Be the Solution with Maria Quattrone
Maria Quattrone, a leader in real estate with over 21 years of experience, is the driving force behind RE/MAX @ HOME - Maria Quattrone & Associates in Philadelphia. Her passion goes beyond selling homes; she’s dedicated to helping others succeed. Through her 'Rise in Real Estate' training program and the "Be the Solution" podcast, Maria shares her expertise, inspiring professionals and entrepreneurs to excel. With over 3,400 properties sold, Maria's success is evident, but her true mission is to empower others, build strong brands, and foster meaningful connections.
Be the Solution with Maria Quattrone
Networking Mastery: Building a Real Estate Business Through Authentic Connections
Ever wonder how top agents build massive referral businesses without cold calling? In a candid conversation with host Maria Quattrone, Nicole Klein reveals the networking strategies that transformed her real estate career from struggling cold caller to referral powerhouse.
"I like talking to people, but I didn't even know the world of networking existed," Nicole admits, sharing how an accidental visit to a networking event changed everything. Rather than collecting business cards that inevitably end up in the trash, Nicole developed a systematic approach to turn casual connections into lifelong clients and referral sources.
The secret? Quality over quantity. Nicole targets just three meaningful connections per event, employing what she calls her "game of tag" strategy – asking each new contact to introduce her to someone else. This transforms awkward cold approaches into warm introductions, exponentially expanding her network with minimal effort.
What truly sets Nicole's approach apart is her commitment to relationship-building before business-building. "In the first couple years, none of them bought or sold houses with me," she reveals. "But they referred me to people." By focusing on how she could support their businesses first, Nicole created an army of advocates naturally referring clients her way.
Beyond strategies, Nicole shares practical systems for follow-up, including scheduling techniques to ensure consistent communication and relationship maintenance. The payoff? A business that thrives regardless of market conditions because it's built on trust rather than transactions. "When you build relationships," Nicole explains, "people already like, know, and trust you – so in a down market, you're still getting referrals."
Whether you're a seasoned agent looking to reduce your dependence on paid leads or a newer agent seeking sustainable business growth, this episode delivers actionable insights to transform your approach to networking from obligatory handshaking to strategic relationship building.
Connect with Maria Quattrone:
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Website: MQrealesate.com
Office number: 215- 607-3535
This is Be the Solution podcast and I am your host, Maria Quattrone. Today I have Nicole Klein from here in the Philadelphia Metro Market, Nicole's with eXp, and Nicole has been in industry for quite some time and today we are going to pack her superpower, which is networking, her superpower, which is networking, and that is how Nicole has been able to grow her business through all these years.
Speaker 2:So welcome Nicole, Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Oh, my pleasure Networking, networking, networking. So I have a question Is there any bad networking?
Speaker 2:Oh, there's lots of bad networking. Yes, especially after you've been doing it a while, your patience is a little different. Why?
Speaker 1:did you choose that as your path?
Speaker 2:So after I had my second child she is currently 13, I started getting a little more, taking my business more serious and I took a class at my previous brokerage. That was a lot of calling people whether it was people you knew, or for sale by owners and I remember going to my office manager and I was like I don't like this, this is not my style and I really don't want to do it. And he goes, so don't. And I was like, oh, that wasn't the answer that I expected him to have, especially since this was the main focus of the class that I was attending. He said but you have to figure out something else. If you're not going to do that, then you need to figure out what you do like to do and be really good at it.
Speaker 2:Well, I like talking to people, as I'm sure everybody in real estate does. We wouldn't be in this industry if we didn't like people. And I didn't really even know the world of networking existed. To be honest, I had been home for a little while with my kids and went to a networking event and just really loved it. Truth be told, I probably liked it because I was a lonely mom and was really happy to meet some people. So I think I probably went more to make some friends than to actually get some business. But I quickly learned that building relationships through networking was how you get business. So that's how I got started and then started making that turn. I just didn't want to pick up this really heavy device and start making phone calls, which I know you're very good at.
