your company listed on major review sites such as Yelp, Consumer Reports and Yahoo! Local Listings. Chances are that your business may already be listed. If not, claim your pages, add your business where possible and manage it; keep the listing current and respond to reviews (especially negative) in a positive manner.

Local Partners – Although you wouldn’t want to partner with your direct competition, consider partnering with a local business that offers complementary services or products. A landscape designer may want to partner with a local nursery or lawn care company, or a kitchen remodeler may want to partner with a local appliance store. There are a variety of angles and options for the types of partners you may want to link with your business for the purpose of cross-promotion. From shared website links and ads to co-producing local events, there are many opportunities to expand your reach while cutting costs in half.

Local Publications – In addition to your own company mailers, consider advertisements in local community magazines. Many neighborhoods and private communities have their own publications that are read by thousands of households. Choose a publication (or two) that caters to your audience, and look into ways that you can work with them; aside from regular monthly adverstisements, there may be opportunities for contributing an article or being featured in a local guide for home improvements.

Local Events – Get to know and get involved with your community. Join your local Chamber of Commerce, attend meetings and serve as an active member. Take part in and sponsor local events, fundraisers and community organizations. Support education and families in the community by sponsoring a local soccer team or school event. If your budget allows, consider producing your own event to launch a new product, location or service.

Local SEO – Along with your current Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts, you should add local SEO to your priorities. To get started, claim your Google My Business page. Once you do so, choose the correct categories for your business, add high-quality and varied photos and real customer reviews. Make sure that your company name, address and phone number is consistent across the board, from your Google listing, review sites, social media and website (on every page). We’ve already touched upon the importance of local reviews and related third-party pages, and links from those sites can also be useful in being found in local searches.

By getting more involved in local events, partnering with local businesses and listing your business in major online review sites, you will gain more than just visibility with your target audience; by making new local connections, you can strengthen relationships with current clients and open doors to new opportunities to be part of and contribute to your community.

For more information on construction business tips and industry updates, stay connected with the HBW Blog. To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

HBW Report: Texas Residential Construction – January 2016

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Erika Carruth

New residential construction in Texas appears to be at a good pace for the start of the year with Houston leading in January.

Texas housing starts took off at a solid pace during the month of January. When reviewing the areas of Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio in the HBW database, we found approximately 4,400 new residential construction permits on file for the month with a total value in excess of $1 billion.

Houston led with 1,958 housing starts and a construction value of approximately $387.8 million. The average total value of new homes started in the area was just under $200k. The majority of new residential construction took place in Harris County (1,050 permits – total value: $204.8 million).

Dallas was also off to a healthy start with 1,410 housing starts and the highest total value of all four areas ($444 million). The average value of the homes started in Dallas during January was $315k which is significantly higher than the reported median home value of $134,200 for the area (source: Zillow Home Value Index). According to a recent report by Zillow, Dallas home values have increased 16% over the last year and are expected to rise 6.2% in 2016.

Austin and San Antonio were third and fourth in total permits. Nearly 750 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $178.5 million were added to the HBW database for Austin in January. The average value of homes started in Austin exceeded $238k. San Antonio had close to 300 housing starts (primarily in Bexar County) for the month and more than $60.7 million in new residential construction. The average value of homes started in San Antonio was just over $215k.

Texas New Residential Construction – January 2016

When narrowing our focus to counties with the highest levels of residential construction activity, the top five counties are in Houston, Austin and Dallas, with Harris County (Houston) being the most active in January. As previously mentioned, Harris County had 1,050 housing starts with a total value of $204.8 million. Collin County in Dallas was second highest for total new permits with 484 starts and nearly $151.3 million in total value. In Houston, Fort Bend was third highest for new residential construction permits in January with 411 housing starts at a value greater than $68.7 million. Travis County (Austin) was also solid with 396 housing starts and a total construction value reaching nearly $89.6 million. Not far behind and with a greater total value, Tarrant County (Dallas) made the #5 spot for the month with 348 housing starts and a total value close to $96.8 million.

Texas Top 5 Counties – January 2016

HBW Report: Texas Swimming Pool Construction – December 2015

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Erika Carruth

With Florida being dominant in new swimming pool construction, it is not often that we review other areas. As reported in an article by Realtor.com, Florida is #1 and Texas is #3 out of the top ten cities with the highest percentage of backyard pools. With access to a wide variety of new and archived construction data through HBW, we pulled reports for Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston for December 2015. The review resulted in more than 450 new swimming pool permits in Texas for the month of December alone. Swimming pool construction across the state in December totaled nearly $23 million in value, with the majority of activity taking place in Dallas (258 permits – total value greater than $11.6 million).

