Chapter 6: How to Become a Connector
SDRP is more than marketing. It’s your relationship accelerator. The Realtors in this community are vetted. They’re producers. They don’t have time for spam or surface-level sales tactics. They want connection, trust, and high-value collaborations.
So show up early. Stay late. Be useful. Be generous. Follow up like a pro. And remember: when you commit to building real relationships, the business always follows.
Now go work the next event like it’s your biggest client meeting of the year—because it just might be.
So show up early. Stay late. Be useful. Be generous. Follow up like a pro. And remember: when you commit to building real relationships, the business always follows.
Now go work the next event like it’s your biggest client meeting of the year—because it just might be.
Cracking the Code on Event ROI: How to Network Like a Top Producer
May 2025 by Jessie Wright
Chapter 1: The Events Matter More Than You Think
SDRP events are intentionally designed to bring together the best of the best—top Realtors and vetted affiliates who operate with integrity, drive, and results. When you’re in these rooms, you’re not in a crowd. You’re in a curated mastermind of deal-makers.
And yet, most people show up, shake a few hands, snap a selfie, and leave wondering if anything will come of it. That’s not how top performers approach these opportunities.
Why These Events Are High-Value:
If you approach these gatherings like a strategist—not a sales rep—you’ll start seeing the exponential return.
And yet, most people show up, shake a few hands, snap a selfie, and leave wondering if anything will come of it. That’s not how top performers approach these opportunities.
Why These Events Are High-Value:
- The attendees are proven producers
- They’re in growth mode
- They’re already pre-sold on SDRP credibility
- Your brand is automatically elevated by proximity
If you approach these gatherings like a strategist—not a sales rep—you’ll start seeing the exponential return.
Chapter 2: Prep Like a Professional (Before the Event)
Top producers don’t wing it. Neither should you. The key to ROI starts before you ever show up.
Step 1: Identify Your Targets
Step 2: Do Pre-Event Outreach
Step 3: Set Your Intentions
Events aren’t a lottery. They’re a strategy session. Go in with a battle plan.
Step 1: Identify Your Targets
- Ask SDRP for the RSVP list or a list of recent attendees.
- Go through the Top 200 Standings—who do you want to meet?
- Prioritize Realtors whose niche or geography aligns with your service.
Step 2: Do Pre-Event Outreach
- DM or email: “I saw you’re attending the SDRP event this week—would love to connect briefly while we’re both there!”
- Comment on their recent Instagram posts or Facebook wins to warm the lead.
- Get introduced via a mutual SDRP connection.
Step 3: Set Your Intentions
- Who do you want to meet? Why?
- What value can you offer them right away?
- What’s your follow-up plan?
Events aren’t a lottery. They’re a strategy session. Go in with a battle plan.
Chapter 3: Dominate the Room (During the Event)
Here’s where most affiliates go wrong: they spend the event talking to the same people they already know. That’s safe, but not scalable.
Smart Tactics for Maximum Impact:
Conversation Starters That Build Rapport:
Important: It’s not about selling. It’s about serving. Learn who they are and what matters to them first.
Smart Tactics for Maximum Impact:
- Volunteer: The welcome table or check-in station is pure gold. You’ll meet everyone.
- Bring a wingperson: Divide and conquer. Tag team your outreach.
- Work the outer edges: Don’t hover around the bar or buffet. Be where conversations start and end.
- Use memory hooks: When you meet someone, repeat their name, say it aloud, and connect it to something personal.
Conversation Starters That Build Rapport:
- “What’s been working best for you this year?”
- “Which SDRP events have been your favorite?”
- “I loved your feature in last month’s magazine—how’s that visibility been for you?”
Important: It’s not about selling. It’s about serving. Learn who they are and what matters to them first.
Chapter 4: Follow Through with Intention (After the Event)
This is where the ROI actually happens. Everything else was warm-up.
The 72-Hour Follow-Up Rule:
Top Follow-Up Tactics:
Tracking Matters:
The 72-Hour Follow-Up Rule:
- Send a follow-up message via text, email, or DM within 3 days.
