The Official ActiveRain Guide

Hi Brad... I think that the Referral Exchange is one of he most underutilized features of Active Rain.  And ironically, it's one of the features that has a greatest degree of benefit potential for members of the community.

Okay, so this bears repeating:

"The Referral Exchange is the place for members to effectively pass/share client referrals with one another. A referral is a 'live' client contact, someone who is seriously considering either buying or selling a home in the near future.  The Referral Network IS NOT a place to advertise your listings, promote your development, or solicit 'potential' referral partners for some unknown possibility down the road.  It is ONLY for members to share/pass actual 'live' clients who need a real estate professional to assist them now."

I want to stress the 'LIVE' client part. The Referral Exchange is when you have a real live breathing client who is ready to buy or sell real estate. It IS NOT for companies to promote their lead generation business or to solicit some future hopeful referral.

Not to sound negative, but unless something has changed or improved recently, many members don't waste their time with the Referral Exchange because so many of the 'referrals' are bogus.

As I see it, we either need to clean things up and give the boot to those who are using the Exchange improperly, or create a secondary section that allows a place for companies to promote 'potential' referrals at some future point.

Just my $.02 worth....

I didn't know about the referral exchange...

I'm going to have to look into it.

I agree that it sounds like a great tool on AR. I hope to become more involved over time.

I have not actively become involved and I certainly do not know the proper protocol.

Your post offers up some great info about how the process works, and I will definitely read it thru more than once to be sure to get the best use of the service.

Edith Schreiber - Dallas, Texas

Active Rain is a great resource for finding agents for referrals.

I don't enter them into the referral exchange anymore. I call and talk with potential agents from AR. I have found that some of the ones that want the business don't want to earn it! Also after responding to several notices of referral I haven't had the first courtesy response.

I think I have responded to a couple.

Recently I tried using it for local leads I got in parts of Central Ohio I don't work but another local member discouraged me from using ActiveRain.   You could call it harassment.

Adding it to my calendar for next week Brad. Thanks.

I joined the Referral Network a long time ago.  I have gotten about 5 emails when a referral was entered for my area.  I email the referror and NOT ONE person responded.  Not even a "I already found someone, but thank you" or to get more information about me or a phone call to follow up.  Nada. I have given up on this.

Brad, I've used the referral exchange in the past, but I normally get overwhelmed with responses.  Lately, I look up the County/City on AR and pick the best agents, and those that answer their phones.

Brad, I wasn't aware of how this worked so thanks for the update.

Thanks for the info.  Look forward to watching the Webinar next week and learning how to use the system.

I check this frequently, but it was missing from my home page yesterday!  I go back and check now.

Brad--I think the referral exchange is a great avenue for those who don't participate fully in AR but might only have posted a profile or two. Personally, I am with Laura J above on this one...I call agents directly when I have a referral for someone. I try to take immediate action when I am contacting another agent on behalf of a client.

Brad .i do check this ..maybe not as often as i should..but I like Rich 2 cents...Thank you

Helpfulhannah your friend in Philadelphia

This is great feedback from many of you and as most of you know, it is the goal and intention of our team to always make these tools the absolute best they can be.  Thanks for your feedback and for sharing some of your personal experiences, this really helps me us to understand the needs of the community and build an even better and more powerful referral exchange. 

After this training next week, I think both AR and the members will come away with some very valuable and useful information on how to make the referral exchange the tool it was meant to be.  We can create and support it, but ultimately it is our members who use it and can either make it or break it.  Thanks for working together with us.  Your thoughts, ideas, suggestions and opinions are always welcomed. :-)

I found this for you Rich, and I appreciate you spending it here buddy, thanks.  Your 2 cents could be worth millions one day soon...  ~

BRad - the idea behind the referral exchange if a terrific one. I have not looked at it for a very long time becuase, at least in its early years, it appeared to be nothing better than a place for folks to solicit FOR referrals not where people actually had a referral to give out.  Hopefully that has changed but there seemed to be no many inapprorpriate uses. Guess I like the referral base I have built myself with folks I know on AR from all over the country, and who have gotten to know me. But I'll check it out - maybe people are using it the way it was intended. As always, thanks for the valuable lessons.

Jeff

Jeff - the idea behind the referral exchange is an excellent one, and we're hoping that through the "New" AR Webinar Trainings, we'll be able to help teach members how to use this tool effectively.  It's a two way street in that we may also come away with some ideas and input on how to make it an even more efficient tool for members.  You know what they say, garbage in, garbage out... well now is the time to take out the trash.   Thanks for your valuable input as always my friend.  :-)

brad, even in a big city like san francisco, I am surprised how many referrals fit my profile, activerain rocks!

