As a business owner, I have found that building relationships is key to success. Whether it’s connecting with fellow appraisers, real estate agents, attorneys, or other business professionals, opening yourself up to building these connections will help you thrive.
So you want to build relationships, but where do you start? I can only speak to what I have done personally for myself and my business. To be honest, I had no intention of mingling with agents and attorneys until my professional life got rocked (see my story). I wondered what to do next: attend every networking event I could find, join the chamber of commerce, rotary club, or other professional networking organizations? Then, I happened to get invited to Business Networking International (BNI), which changed my trajectory.
BNI has made the biggest difference for my personal growth and business than anything else to date. I have been a member of this organization for over 10 years. The value of meeting with other business owners weekly, as well as connecting outside of the meetings, is invaluable. BNI has taught me how to build professional relationships, listen to other business owners, and apply what works (and what doesn’t) to my own business. This has made me invaluable to my clients, as I now have a network of 50 other business professionals they can rely on.
Please do not take this as a plug for BNI specifically; it is a plug for any networking group you join. You need to go all in and commit. When you commit, you will yield huge results for your business.
Connecting with other business professionals offers powerful benefits, but connecting with fellow appraisers is even more valuable. This is where your business can truly thrive. Appraisers should not view other appraisers as competition. Building relationships with other appraisers has allowed me to expand and earn additional income. It has enabled me to learn from more experienced appraisers, making me better. It has sparked new ideas through casual conversations. The benefits are hard to quantify, but I do have an example which I can.
Earlier this week, I quantified the benefits of the Appraiser Facebook Forums. During a casual chat with Ernie Ramos from the Chicago area, we were discussing direct lenders. This conversation reminded me of a post I saw in one of the groups about a member working with a new direct lender. I Googled that direct lender and sent one email asking to join their panel. That post and my email got me added to the panel, and this connection resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in gross revenue from that lender over the years. The benefits of connecting with other appraisers, both online and in person, are immense and can significantly grow your business.
The main goal of the Appraisal Referral Network is to form connections between appraisers. Out of those connections, referrals would naturally flow. Honestly, we all have access to databases of appraisers and could call an appraiser today, but the benefit of being a member of the same network is huge. It’s kind of like my membership in BNI; it gives me an “in” with any other BNI member. I can call an attorney from any chapter and ask to sit down for coffee, and they would agree. Members are more open to connecting with other members. That’s your in! If you are not a member of ReferAppraisals.com, please join us and connect with your fellow appraisers.