Speaker 1:Well, that's another story for another day. We could talk about that for a long time. So people think networking is just going out and meeting people. But it's much more than just going out and meeting people. So what is it that you do that if somebody replicated your system could successfully earn business that way?
Speaker 2:So, like you said, you have to treat it like a business model. You can't just treat it as going out to lunch or going to a happy hour. Otherwise you can go there, collect a bunch of cards and your business won't change. So it took me a little while to learn what worked well and how to use my time wisely. I would say for anyone that's going to a networking event and to me a networking event could be very specific you buy a ticket, you go to a networking event, and to me a networking event could be very specific you buy a ticket, you go to a networking event. It could be a charity event, it could be a neighborhood party. I've made anything be a networking event at this point. But what I do at every event that I go to is try to meet at least three new people. So when you go to the event, I am very outgoing normally, but, just like most, when you go into an event that's in a room of people you don't know, it can feel a little intimidating at times to just go up and introduce yourself to somebody. So try to find a group of people. When you go to a networking event, don't look for two people talking to each other. It's harder to interrupt two people and introduce yourself. It can sometimes be rude. So look for a group that's three or more and, you know, go up and I always say that I put my big girl shoes on and get the guts to walk up to somebody you know and introduce yourself at the event, because that sometimes can be really hard for people to do. That first introduction is after you talk with those people that you engaged with and you don't want to go up and say what you do like Hi, I'm in real estate, what do you do? That's what everybody is saying at a networking event. So think about what's going on currently. I I try not to talk about politics either, so not that type of current events. But you know, maybe today you go to a networking event. Your opening might talk about, like, what's just going on on the calendar. Do you have anything coming up for for spring break? Do you have any trips coming up? What are your summer plans?
Speaker 2:So ask them something that's personal, because people tend to talk a little more and open up more when it's something that they get excited about talking about. And then, after you engage with those people, ask the person that you've connected with. Who's somebody else that you know here. Right, it was already hard to walk up sometimes to that group, but ask them, is there anyone here that you could here? Right, it was already hard to walk up sometimes to that group, but ask them, is there anyone here that you could introduce me to? So it's almost like I play a game of tag at a networking event and it's like you meet one person and then you tag them and say, okay, you're it, you're going to help me meet the next person. And then once I have either met three new people or had a deeper connection to somebody that I already know, then I know that that was a successful networking event. There's obviously more things that you do afterwards, but at the actual event, that's how I handle meeting people and building relationships while I'm at the event.
Speaker 1:That's smart asking somebody who you met or you know there to introduce you to somebody else. It's like a warm introduction versus going to stand go. Stand next to somebody, interrupt them while they're talking to somebody else and try to input yourself.
Speaker 2:And it doesn't always go smooth, but that's the best way to do it.
Speaker 1:You've seen that happen. You've probably been part of that many times.
Speaker 2:And I've done it to be honest. And then you realize like, oh, why didn't I take my own advice?
Speaker 1:Yeah, because people have had it happen. You're in the middle of like kind of an important it could be an important conversation and then all of a sudden somebody wants to interrupt to say hello or just have a full-blown conversation in the midst of yours. That person really doesn't know anything about networking, so this is a long game, nicole, right.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's definitely a long game because you're building a relationship right. So I get where some of those say an offer, sale by owner expired, call you might get the appointment right away. This is building relationships. So after the events you could come home with 50 cards, which I hardly ever come home with any because I know they're just going to get thrown out. But if you focus on those three people, you do have to take that relationship to the next level, right? That was just step one that you now have them in your database.
Speaker 2:You know, if you want to call it that, what I've done after that is the people that I've had a good conversation with. Don't try to do this with somebody that you didn't have a good conversation with, because you're wasting both people's time. But you know, anyone I connect with on social media good conversation or bad conversation I'll connect with them on social media. But the people that I had a good conversation with, it's taking it to the next step, whether that's going to meet them for coffee, for lunch, as I've been doing this more and more, you can't really eat out every single day. I mean you could, but it's not always the healthiest. So I've gone on walks. I just went on a walk the other night with a of the, a top agent in the area that I've never met before. Instead of meeting for coffee, we went for a walk and it was great.