This is not something that I was aware of -- thanks for putting me "on the page", here.    As usual, an excellent informative post, and I learned something.   I appreciate all your blogs.

Brad --- I signed on the Referral Exchange when I first started blogging in Jan 09, but have forgotten about it.  Thanks for reminding me.

Thanks... I had no clue it was there....  Clueless eh?

I had forgotten all about this "feature." The potential is...who knows! Thanks.

Brad, I did not realize this was available. Frankly, I have built relationships with some good folks whom I have already referred business. My challenge is finding agents and brokers who truly have experience in my market with buyers and sellers. I hear agents say all the time that they want to work the upper end, upscale clientele but have really no idea what it takes. I will check this out and then as I always do, call anyone whom I am considering and let our conversation make or break the referral. Thanks again for providing so many excellent resources!

Hi Brad: I had tried this feature a few months back.  It did not work well for me.  I had some legitimate leads to "dole out" as I do my business across the entire country. The system kept giving me the error message: "Things have gone squirrly" or something like that.  I eventually gave up and haven't visited it since.  If you think the bugs are squashed (insert chuckle here) then I would be happy to try it again.  I am a terrific source of leads for the ActiveRainers but I have not been able to utilize that system!

:)

I just received a referral through activerain about 2 weeks ago and listed the home for sale yesterday>  It definitely works.!!!

Hi, Brad! - Thanks for this great information!  Have a great weekend! :)

Thanks Brad,

I need to learn more about this feature.  I think it would really benefit several of my clients. 

By the way, why are so many of the referrals just sitting there for days and days?  That doesn't make sense to me.  I must be missing something.

Russell - I think we can make this a more effective tool and service but not without members like yourself who are committed to that higher standard and willing to put forth the effort it takes to make this a "Quality" and not just "Quantity" tool.  Referrals are built on trust and solid established relationships, so having a referral exchange that encompasses both is ideal.  That phone call you mention and "conversation many times will make or break the referral."  I hope it makes it more than it breaks it for you.  I always appreciate that call from you.

Matt - I am all over it!  I'm hoping that was just a temporary glitch and a hitch in our Giddy-up!  Please be sure to let me know if that happens again, this is not an area we want any bugs or issues for sure.  The referral exchange is serious business so please let me know if that ever happens again.  You know you can call me anytime my friend. :-)

Linda - that is exactly what I'd love to hear from "Every" AR member!!  With time, some training, and even some possible enhancements, I hope we can make this tool work for everyone just as it has for you. Thanks for sharing your comment and congrats on taking that listing yesterday.  That is awesome!!  :-)

Bruce - I noticed that too which is exactly why we are doing a training webinar.  We need to bring some education and training to the table so this won't be the case in the future.  The only thing you may be missing is that like many others, they don't even know this is there.  We're hoping to change all that this next week.  Hopefully you can join us, and between us and those interested, we can make a difference for the better and create a heightened awareness of the referral exchange tool and how to use it properly and more effectively.  Thanks.

I hope to make this one .  Thanks for all you do.

I have made and received referrals directly from relationships or agents I have met on AR.  I have not used the referral exchange, but I am open to seeing if it will be a useful tool.  thanks.

Hi Brad: Thanks - I hope I won't have to.

:)

Stumbled upon it last week and found a couple dated referrals. I did contact the posters but have not heard back from them.

I shall, however, do the Webinar. The first 2 Webinars were GREAT learning tools for me. Even signed up for Hit Router after this last one.

I looked at the Oklahoma City area and what i found was bottom feeding referral companies with lines like, you have to use my web site, we are looking for a referral Realtor, whihc means no real leads just give us some money if you are an idiot. Is there any way to filter the leads? I do appreciate that catfish help to keep the bottom of lakes clean, I just don't want to eat them. I guess since AR is an open network we can't stop that, but I would like to get real referrals, and this is a value that I know AR has.

Hey Brad!

I signed up for it when I first started blogging, but I have recently let it slip my mind. Thank's for the reminder, and I need to start ramping up my referral's. 

-Lisa

Irene - it was great having you at those training webinars, every little bit really does help.  Maybe those contacts who didn't respond back to you should be invited to attend next week?  Just a thought...