In Dallas, one county emerged as a leader in December; Collin County was a front-runner for new pool construction with 103 permits on file for the month and a total value in excess of $4.8 million. Not far behind Dallas was Houston, another hot area for new construction. In December, Houston was second highest for swimming pool construction with 92 pool starts on file and more than $5.7 million in total value. Harris County held the majority of new permits in Houston with 49 permits on file and a total value in excess of $3.4 million. Here’s a look at new swimming pool construction totals across Texas in December:

Texas Pool Permits by Region – Dec. 2015

Across the state, several counties were standouts in new pool construction, and it should come as no surprise that the top three counties are in the Dallas area. As previously noted, Collin County (103 permits – total value: $4.8 million+) led the Dallas area for the month, and it also took the #1 spot in comparison to counties across the state. Dallas (57 permits – total value: $2.8 million+) and Tarrant (54 permits – total value: $2 million+) held strong for the second and third highest in new pool construction for the month. Travis County in Austin wasn’t far behind with 50 new permits added to the HBW database and $3.4 million in total value. Harris County in Houston was equally as active with 49 new pool permits and approximately $3.4 million in total value.

Texas Top 5 Counties – Pool Permits Dec. 2015

Making the Most of Meeting Time

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Erika Carruth

Meetings can take away valuable time from your team. Here are 5 areas to consider for getting the most out of group meetings.

Staff and project meetings can be time hogs. Whether you are on a phone conference or face-to-face, distractions happen and conversations inevitably veer off to tangents. Although there can be real value in the tangents and variations in topics, it is important to stay focused to make the most of your meeting time. Here are 5 ways to make your meetings more efficient and productive:

Action Items – Every meeting should result in at least one or two action items from each agenda topic. If a topic is not ready for an action, then it is not agenda worthy. Even if the next step is in the concept phase, there should be an executable action item and expected results. Make sure that each action has a clear goal and that it is assigned to the appropriate person. Once it is in the realm of responsibility for a team member, they will add it to their priorities. Each item should have definitive deadlines, clear follow-up procedures and expectations for how results will be reported.

Don’t Wait on Late – Who hasn’t endured phone conferences where a solid 15 minutes is dedicated to assessing who is on the line and waiting for all callers to chime in? Depending on the number of meetings you have each week, those delays can lead up to hours lost each month. To save time and respect the time of others, start the meeting promptly and on schedule. For those who join the meetings late, you may consider having a live document available for viewing. Simply have the person taking minutes jot down each action item or outcome into a live doc, and as members join the meeting, they can quickly catch up on the important highlights. Many of the online meeting apps have such capabilities built-in, but for other meetings, Google Docs, Word Online and various project management apps will do the trick. For those who attended or missed the meeting, make sure minutes are made available in a timely manner.

Assign Moderators Wisely – The moderator is more than just the person who connects the call or conducts the icebreakers and introductions. The moderator is the key to facilitating the meetings, organizing the thought process and getting topics moving in a direction that keeps the meeting on track. Make sure your moderator knows how to stay on task and can redirect individuals when necessary. Without a strong moderator, the entire meeting may be a waste of time or simply run into unnecessary overtime.

Change It Up – To keep regular meetings from going stale, consider changing things up. Try a new location or a new format. It is a well-known fact that a change of scenery can reduce stress, and less stressful meetings can also lead to more productivity. Adding new ways to open meetings and new places to meet enables your team to gain a fresh perspective and be more engaged. Also, consider alternating meeting moderators; by putting the responsibility of leading the meeting in a new lap, you may just find a new shining star and be surprised by how the group dynamic can change and lend itself to new ideas.

Require Results – This one goes back to action items. For every action item there should be an expected result and follow-up. Do not let action items fall through the cracks. Every team member should leave with a responsibility and return with results. When reporting, everyone should stick to their allotted timeframes; if additional time is needed, schedule to meet at a later date with only the individuals involved on a given task.

Meetings are essential to building a cohesive team and making sure everyone is in the loop on business matters. By staying focused, offering new environments and holding individuals accountable for results, you may find that team meetings can change from a time-wasting obligation to a productive asset and relief.

Florida Swimming Pool Construction – December 2015

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Erika Carruth

If you are looking for the latest on new swimming pool construction in Florida, look no further than the HBW database.