Speaker 2:So, you know, just think of things that you're already doing. There's a book Never Eat Alone. It's a really good book to kind of, you know, get your mindset on this and it's just think about what you're doing and who you can invite to do. Invite with you, because if you become a connector of people, then they're also going to think of you for future business. So, um, you have to build that relationship and that could take time. For some people it could be pretty quick, you know, but for others, you're nurturing these relationships for for a few years and maybe forever.
Speaker 1:Well, and most of the people that you're meeting with are they agents, are they sellers, are they buyers? Are they in the industry, already buying as investors? Because if you're a new agent, it could take a long time to meet people who want to sell or buy a house, since they only do it every 10 years.
Speaker 2:Yep. So I would say, out of all these people in the beginning, the first couple of years, none of them bought or sold a house with me. But they referred me to people. So I never approached them to say, do you need to sell a house, Do you need to buy a house? It was finding out what their business was about and how I could refer them and then naturally, they would refer me.
Speaker 2:So the first year that I really did networking, my husband would joke around and say, like how much money are we going to spend? Because we had in my one networking group we had somebody do the curtains, we had somebody do these built-ins. We kept paying people to do different things within our house because I had met them. We had an estate attorney do our will and he said this networking is really costing us a lot of money. Well, there's things that we would have done anyhow, but instead of me going outside, I stayed within the groups that I was in and used their services and then in return, when they heard of one of their clients or one of their friends or one of their neighbors that was looking to buy or sell, my name was top of mind and they would refer me. So that's really. You have to go into networking with that mindset, as you know, you know, but you can't assume that they're going to use you. But how can you get them to become one of your raving fans?
Speaker 1:How can you add value to their life and be in contribution and just give, give, give and eventually something works out.
Speaker 2:Many things work out right, exactly yes, do you?
Speaker 1:have a specific number of events that you target to go to on a weekly basis or a monthly basis?
Speaker 2:I probably should. In the beginning I would go to at least one a week as I was growing the business, sometimes more than one. Like I said, I didn't even know the whole world of networking existed, which some people might think that's crazy to not know that. But once I started, then you would hear about other events and other events. My suggestion wouldn't be as much to focus on the number, but find the right events to go to. We joked about. Is there a bad networking event? Find an event that you feel comfortable.
Speaker 2:I tend to go to a lot of women's events. I find that a lot of women business owners are very supportive. Often I do push myself to go to more of a co-ed event just to, you know, meet some new people and get outside. But for me that's what I found to be the most successful. And now, when I go to the events, you see some of the people you already have built relationships with. It's easy for them to sing your praises, introduce you to somebody else. It's easy for you to you know, share if you brought a guest and introduce them. So that's been my. You know what I've done. It just depends how much business you know, how much relationships you want to build for business. Like we talked about, it's a long game. So if you want, the more people you can get in front of, the more relationships you can build. But just make sure you have time for the follow up, because if you're going and you're not doing that step afterwards you might as well just stay home that night.
Speaker 1:That's true. I take the action regardless of whatever ways that you target for new business, and the constant follow-up, I found, is really where it happens and being in the contribution, like I just know, I just mentioned, because that's where you set yourself apart. What type of women's events do you go to?
Speaker 2:There was a group years ago that isn't quite as large that it used to be, my friend Heather Turner. So anyone that's listening it's open. She runs a women's lunch at Radnor Valley Country Club every first Friday of the month, so you know it's not always a certain like group as much as anymore. It's just reaching out to the people that I have built relationship with and finding out you know where they're going. Years ago there used to be just more specific ones that were out there, but nothing, no certain name anymore.
Speaker 1:So you go with and charity events as well.
Speaker 2:Right, yes, yes, and that was kind of by accident too, that that wasn't as purposeful, um, but you know, I my parents and my mom was always very big and getting involved in charity and, um, I followed suit kind of by accident but, you know, you know, just started getting really involved. I used to be really involved in Fox Chase Cancer Center, started a chapter on the main line that I ran for a few years, and our whole board that would help with the chapter were people that I met through networking. So we would, you know, we all collaborated. One person sold Stella and Dot, if you remember, when that was a big thing. We had one person that worked in a bank that was on the board. So we formed an organization, you know, together to raise money for cancer research and then we would all invite all of our clients, all of our sphere, all of our friends to the event.
