Episode 657: Your Directory Isn’t Just a Phone Book (5 Killer Uses)

Summary

---

Episode Summary:

Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada
Episode 657: Your Directory Isn’t Just a Phone Book (5 Killer Uses)
Date: September 17, 2025
Host: Tristan Ahumada

---

Overview

In this episode, Tristan Ahumada dives deep into a key tool for real estate professionals: the home service provider directory. Far beyond being just a phone book, Tristan outlines five powerful ways agents can leverage their directories to forge stronger relationships, generate more leads, and provide ongoing value to their clients and communities. Drawing from personal experience and practical strategies, he breaks down how this simple yet versatile resource can be used across multiple touchpoints in real estate marketing and client engagement.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Farm: Using the Directory in Your Farm Area

• What Is It?
  • "Farm" refers to a targeted neighborhood or group that agents nurture for business.
• How to Use:
  • Call residents, introduce yourself as a local agent sharing a helpful directory.
  • Door knock with a two-sided flyer: one side with recent sales, the other with provider contacts.
• Notable Tip:
  • Include a disclaimer that these aren't official recommendations but community-sourced contacts.
• Quote:
  • "You can either call your farm and say, hey, this is Tristan, I live close here, or I work in the area. And I've got this great list of home service providers that I'm just sharing..." (00:38)
  • "Or you can door knock with it. Same message, pretty good. It works very well actually, when you doorknock with it." (01:19)

2. Open Houses: Three Smart Scenarios

• How to Use:
  • Pre-open house, knock on doors and offer the directory, collecting emails for follow-up.
  • During open houses, offer to send the complete list; let neighbors and attendees know about it.
  • Set up a stand with a QR code for easy directory download and automatic newsletter opt-in.
• Quote:
  • "This way, when you're knocking before the open house, you get the email and you put them in a newsletter. But you're leading with, hey, I've got this service provider or let me send you the complete one..." (02:06)
  • "Have a stand that has a QR code so people can scan it. And then you naturally nurture them and you put them into the newsletter and they get this amazing directory." (02:28)

3. Database: Past Clients & Sphere

• How to Use:
  • Reach out to your database—past clients and contacts—with directory updates via calls, texts, emails, or events.
  • Retarget past clients with the directory on social media.
  • Invite both clients and service providers to in-person events.
• Why It Works:
  • Homeowners frequently need reliable providers for repairs and improvements, making the directory highly relevant.
• Quote:
  • "You can call your past clients and tell them about this. You can retarget them on social. You can have an event and let them know there and invite all of your service providers." (02:51)
  • "Because again, the directory is the core piece to people living in their homes. They're suffering through MRI (sic: likely meant 'DIY') maintenance, repairs and improvements." (03:07)

4. Social Media: Continuously Share the Directory

• How to Use:
  • Feature the directory on your profiles, highlight it in content, and prompt viewers to download it.
  • Leverage online community engagement (e.g., neighborhood Facebook groups) to spread the word.
• Local Angle:
  • Customize the directory to suit specific areas and promote it as a local resource.
• Quote:
  • "Have it on your profile. Talk about it often. Let people know at the end to go over and check out your profile. And in there, there's a list and they can download the directory." (03:56)
  • "Especially if you're talking about a community. Like my friend Jeff talks about the Ozarks. He should have a directory..." (04:02)

5. Mailers: Branded, QR-Driven Directories

• How to Use:
  • Design mailers that prominently feature the directory or a QR code for easy access.
  • Brand the directory (“Local Legends” or “[Your Name]’s Directory”) for easy recall.
• Quote:
  • "Mailers make a directory specific to the mailers. So you either put it on the front or the back with a QR code so people can scan it and then download this list." (04:11)
  • "I brand mine Local Legends. This way people can remember, oh, it's a Local Legends, right?" (04:31)

---

Memorable Moments & Final Thoughts

• The Central Takeaway:
  • The provider directory is an adaptable, valuable resource at the heart of your relationship marketing strategy.
  • "These are the five opportunities you have in distributing and connecting with your clients, with people out there. For your directory. There are many more. Those are the five that I outlined." (04:37)
• Tristan shares he has a visual flowchart on this approach and invites listeners to message him for it.
• Subtle humor and practicality throughout, keeping tone friendly and actionable.

