Grow Your Business One Coffee at a Time
By Deanna Bone
In this blog, Buffini Coaching Member Deanna Bone shares how she strategically connects and builds relationships with her peers resulting in a tremendous boost to her business. She’ll expand on what she shares on our Community Connection webinar, Wednesday, June 24 at 10 a.m. PT. Register here to join and learn more.
As a long-time Buffini Member, I’ve attended a lot of the company’s events over the years. Like most people, I would show up excited to learn from the speakers, take notes and leave feeling inspired.
But after a while, I found myself feeling a little burned out. I was getting great information, but I realized I wasn’t fully taking advantage of one of the biggest opportunities these events offered: networking with the people sitting around me.
A Shift Creates Results
Then my Coach challenged me with something that completely shifted my perspective:
Stop focusing only on the stage. Focus on the people in the seats.
That simple mindset shift changed the way I approached networking and ultimately changed my business.
Instead of just attending events, I started to focus on connecting with other agents. I’d follow up after conferences and schedule virtual coffee chats. I intentionally made an effort to genuinely learn about people, their markets, and their businesses.
Over time, those conversations turned into relationships. And in turn, those relationships brought referrals.
Today, nearly 70% of my business comes from agent-to-agent referrals.
Connecting Over a (Virtual) Coffee Date
One of the biggest drivers behind that growth has been a weekly Zoom networking strategy that I call “Coffee Over the Miles.”
The concept is simple: connect consistently with agents across the United States and Canada through one-on-one conversations. These chats are designed to build authentic, and not just transactional, relationships.
We talk about our markets, what we’re seeing in the industry, the types of clients we serve, and the challenges we’re navigating. Sometimes we swap ideas but sometimes it’s just a nice way to connect on a personal level and not just as real estate professionals.
And over time, trust develops naturally. That trust is what makes referrals so powerful.
When another agent refers a client to you, the relationship starts differently. The client already feels comfortable because someone they trust has vouched for you before you ever pick up the phone. Conversations are easier, expectations are clearer, and the process feels more collaborative right from the start.
Consistency Matters
It’s true: one great connection might not lead to business immediately. But over time, it may turn into multiple referrals, repeat opportunities, and long-term partnerships. Small, consistent actions really do compound.
That’s why consistency matters so much in relationship building.
For me, that looks like:
- Weekly “Coffee Over the Miles” conversations
- Sending handwritten notes
- Following up consistently
- Staying connected through market updates and newsletters
- Keeping notes and reminders in my CRM
These actions help create momentum and foster connections long after the first conversation.
Opportunities Are All Around You
Most agents already have a myriad of opportunities available to them:
- Agents they’ve already done business with
- People they’ve met at events
- Industry contacts they haven’t followed up with
- Connections already in their phone or CRM they haven’t stayed in touch with
Sometimes all it takes is reaching out and scheduling one conversation.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: the real estate business has always been built on relationships.
Technology is changing. Markets shift. Lead sources come and go. But trust still matters.
Looking back, I used to attend events focused almost entirely on what I could learn from the speakers. Now I realize some of the biggest opportunities were sitting beside me the whole time.
Because sometimes one simple conversation really can change your business.
Deanna will dive deeper into her Coffee Over the Miles strategy on our Community Connection webinar Wednesday, June 24, at 10 a.m. PT. Register here to join and learn more.