Speaker 2:And those charity events became, you know, another networking event. It was a way to get face to face, you know, with people and build relationships. And when you're building a relationship for something that people are really passionate about, you know that's something that people don't forget. So, you know, even years later people have come up to me and you know we'll share a story about about the hospital and how it's changed their life. Me and you know we'll share a story about about the hospital and how it's changed their life and think how thankful they are that money was raised.
Speaker 2:So you know, everyone's charity could be a different thing. But I would say, if you are passionate about something or if you're not passionate about something, start going to different charity events to see what you could become passionate about and giving your time, you know, to that charity whether it's attending an event or being part of it could really, you know, help with building relationships. That role became a little time consuming as my real estate business grew and it became a little challenging to try to raise $100,000 a year for cancer research. So now our team does it on a smaller level. Each year we pick four charities that our team supports, so one charity a quarter and we use those as our client events, as our team building events, and it goes back to inviting people into your world. So when we have a client event and it's about a certain charity we're able to share, while we're passionate about that charity, we're able to invite that charity into the events and build relationships through giving back, through the charity.
Speaker 1:So good, it's awesome. So the question, because you can't really control through networking when you're somebody's going to refer your business, so how do you say, okay, I want to sell X number of properties a year. How do you ensure that happens through the networking fleet?
Speaker 2:Right, it's a good question and I would say I mean, it's just like anything else in real estate. Right, it's a numbers game. So, yes, you don't know if they're going to refer you, but if you build enough relationships then you'll be able to know what your pipeline is like. So, you know, might not be a certain number that you can, that you can say, but I know if I'm behind on my goal or the team's behind on my goal, then I need to reach out to those people that I've already connected with you know again, finding out how I can help them with their service, people that I'm closer with setting certain goals, and saying you know, I have this goal this year. You know I would love your support in it if you know anybody and in return, how I can help you. So it's just still touching on them and making sure that you're connecting with them. You can't just sit back and hope that people will. You know the phone will ring. You have to reach out to them and, you know, be that top of mind person.
Speaker 2:I will say one thing I've learned about this way of building business is it works in any market when, when you build relationships, people are going to already like, know and trust you. So in a down market you're still getting the referrals. You know, in a market that's busy you're getting the referrals. So I find that it's very tried and true because you know you're not depending on outside influences. You're you know you're these the people that call. When I especially agents on our team when I give them a lead from a referral source through networking or through my sphere, it's not really a lead, it's a buyer or a seller. So we don't have to do that whole conversion process and build that relationship and you know, call and email and text and try to get them to respond. So I've always found it's a lot easier and very consistent. But you can't just assume that it will just work. You have to work it, you have to follow up.
Speaker 1:You have to think. I want everyone to be clear. You still are making phone calls. They're just to people that you know because you build a relationship with them. You're not sitting there waiting for your phone to ring.
Speaker 2:So you are still making calls.
Speaker 1:I said I've never went to a settlement that didn't first start with a conversation. It's true, can't have a closing if you didn't have a conversation with somebody. So, regardless of who you are calling, how you are calling, you still have to call people. That's what I want people to hear. You still have to take action on a daily basis. Nicole, do you have a schedule that you follow?
Speaker 2:Yes, I mean, I spent a lot of my time now is, you know, running the team, but I do make sure and this is a low number, you know running the team but I do make sure, and this is a low number, but I've been doing this 18 years. But you know, I do make sure. I have at least five conversations via phone a day, whether that's with another agent in the industry or somebody you know within my sphere. And then I probably have about 15 conversations a day on social media and by conversations. It's not just liking a post or saying so cute, right, you know I'm DMing people.