Joe - from one fisherman to another, thanks for pointing out where the catfish are located, we'll have to look into a way (besides educating and training others) that can help keep the entire lake clean of any bottom feeders or sucker fish.  Seriously, we are always trying to improve ALL areas of AR and this area is no exception.  Thanks for your comment and support in making it a better service and tool.  :-))

Rich - I have to agree with you. I am so thankful that AR put the link in our left navigation because I used to have to search to find the Referral Exchange. I would look regularly but the referrals I saw there for my area were garbage...

One I inquired about in a timely manner and the referring agent NEVER answered me...

Another I inquired about had left an old referral up and the client did something without her (she was out of the area so this was understandable).

The other 15 were lead generation companies trying to sell leads.

So, Brad, my question is this: Is AR going to go through and weed out all the lead generation/marketing efforts of other companies where the leads aren't real people? Are you going to limit leads to real estate agents and lenders only?

Hi Brad -- Is this a free or paid AR service?

Brad I have found that lately the referral exchange has become more of a place to advertise referal services rather than process real referrals. But I will keep plugging

Christianne - that's a great question, are you volunteering? lol~ (Big Smile)  If you go to the referral exchange page, you'll see that it is not limited to Realtors and Lenders only.  I don't think we should limit it but expand it to all categories if anything.  Each member should have the opportunity to utilize this tool once we get people trained and educated on how to use it properly, including those companies you mentioned in your comment.  It may take us some time to perfect the system, but it's worth the effort IMHO.

Chris - this is currently a FREE service to our members. 

Charlie - definitely something we'll have to look into and make some modifications or enhancements.  I still think it comes down to training and educating folks on how it's suppose to work, then moderate those who can't play or work by the rules.  Come join us at the webinar, I can't disclose everything here in the comments or no one will come to find out what's up with the Referral Exchange.  (wink wink)

Brad - Count me and in and give me a shout - I'd be glad to purge through the Washoe, Lyon, Carson and Douglas county referral listings against whatever pre-determined criteria you have to clean up the Northern Nevada end of things :-)

And if I was still awake after that, I would be happy to tackle Vegas as well and be the Nevada 'champion' :-)

This is fantastic. I was going to mention too about the potential spam but I see that it has already been answered.

I am concerned though about posts like this one: http://activerain.com/action/lead_referrals/show_referral/9904

I mean... I like spam and rice a la local Hawai'i food... but I do not like spam in my email :)

Brad,  I will try to join the training webinar next Thursday, sounds like we will be learning a lot about the referral exchange.

Brad, I've tried to respond to the referral exchange in the past and like some of the others, have never recieived a response to my emails or calls.  I have found most of them to be companies soliciting  business.  I'll try and make it to the webinar next Thursday.  I'm all for learning more about the exchange and seeing what we can all do to help improve it as a useful tool to all of us on AR.

Great thought, Brad. I've just sent those referrers a message about the upcoming Webinar.

Brad, I just received a referral check in the mail from a AR associate. This is one of 3 in the last few months. YTD is just over 3K and should be more like 9K.
The system is only as good as its users.It is the main problem and a usual one on any on line network.

Instead of entering it in the AR system I contact and interview to ensure my Referral goes to a diligent agent. That only works 75% of the time. Building in accountability will be the only way it would work.

Brad - Laure brings up a really good point. Maybe there should be an 'after the transaction' rating system sort of like eBay's rating system after you complete a transaction to provide accountability and then use an algorithm to rank those who rate highest at the top of the referral searches...

Brad, I didn't even know this exsisted. I followed the link and signed up. But I have to agree with many above. I have, in the past, just picked up the phone and called the agents. I signed up for the webinar and I'll give this a shot.

Hi Brad....Thanks for the Information update, it's been a while since I looked here, I like the idea we can post a clients needs...and have AR member in the clients area respond.I should check back here, I always thought we just looked up a Realtor in an Area we were referring our Clients too

Cheers, thanks for sharing

Laura - that's an excellent idea and we are always looking to improve. It's members like yourself that share openly your ideas and experience that make these tools and AR a better place.  Hope to see you next week at the webinar.  Thank you.  :-)

Christianne - a rating system is "The Bomb" of an idea.  I'll be sharing all of this with the AR staff (I'm sure they are reading already) in hopes to come up with some ways to implement some of these great suggestions and ideas.  I think a rating tool would be very useful.