With 1,300 new pool permits added to the database in December alone, the Sunshine State is teeming with pool construction activity. Although permitting activity dropped slightly statewide since November, Jacksonville experienced a 6% increase in swimming pool construction, while several top counties also spiked in activity. The southwestern portion of the state continued to lead in swimming pool construction with 418 new permits in December and a total value in excess of $16.6 million. Just as in November, the southeast region and Orlando held the second and third spots for new pool construction for the month.

FL Pool Permits by Region – December 2015

When viewing swimming pool construction throughout the state, a few counties continued to shine. Palm Beach County has not only been most active in residential construction for the southeast region in recent months; the area also experienced a 14% increase in swimming pool construction in comparison to November, with 139 new permits and $5.5 million in value. Dropping from #1 to #2, the county of Lee (southwest) experienced an 18% decrease in swimming pool construction since November but was still second highest with 134 permits and nearly $5.4 million in total value. In the third spot, Collier County (southwest) was up 12% since November and had 108 new permits on file and a total value of more than $4.7 million.

FL Top 5 Counties – Pool Permits Dec. 2015

With all of the new construction taking place, we would be remiss if we did not take a look at the swimming pool builders who drove the figures in each region. Here’s a look at the top builders for each area and the number of pool permits on file for each company in December.

REGION	COMPANY	TOTAL PERMITS	TOTAL VALUE
Orlando	All Seasons	48	$1.3 million +
Southwest	Aragon Pools & Spas	46	$1.5 million
Southeast	A & G Concrete Pools	23	$866k
Tampa	All Seasons	17	$432k
Jacksonville	Stanley Pools	7	$255k

Across the state, here are the Top 5 companies for total permits on file for December:

FL Top 5 Pool Builders for Total Permits – Dec. 2015

Social Media Check-Up: LinkedIn

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Erika Carruth

To get the most out of your LinkedIn profile, you should keep it current, active and take advantage of networking opportunities.

If you are an HBW subscriber, chances are that you have a list of leads ready for contact. Once you make contact, your company will most likely be researched online by your prospective clients. In previous posts, we have reviewed the importance of keeping your website and social media profiles up-to-date and on point. One profile that may get overlooked is LinkedIn. As reported by Adweek.com, 81% of shoppers conduct online research prior to making a purchase. In their research, your LinkedIn profile is likely to come up, and you will want to maximize every opportunity to connect and share your brand.

Here are 10 quick tips for making the most of your LinkedIn profile:

Profile Picture – Many of us appreciate our privacy, but when it comes to representing your business, don’t leave your identity a mystery. If you don’t already have a profile picture on your personal LinkedIn profile, now is the time to add one. Although professional photos can certainly be worth the investment, don’t be afraid to add your own headshot. If you decide to take a selfie, be aware of your surroundings; a blank background is better than a car or bathroom, and professional attire is better than sunglasses and the beach. Not into photos? Your company logo is an option as well.
Background Image – Just as you would on Facebook or Twitter, you can add a background image to your LinkedIn profile. Simply go to “Edit Profile” and click on “Add a background photo” at the top of your page. To optimize viewing, your image should be < 8MB and sized to 1400 x 425 pixels. This image should be consistent with your brand, website and promotional materials. Keep it simple and limit text to maintain a clean and approachable appearance.
Join Groups – There are a myriad of construction and home building groups to join on LinkedIn. Simply search for groups and companies of interest, and you will have what seems to be a never-ending list of news feeds and forums. Groups are a great way to stay informed and add to conversations where prospects may be looking for home building advice. With the groups being listed on your profile, it also shows visitors that you make an effort to stay current on construction and design news and trends.
Show Your Work – In addition to your experience, interests and certifications, LinkedIn makes it possible for you to share your work in the form of images, videos, articles and more. You can add media samples to the Summary, Education, and Experience sections of your profile, enabling you to share your latest new design, completed project or client presentation. To learn more about adding media to your LinkedIn profile, visit the Help Center here.
Get Endorsed – As you may already notice in the “Skills” section of your profile, you can add skills for which you can be “endorsed”. The first step is adding the skills. You may be a jack-of-all-trades, but try to be specific with your skills as they pertain to your business. If you have specialty training or services, make sure you narrow down your listed skills to those that are most important. Although listing your skills will not guarantee endorsements, a good way to start is by endorsing others in your network; they may just do the same in return.
Interact – Beyond making connections and sharing endorsements, you will want to become active in your “network updates”. This section is easily accessible on your home page and home icon on the app, and it allows you to see what your connections are reporting, sharing and commenting. Congratulate a work anniversary, comment on a post, or simply share your own articles, links or media. Your network can serve as a team in sharing your brand, and the only way to make it happen is to get involved and in the conversation.
Complete Your Profile – This is an obvious one, but I only mention it because it can easily be missed. Are your business statements and dates consistent with your website? Have you added web addresses for your website, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages? Is your company page linked to your personal page? Do you have all of your awards and certifications listed? Have you added your latest publications? It is worth taking time to review all areas of your profile that may need to be updated or completed so that a prospective client knows where to go and can easily access information about you and your company.
Export Connections – Don’t limit contact with your connections to LinkedIn; you may have an opportunity to reach out to them via email or other. For this reason, export your connections to a file that you can use in other applications or a contact management system. Simply click “connections” and the settings gear icon in the top right. Just below you will find “Advanced Settings” where you can “Export LinkedIn Connections” to a .csv or .vcf file. This is also a good practice for backing up your contacts.
Browse Privately – When browsing other companies and individuals, other members of the LinkedIn community may be able to see when you viewed them or their business. If you want to conduct research privately so that others are not alerted of your views, simply follow these guidelines to adjust your settings to best suit your needs.
Add a Badge – Once you have an updated and professional profile on LinkedIn, you will want to share it. You can easily create a unique badge that can be added to your website, blog and other profiles. Click Here for more information on creating a badge to your public profile.