Speaker 2:You know, finding out, asking questions, finding out how they are doing, you know, staying very top of mind with people. So, you know, and when that stops, you know the business will stop. So because, as now and anyone watching everybody knows a few real estate agents, right, we're not, we're not that rare to find. So you have to be the person that stands out and always they might even forget about you, even if you had a great conversation or a wonderful lunch. But you know they need to know that you care and that you're, you know that you're still out there and by reaching out. So it's, you know, phone and social media is my main way of communicating with people.
Speaker 1:So that's interesting. So you're having conversations with people again, conversations with people through DMing on, I guess, like either Instagram or Facebook Messenger, and you're making sure that you're conversing on a daily basis.
Speaker 2:Yes, and it's not normally about real estate. I mean, I'm sure you're familiar with the Ford method, so the Ford method is you talk about family, occupation, recreation and dreams and naturally, when you start asking other people questions about how's your family, how's your job, are you going away, are you doing anything fun, they normally don't just answer the questions and say goodbye, right. They naturally ask you well, how's everything with you, how's real estate? And you know it engages in that conversation to be able to you know.
Speaker 2:Share whatever it is that you want to share about your real estate business.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, I think we get so caught up in not wanting to do the work that we find ways to not do it instead of ways to do it, because there's a lot of different ways that you can do it, but you just have to do it. You have to take the action, especially now in today's market. You find you have to talk to more people today, nicole.
Speaker 2:I mean, I'm pretty talkative, so I probably talk to more people. Right now I'm at my house, but I'm barely at home. I'm rarely in the office. People you're going to do this method. People aren't going to just come to you to buy or sell a house. You have to get out and you have to, you know, go meet people where they are. I just try to get more involved socially with things and you know that fills my bucket, so it works out nicely. But I do like alone time and I do like downtime as well. But if I can go to a lunch with 30 people, I'll do that over. You know, making five phone calls.
Speaker 1:Well, I think it's all comes down to where each person excels at, and sometimes you've got to start with the basic things of just making the phone calls. It gives you that confidence to then go out and do other things, to do that networking. And if you combine the two you're making calls and you're doing the networking over time it really increases. Your business could be two, three, four fold from what you had started with to begin with yeah, you have to practice.
Speaker 2:I mean, I've been, you know, script practice. I still do script practice. Right, you don't the people that refer you somebody you might not know you. So you still have to make sure your skills are sharpened and that you know you're good with conversion on those people and moving them forward in the direction of being becoming a buyer or seller. So it's not just everybody, everyone doesn't just call and say they want to buy a house. You still have to do the work.
Speaker 1:You know I heard something yesterday interesting and I do this all the time. For example, every time I'm at the hair salon I make sure because I go often once a week I make sure that my appointments are booked for the next six weeks. And you know, last summer I booked them from May until September. I knew when I was going so I could plan around that. But it's the same thing in real estate If you're talking to somebody or you're having a network meeting with somebody whatever on the phone, in person, you want to always get that next step booked.
Speaker 1:So they may say I'm not ready to sell to September. Okay, that's great, let's do this, let's set a tentative date in June or July to talk about sales strategy. So it's like they know you're going to call, they're expecting Maria Nicole going to call in June in the morning, because that's the best time for them to talk about the next steps, to prepare in advance. Because otherwise I find that if we don't have a next step planned in the calendar booked with somebody, even if it's like just penciled in, then when we call it's that dreaded thing of hi just following out with you. I hate that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you could just ask permission and networking it would be. You know, hey, it's okay if I just give you a call and check back in, like you know, because if it's not as purposeful, but I agree, yeah, exactly Same thing, same thing.
Speaker 1:If I contact you, I know you said you're you. You said the property's occupied through the end of the year with a tenant and you want to sell in 2026. It's okay if I give you a call in October and I can do a market analysis for you, something like that, whatever it is, but planting that seed of the next time you're going to connect or, oh, I have somebody I'm going to refer you to for plumbing, whatever. Can I give them your information? I don't know. I always find that it's easier if you had asked permission in advance and just call.