Howdy there Brad

I sure do wish Y'all would put these Webinar's trainens on in the evenings. Seen that the time Y'all usely do them, I'm out doing inpections. Being a one inspector office, it sure would be hard to attend the mid day times. This one I sure would have liked to have attended.

Brad - I love the idea of the Referral Exchange, but in my (short) time here, all I have seen are companies offering referrals (except for the one woman who was offering a referral for 50% - thanks but no thanks).  Maybe its being under-utilized and once people begin seeing the value in it, it will get better, but for now, it comes of as little more than a tool for lead referral/generation sites to spam me.  Luckily they don't do it constantly, so it hasn't been a hassle, but as ActiveRain grows, the volume will increase I would think.  I think (and correct me if I'm wrong) that the Referral Exchange is more about one on one referrals, not "I have 10 million buyers looking in your area and I want you to sign up for my exclusive system..."

Brad - I am new to ActiveRain but this sounds like a great idea. I look forward to finding out more about it.

Can there be a link posted to access this webinar in the eve?

I know this will be redundant, but... thanks Brad, didn't that Referral Exchange was there.

Hey Matt - hopefully we can edumacate folks, moderate those companies, and make the referral exchange what it was intended to be, a "refgerral exchange!"  Hope you'll make it to the webinar today, this will certainly be a topic and part of our discussion. Thank buddy!!  :-)

Kathleen - In most cases, we do try to record these sessions and make them available to members, it just depends, I'll do my best to get this one recorded and then place a link to it here in this post.   :-)

Another great learning session. Audio was MUCH clearer than on the previous 2 sessions, which probably will help with the recorded version.

Can't wait to hear what is in store for next week!

I can't wait to try this out. Thanks for the info!

~Alisa

www.TheBeachPeach.com

Irene - thanks, it's great having you at these webinars and I'm glad the audio was better on this one for you.  Each week we hope to have valuable information and training tips to offer members,  next week will be no exception.

Alisa - can't wait to hear how this works out for you. :-)

I'm set up and ready to go.

Gene - awesome!!  Congrats..   :-)

Hi Brad,  am just getting to reading some back posts and missed your webinar.  But as far as the referral network - I too have been set up for a while.  I responded to a few but like others have posted here before me - I too go my associates or look up  an area and find an agent that way...  I am happy to report I've had 2 referrals that have closed by doing so.

Lee and Pam - there's certainly nothing wrong with doing it the way you are, I know many others are as well.  Knowing that this tool is available and that the training and support is here on how to use it might just give some members the ability to increase and maximize some of their referral efforts here.  We're just trying to make it more efficient and beneficial for members. 

Congrats on your referrals and successes, those are my favorite comments and responses to get in the rain.  :-)

I just got my license in CO and today I received a referral through active rain. Can I accept the referral. I am new so just wanted to make sure.

Jyotshna - You have a RE License?  You got a referral today?  YES! Accept the referral, and go close your first transaction, then come back to AR and tell us all about it!  Make sure you use the rating tool that's in the system when it closes too. Congrats and good luck with that. :-))

Thnak you for your promptresponse and encouragement. I will use the rating tool once I am successful.

can I accept the referrals on the referral network. Because they are pretty old. Like some are one year old.

I got a couple of referrals and I accepted the referrals. But no response. I didn't receive any info after that. Did anybody face this kind of situation????

Thanks Brad. I just watched the training on this, great info can't wait to use this, giving and receiving.

Can never have to many leads.

Well that clears up a mystery. I've been getting these by e-mail and mostly igoring them. There are a few that I got that were worded exactly the same for every situation and they seem bogus. I did do a CMA for someone but never heard back. I will pay more attention to these from now on though, now that I know where they are coming from!

Brad,

I didn't know about this referral exchange and I logged on just now and saw couple of ontario referrals posted where the agents had posted their profile.

I also went on and posted referral exchange request.  I am not sure what the protocol is.  Please let me know if this is not what it should be.

Need your guidance.

Is this Brad Anderson Day on the News Letter.  I have done this.  No leads so far, but it has not cost me a dime.

Maya - if you watch the webinar, you will understand fully how this is suppose to and can work.  Let me know if you need help after that.

Gene - I can't believe Bob Stewart did that newsletter, I'll get him back for that one.  I just received a lead this last week, maybe we need to look how you have this setup and see if we can determine if there is a better way.

It looks like the webinar was last May.  I need to listen to the recording to know how this works.  It looks good.  Margaret C.

Brad,  good information on the referral process. Great to know the number of members we can do business with across the country.