Did you hear about the real estate professional from Tucson who made national headlines after being duct-taped to an airline seat?

According to news reports, the flight diverted following an alleged disturbance involving racial slurs and physical aggression. The passenger was arrested. His brokerage subsequently confirmed it ended its affiliation with him after learning of the incident.

His professional fallout illustrates how quickly public attention can carry consequences.

For real estate and mortgage professionals, the story raises a question worth asking before your next marketing campaign:

Are you giving people more reasons to recommend you?

Every referral puts two reputations on the line. Yours and the person recommending you.

When an agent recommends a lender, or a lender recommends an agent, they are making a promise: “I trust this person to take care of you.”

Their client will remember whether that promise was kept.

That is why experience and production alone may not be enough to earn the introduction. A referral partner also needs confidence in your judgment, communication, and conduct when things go sideways.

How do you handle a delayed closing? An upset borrower? A mistake your team made? An unfair review?

Those moments give people evidence about what their clients can expect from you.

Make yourself easier to recommend.

Start with three trusted colleagues or referral partners. Ask them privately:

“What makes you comfortable recommending me, and is there anything that makes you hesitate?”

Give them room to answer honestly. Listen without defending yourself. Then act on what you hear.

You might discover that people appreciate your expertise but want faster updates. That they trust your work but do not know which clients you serve best. Or that one unresolved experience has quietly made someone reluctant to send another referral.

Each answer gives you something specific to improve.

Then strengthen the experience behind every introduction:

• Set expectations early. Explain what happens next, who will make contact, and when.
• Communicate before people have to chase you. Share appropriate updates while respecting client privacy.
• Take ownership of problems. Explain the issue, your next step, and when you will follow up.
• Thank the person who trusted you. Treat the introduction as a responsibility.

Finally, search your own name. Read your public profiles, comments, and review responses through the eyes of someone considering you for their best client. Make sure what they find supports the confidence you are asking them to place in you.

Publicity can bring someone to your door. Your reputation helps them decide whether to walk through it.

Give people a name they feel good about passing along.

And the names behind the airline story? We’ve deliberately left them out. The lesson is worth repeating without adding to someone’s notoriety.

Because no, not all publicity is good publicity.