Speaker 2:And make sure you follow up. That's the other key, because sometimes people will say can I follow up? And then they don't follow up and then that makes you look bad. But I think you used a great example, like even if you prefer a plumber, don't forget to follow up and say, hey, how did that plumber work out Right? It's another easy touch. I recently have been using this send later option on the. If you have Android, you've already had this, but on iPhone you can now send a text later, so it has a follow-up as soon as I have the last text conversation. So if I sent them a plumber and they said the plumber's coming next week, I can do a send later text from a week from now. Right, this you know today and it gets sent to them. And that's really been helping me with my follow-up and making sure that I ask a question in the text. So then that way they need to answer and reply.
Speaker 1:That's a good reminder. In our CRM we also have each schedule in advance. It's a good reminder to do that because even though I have a list of tasks every day a youth follow-up boss, a list of tasks that I have to do and following up, and then some days I don't get to all the tasks because there was 72.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, that's a little hard.
Speaker 1:So then I'm backlogged, so then I'm like scrolling through and I can automatically it's like you know, we talk about this all the time it's it's hinges swing big doors. It's the little tweaks that we do in our business like that, like a scheduling, an automatic thing already done, that is something now you don't have to think about. You did it already and now it's made sure that it's done. That little tiny thing could really open big doors for your business because you're touching them again, you're touching them again and you already did the work to touch them. So I think that's really important.
Speaker 1:You look at all the little tiny tweaks and I'm thinking about this constantly, constantly. Can I improve the customer experience, the client experience? How many more touches can I touch with them? Because it's still, even though we have a lot of touches, it's still not enough of touches. It's still not enough. It's still not enough. So how do I add? So I'm like, okay, so after the appointment they're going to get this. Or before the appointment we already sent, they get that. And then, after the actual they signed, they get this. And it's just to keep that communication flowing and you know that that care part of it, which you know for a lot of people it's really hard to do yeah, we have to stay top of mind at all times.
Speaker 2:So they're singing our praises and then they come back to us.
Speaker 1:It it's it works, work, works, work. It's the name of the game. So, nicole, this is directed directly to you. Guilty pleasure, what's your guilty pleasure?
Speaker 2:I mean, my guilty pleasure is I just love going to the beach. So, um, I try to do as much as possible to spend five weeks down the shore each summer, and when I go to the beach I do not look like this, I'm very casual and very relaxed, and just you know. So that's, I'd say, that's good. What beach do you go to?
Speaker 1:We go to Ocean City, new Jersey, fantastic that's a great way to spend time with your family and the beach is so beachy. The ocean and the waves and the sounds of the ocean, and it's so relaxing, I get so excited even thinking about it. I love the beach too. I go down. We get weekends. So then July, August, Thursday nights I work on Fridays from there.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I mean it's easy to work from there still, but we started selling at the shore. We do a good amount of our business there, so then I can have client events and networking and do all the fun things at the shore. We do a good amount of our business there, so then I can have client events and networking and do all the fun things at the beach.
Speaker 1:I love it, I love it. That's fantastic. And so, nicole, this is to you again, personally what are you most excited about for your personal future?
Speaker 2:Most excited. Well, my kids are getting older, they're in eighth and ninth grade and my husband's coming close to retirement. So just thinking about our, like, next steps I mean, we still have, you know, years to go, but we recently purchased a place in Naples, florida, so hoping to spend more time in Florida in six years. So, just you know, thinking about that and working towards that goal.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. I have several friends that moved to Naples over the last several years, so they all love it. That's really exciting.
Speaker 2:Good, good for you, it's just Philly, so everybody. You just run into people from all over Philadelphia when you go down there.
Speaker 1:Well, in the nice weather, yeah, with palm crime, no trash. We could go on about the beauty of Naples and the beaches are incredible. Yeah, it's beautiful, it's beautiful. Well, I appreciate you, nicole, appreciate you on Be the Solution. You certainly have the networking dialed in on that. So that's awesome, good for you and we'll have you on dialed in on that. So that's awesome, good for you, and we'll have to come. We'll have you on again later in the year.
Speaker 2:Thank you, thank you.