8 ways to expand your sphere of influence in real estate in 2025

4. Find networking opportunities

When agents think of networking, they tend to think of formal industry events or association mixers. However, not all networking opportunities are reserved for these types of events. In fact, the most meaningful connections happen during everyday interactions. That’s why it’s important to take advantage of all networking opportunities.

Participating in local real estate events, local gatherings and volunteering in the community, along with attending industry conferences, will help expand your network. Be sure to engage in conversations, exchange business cards and follow up with potential contacts afterward.

So, how do you find these real estate sphere of influence growth opportunities? Start by looking at the places where you typically spend your time.

• Do you volunteer at your child’s school or coach a local team?
• Are you part of a church group, hobby club, gym or neighborhood association?
• Are there any local spots that you visit frequently?
• Do you bring your dog to the neighborhood dog park?

If not, consider joining a local chamber of commerce or signing up for local classes and workshops. Be sure to take advantage of any networking opportunities that may be hosted by your brokerage or local realtor association as well. The secret to successful networking is about showing up, interacting with others and building trust with them over time – the referrals will naturally follow.

Pro Tip

Every time you do a deal with another agent, save their number and remember them when you see their name on another listing. When you build a repertoire with other agents in the community, they won’t be your competitors, they’ll be your collaborators and referral sources.

5. Focus on building lasting connections

Building a sphere of influence in real estate requires continuous effort and relationship-building. After making the initial contact or connection, make sure to keep track of important information to keep the relationship growing. Focus on ensuring your relationships are always deepening and becoming more meaningful.

Start by showing genuine interest in the people you’re connecting with. Take note of their personal details like their kids’ names, birthdays, hobbies or their recent milestones in life. These little touchpoints give you a reason to check in with them and will show that you really care. An easy way to do this is to log all your new contacts in your CRM. More on this below.

6. Organize and personalize your contacts in your CRM

What’s the point of a contact if you don’t know who they are or how you know them? That’s where a CRM comes in and becomes your best friend. Build up your contact list in your CRM by noting the basics about everyone you meet, including their name, phone number, email address and how you know them. Are they a friend from school, your CPA or someone your friend Laura introduced you to? Make a note of it.

As your relationship develops, make some miscellaneous notes in the CRM, including unique details about your contact.

• How many kids do they have, and what schools do they attend?
• What’s their birthday, favorite wine or neighborhood?
• Include any shared interests, mutual friends or even zodiac signs – whatever helps you connect more meaningfully.

We discussed the role of a CRM for building out your sphere of influence earlier in this article. But, there are also CRM add-on tools that enhance your CRM to help you decide where to focus your time and attention in a sea of data.

Fello is an AI tool that connects to your existing CRM and provides strategic insights for each contact. It helps you manage your entire real estate sphere of influence with smart automation, conversation tracking, lead scoring and real-time data analytics. With Fello, you can focus on building relationships with those who are the most likely to engage with you, turning casual conversations into closed deals.

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