Many real estate agents start out managing their leads and transactions with static spreadsheets. In the early days, it can feel simple and efficient, but as your business grows, those same spreadsheets quickly become a roadblock. Why? Because spreadsheets aren’t dynamic. To truly scale your business and make your life easier, you need to graduate to a CRM and update it religiously.
Your CRM should become the single place where you track every conversation, manage every transaction, and nurture every relationship. As real estate coach Tom Ferry says, "All the money is in tech-enabled, scheduled, relentless, systematic follow-up." Without the right system and structure behind you, it’s nearly impossible to stay consistent — and consistency is what builds a strong, reliable referral pipeline.
In this blog, we'll walk through exactly how to set up your CRM to turn your referral business into a scalable, repeatable success story.
Your CRM is only as good as the data you put into it. Start with the basics; that means every contact you import or add should include consistent information.
Focus on:
Defining your custom fields can really help you build a strong CRM over time. Every agent in real estate has different systems, so taking the time to architect your custom real estate processes will help you stay organized and automate repetitive tasks. With this foundation in place, you’ll have better insights into where your deals are coming from and how to nurture your pipeline.
Pro Tip: When in doubt (or in a hurry), most CRM’s also have a “tag” feature, in which case you can put a custom tag on your contact. When you start typing in a tag, it will auto-load the previous tags you’ve used so you don’t accidentally create new ones.
CRM’s are built with automation in mind, especially when it comes to email marketing. By utilizing email automation and lists, you can save yourself hours each week.
Start by building out email templates for common touchpoints:
Pair those templates with your CRM’s "Add to List" or smart segmentation features. For example, set up an automation where once someone is added to a list, they can be auto-added to a referral welcome series. This creates a consistent, professional experience for every new contact and makes sure you don’t forget any important links or details.
Pro-Tip: Make sure your CRM is connected to your email, so you can see communications right on the contact record — then utilize templates in gmail.
How many times per week do you send the same documents and disclosures for signature? Your brokerage probably requires you to send repetitive buyer and seller disclosures, among other things. If you’re still chasing down signatures manually, it’s time to automate.
Integrating tools like DocuSign with your CRM allows you to create templates for frequently used documents:
While it might be time-consuming to set up in the beginning (because you’ll have to match custom fields and make sure everything syncs properly), you’ll save time over the long run and will worry less about missing important signature fields when you’re in a hurry. These templates can be triggered directly from the client record in your CRM, making the process seamless. Plus, you can track the document status and send reminders without ever leaving your dashboard.
Pro-Tip: Learn more about integrating apps in Hubspot, Follow Up Boss, Boomtown, and CINC or just Google your CRM’s name + integrations!
Referrals often mean juggling multiple conversations across clients, agents, and vendors. That’s where inbox scanning tools shine. Look for CRM features that let you:
This reduces inbox chaos and ensures that every message and document is easy to find when you need it. The more organized your communications, the more responsive and professional you appear — to both clients and referral partners.
Pro-Tip: Folio by Amitree is your smart transaction inbox assistant that helps you set up transactions, contacts, deadlines and more.
With the right CRM setup, you can turn referrals into streamlined, repeatable workflows that save time, reduce errors, and build stronger relationships. 💪
Start small: clean up your contact fields, test out one automation, or integrate one tool like DocuSign. As your business improves, so will your ability to grow your referral network and scale your business with confidence.