- Refer to your conversation: “Great chatting about [topic] at SDRP—I’d love to grab coffee and explore how we can support each other.”
- Propose a next step: Coffee? Zoom? Event co-hosting?
Top Follow-Up Tactics:
- Handwritten note: 3 sentences, branded stationery, no pitch.
- Small gift: Something personal, not branded swag. Think: “saw this and thought of you.”
- Social media love: Shout them out or tag them in your recap post.
Tracking Matters:
- Keep a CRM or spreadsheet with event contacts.
- Set reminders to follow up monthly.
- Share SDRP event photos and tag your new contacts.
Chapter 5: The Power of Sponsoring Events
If you’re ready to go beyond participant mode and into position-of-authority mode, sponsorship is your lever.
Benefits of Sponsorship:
Advanced Tips:
Want to dominate an event? Don’t just attend it—own a piece of it.
Benefits of Sponsorship:
- Logo and signage placement
- Verbal recognition during the event
- Credibility by association
- Branded materials and tablespace
- Early RSVP access and intros
Advanced Tips:
- Co-sponsor with a complementary partner (mortgage + home inspection)
- Bring a branded backdrop or selfie station
- Offer an exclusive post-event gift to everyone who visits your table
Want to dominate an event? Don’t just attend it—own a piece of it.
Final Word: Relationships are the Currency. Events are the Exchange.
The ultimate networkers don’t just collect business cards. They create opportunities for others.
Connector Habits:
Example Moves:
Become a bridge between people. Your brand will benefit from the gratitude.
Connector Habits:
- When someone shares a pain point, refer another SDRP partner
- Host mini meetups within the event
- Publicly praise people in the Facebook group afterward
Example Moves:
- “Hey, I think you and [Agent] would hit it off—can I introduce you?”
- “I know someone who could help with that. I’ll text you both.”
- “Would you like me to co-host a client appreciation event with you?”
Become a bridge between people. Your brand will benefit from the gratitude.
In a world where everyone is pitching, selling, and trying to get ahead, the professionals who dominate in real estate aren’t just good at business—they’re exceptional at building relationships. For the top 500 Realtors in San Diego, events are more than calendar fillers. They’re business accelerators.
If you’re a partner in the San Diego Real Producers (SDRP) ecosystem, your ability to extract ROI from events is the game-changer. And spoiler alert: simply attending is not enough. You have to work the event before, during, and after to get maximum results. Here’s your complete, tactical guide to networking like a top producer and turning connections into commissions.
SDRP events aren’t just about in-person interaction. They’re marketing content generators too.
Content You Can Create:
This builds digital trust. You’re no longer just attending events. You’re seen as a plugged-in, high-touch professional.
Content You Can Create:
- Event recap videos or Instagram reels
- Behind-the-scenes Instagram stories
- “3 Things I Learned from Last Night’s SDRP Mixer”
- Selfie photos with agents (tag and praise them)
- LinkedIn post about a key conversation you had
This builds digital trust. You’re no longer just attending events. You’re seen as a plugged-in, high-touch professional.
Chapter 7: Use Events as Content Fuel
If you really want to 10x your results, you need to layer in intentionality beyond the event calendar.
Next-Level Moves:
Ask for Warm Intros:
Next-Level Moves:
- Invite top agents you met to your own private happy hour
- Collaborate on a social media campaign or IG Live interview
- Send custom gifts (not swag) based on what they mentioned in conversation
- Track their birthdays, deals, and milestones
Ask for Warm Intros:
- DM the SDRP team and let them know who you want to meet and why. If your value prop is strong and strategic, they’ll often facilitate an intro.
Chapter 8: Advanced Relationship Moves
At the end of each month or quarter, run a personal ROI audit:
If you’re not seeing the ROI you want, check your approach. Presence without purpose is a missed opportunity.
- How many SDRP events did I attend?
- How many high-value connections did I make?
- How many coffee meetings or Zooms came from those?
- Did I post content or tag people afterward?
- Did I give before I tried to get?
If you’re not seeing the ROI you want, check your approach. Presence without purpose is a missed opportunity.
Chapter 9: Recap Your Event ROI Every Month
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