Although LinkedIn is just one of the many ways to share your business and brand, when used properly it can be a powerful tool in making connections and representing your company. By keeping it updated and staying active in your network and related groups, you keep the doors open to new opportunities and strengthen your online presence for customers to come.

Florida’s Top 20 Residential Builders of 2015

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Erika Carruth

Earlier this week, our eye was on Texas and its residential builders, where D.R. Horton led for total housing starts in 2015. When it comes to leaders in residential construction in Florida not much has changed. When running reports for Florida from the HBW database, D.R. Horton takes the lead not only in Texas but in Florida too. With more than five thousand new residential construction permits on file in 2015, D.R. Horton drove new residential construction in Florida last year. In a not too distant second, Lennar Homes was strong with 4,637 housing starts on file, and Pulte Homes held onto the third spot with 2,769 starts.

To gain a more comprehensive perspective on the busiest builders in Florida last year, we have compiled a list of the “Top 20 Builders”. The Top 20 report is based on those builders with the most housing starts on file in the HBW database. Results are based on the total number of new residential permits that were pulled throughout the year, with the top companies having the most new permits on record.

The results are in, and here are the Top 20 Florida Residential Builders of 2015:

D.R. Horton
Lennar Homes
Pulte Homes
GL Homes
The Villages of Lake Sumter
Taylor Morrison
KB Homes
Adams Homes
Mattamy Homes
Meritage Homes
Standard Pacific Homes
David Weekley Homes
Ryland Homes
WCI Communities Inc.
AV Homes
M/I Homes
Neal Communities
Beazer Homes
Maronda Homes
Dream Finders Construction Inc.

To view details on the number of new residential permits on file for each company, here is a graph highlighting totals for the above listed companies:

Top Builders Florida 2015 – Residential Construction Totals

We congratulate all of the Florida builders who continue to drive our industry forward. We wish you continued success in the New Year!

Texas Top 20 Residential Builders of 2015

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Erika Carruth

Just as our monthly “Top Builders” reports highlight the busiest builders in Texas, the start of a new year provides the opportunity to gain perspective on the builders that led residential construction throughout the entire year. Texas was busy in 2015. From the booming real estate market in Dallas and the countless new communities being developed, HBW was tracking every new construction permit and the many builders breaking ground in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin. As reported earlier this month in the Annual Review, residential construction jumped 13% in Dallas and 8% in San Antonio in comparison to 2014.

The “Top 20 Builders” report is based on those builders with the most housing starts on file in the HBW database. Those starts are based on the new residential permits that were pulled throughout the year, with the top companies having the most new permits on record.

The #1 residential builder for the year comes as no surprise. D.R. Horton is all over construction in Texas, and they came in the #1 spot for total new residential construction permits for 2015. The top 20 across the state are as follows:

D.R. Horton
Lennar Homes
Pulte Homes
KB Homes
K. Hovnanian Homes
Beazer Homes
Meritage Homes
Perry Homes
David Weekley Homes
Ryland Homes
Long Lake LLC
Taylor Morrison Homes
Camillo Properties
Standard Pacific Homes
First Texas Homes
LGI Homes
Darling Homes
Ashton Woods Homes
Chesmar Homes
Gehan Homes

Here is a look at the Top 20 and corresponding totals:

Top Builders Texas 2015 – Residential Construction Totals

Congratulations to all of the builders leading residential construction in Texas. We wish you continued success in 2016!