---

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:00: Episode begins, Tristan introduces the directory concept and preview of five use cases.
• 00:38: Farm strategy detailed, including how to present the directory to neighbors.
• 01:19: Door knocking and flyer specifics.
• 02:06: Open house tactics: email capture, QR codes, and on-site sharing.
• 02:51: Database leverage: past clients, sphere outreach, and community events.
• 03:56: Social media usage and community-specific customization.
• 04:11: Branded mailers and QR code distribution.
• 04:37: Wrap-up, call to action for the Mindmeister flowchart, and sign off.

---

Practical Takeaways

• Update and expand your directory regularly; it should feature diverse, trusted local vendors.
• Use the directory as a “give” to open conversations and build goodwill, rather than a hard sales pitch.
• Always look for new ways to distribute it—think creatively!

---

Want the flowchart?
Message Tristan on Instagram to get his Mindmeister visual and subscribe to his newsletter for ongoing tips.

Transcript

[A]

I've got some ways for you to use the directory. You know, I've been talking about the directory for a while now. A list of vendors, handyman, electrician, plumber. This list that I want you to create, if you haven't already, and I want you to expand on it. In fact, I have five ways that you can use it. I built a flowchart where I put the directory at the middle of this. And then I've got these five places you can give the directory out to different people or different situations. And I want to jump into it. Hi, I'm Tristan. This is your daily real estate. It's a podcast. It's a show where I go in five to 10 minutes to show you the things you need to be doing in your real estate business in your life. Today we're talking about all of the different places, in fact, five for using this directory to bring in more clients to connect with people. Here they are, number one. Number one is farm. Obviously you can use it in your farm. That's what we do, we use it in our farm. You can either call your farm and say, hey, this is Tristan, I live close here, or I work in the area. And I've got this great list of home service providers that I'm just sharing with our neighbors just so that we all have the best one. And if you've got anybody for me to add, let me know.

[B]

Right. Easy.

[A]

Or you can door knock with it. Same message, pretty good. It works very well actually, when you doorknock with it. I usually do a two sided flyer. One one side has all of the homes that have sold recently, so it has dates and all that. And then on the other side it's got a short list of the home service providers and then obviously has a disclaimer.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Use them at your will. And these are not ones that we're actually recommending, but we put them together because people have worked with them. Right, so there you go. Next, number two, open houses. I've got three different scenarios under open houses and there are many more. These are the ones I know. Knock around the house. This way, when you're knocking before the open house, you get the email and you put them in a newsletter.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But you're leading with, hey, I've got this service provider or let me send you the complete one and just let them know about the open house. Next, let visitors know. You never know who is a neighbor. You never know who's looking to move into the area or already lives close enough that they can still use These service providers next have a stand that has a QR code so people can scan it. And then you naturally nurture them and you put them into the newsletter and they get this amazing directory. So that's open house. Okay, Number three, I've got database, probably your biggest opportunity. You have past clients in your database and you've got your sphere. The past clients is the easiest one. We've been over this probably three, four times in this podcast. But with past clients, you can call your past clients and tell them about this. You can retarget them on social. You can have an event and let them know there and invite all of your service providers. You can text your clients, which I do, and you can email your clients and all about this directory. Because again, the directory is the core piece to people living in their homes. They're suffering through MRI maintenance, repairs and improvements.

[B]

Right.

[A]

One of those. They're going to need somebody on your list consistently, over a very short period of time, over and over, over and over again. Sphere. Just know if they're renting or if they own. But even if they're renting, depends on what breaks and whose fault it is. They may need a handyman too. So just know that those are three. Got it. So far, we got Farm, Open House and Database. Number four. Social media. Have it on your profile. Talk about it often. Let people know at the end to go over and check out your profile. And in there, there's a list and they can download the directory.

[B]

Right? Easy.

[A]

Especially if you're talking about a community. Like my friend Jeff talks about the Ozarks. He should have a directory and says, hey, on there. You'll also find home service providers, a directory of all of them. And they just download it, Right? They're all my friends.

[B]

Right?

[A]

They're all your friends. That's number four. Number five, last one here. Mailers make a directory specific to the mailers. So you either put it on the front or the back with a QR code so people can scan it and then download this list. Download your list, have a name, brand it. I brand mine Local Legends. This way people can remember, oh, it's a Local Legends, right? Or you can name it Tristan's Directory.

[B]

Or put your name on it. Right.

[A]

But that's the idea. These are the five opportunities you have in distributing and connecting with your clients, with people out there. For your directory. There are many more. Those are the five that I outlined. If you need this, it's a flowchart I built on Mindmeister. Just message me on Instagram and I'll send this over to you. Subscribe to the newsletter. It's in the description somewhere. Have an awesome day.