10 Ways to More Referrals

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Erika Carruth

Referrals are a key component to business development, and with a little extra effort, you can keep them coming.

What goals have you set for the New Year? Chances are that building your client base is on the top of your list. For HBW subscribers, finding quality leads is just a click away, and to get the most out of those leads, you will want to build a long-lasting relationship with them.

Earlier this month, we explored methods for building customer loyalty. Knowing that satisfied and loyal customers can be strong brand advocates, you may want to offer incentives for customers to be partners in generating referrals. As most of us are aware, word-of-mouth advertising and referrals are like gold to business development, but don’t just rely on your quality work alone to get the job done. There are a number of effective ways to get the word-of-mouth ball rolling, and keep it rolling. Whether a lifelong customer or just breaking ground, here are 10 ways to encourage clients to sing your praises and be partners in generating referrals:

Be Worthy – This one goes without saying, but quality work is a given in the referral process. Meet your deadlines and expected deliverables. Remember, people are usually referring you to friends and family, and they won’t want to disappoint. Make sure your crews and sales representatives meet the highest standards in client service and professionalism. Not every job will run smoothly, but it is how you communicate and care for your clients that will be most memorable (and referable).
Offer Incentives – Not every business can successfully pull off a referral program without appearing pushy to clients. A good start is for your program to be easy to understand and provide a benefit to both the client who refers and the prospect who follows through. Make sure your program is clear about how they will benefit (i.e. 25% off your next design service) and when they will reap the reward. Make sure that your program includes actions and rewards that are both realistic and easily attainable.
Make Contact -Although it can be intimidating, reaching out to previous clients can be very useful. It is good practice to make a habit of checking in and/or following up with clients; it is during those “check-ins” that you can mention your referral program. Such conversations are easy with longtime and satisfied customers. If a direct ask for referrals is not your preferred approach, try incorporating a special promotion including a discount or additional service that you can offer in exchange for a referral, positive review or testimonial.
Educate – You can’t expect clients to provide referrals if they don’t know about all of the products and services you offer. If your client has only used your kitchen design and build services, make sure you inform them of your other interior or exterior building services. Give them the tools they need to spread the word; it can be as simple as a single-page flyer, postcard or easy to remember web address to a list of services.
Offer Options – You may encounter clients who don’t want to provide direct referrals, and in this case, try to supply other options and ways for them to recommend your company. Whether they agree to a testimonial on your website or a positive online review, their positive feedback is valuable. Social networks like Facebook are a great place for a quick “five stars” or recommendation.
Provide Content – More than just having a flyer or special website for referrals, it is a good idea to provide useful content that clients and others can share. Some good examples include: Webinars on an industry-related topic; an article on industry trends; a monthly or quarterly e-newsletter; a video highlighting success stories and completed projects. Whatever content you choose to develop and share, make it unique and remarkable.
Partner Up – Think about your vendors, and not just the ones that you use for project materials. From your business card printers to your web service provider, you have a pool of potential partners with whom you can exchange referrals. It can be as simple as exchanging links or logos on each other’s websites or as extensive as offering a percentage of profit on jobs completed.
Give Thanks – This one is more about keeping the referral ball rolling, not getting it started. Take the time to thank your referral sources. Often a thoughtful handwritten note can be a small but meaningful way to show that you took the time to express your gratitude. A phone call may also go a long way. Whatever way you choose to thank your referral source, make sure it is personal and that they receive it in a timely manner.
Get Involved – From industry groups and forums on LinkedIn to industry magazines and publications, there are a myriad of ways to get noticed and get people talking. Be helpful to someone with a remodeling issue or provide professional advice to someone looking to buy a home. Whatever your specialty or expertise, give a little back to your audience, and you may be pleasantly surprised with a referral in return.
Refer Others – Giving a referral can often lead to a referral in return. Keep in mind that the business you refer will indirectly reflect on your own company, so choose wisely. You should feel confident in the abilities of the business you refer, and it should share a similar target audience.

When it comes to developing materials and programs for referrals, there isn’t a “one size fits all” design. Start off small and see which methods are most successful and best received by your clients. In time, your budding referral program will be a wide network that will add to your lead generating efforts throughout the year.