To be a successful real estate agent, the end of sale should not be the end, but the start because retaining past clients is the most vital aspect of growing your company. After closing, nurturing strong relationships with past clients ensures they provide continued referrals after their business with you is finished.
Nurturing relationships with clients after the closure of the transaction is an effective way of ensuring you remain in their minds. Whether you have just started your realtor practice or have been in the industry for 20+ years, it is vital you know how to build relationships with present and past clients.
Here are eight strategies that will help you build and maintain long-term relationships with past and existing clients.
Stay Connected Via Social Media
Connecting with past clients on social media is an easy and simple way of staying in touch with them for a long time after the sale. Therefore, you should embrace modern technology by creating a fascinating social media influence. Although using social media may seem a complicated task if you are a newbie, some diligence and strategic posting will significantly benefit your social media campaign.
You should stay connected with your past clients by sending them a friend request on Facebook, commenting on their posts, tagging them on appropriate Twitter posts, and even congratulating them on major milestones such as newborn baby, graduation, new job, engagement, etc.
For your social media presence to be effective, you must have a rapid response time. When clients send you tweets or messages, ensure you acknowledge and respond quickly.
Develop a Direct Mail Marketing Campaign
Utilizing postcards for real estate agents will significantly help your efforts in retaining clients. Through direct mailing, you can frequently remind past clients about your services and offer them valuable content that arouses their interest and enables them to become better homeowners.
It is essential you know that almost 50% of individuals engage and share content that is entertaining and fun; less than 30% of people engage with educational content. Therefore, while you may wish to send your former clients a case study on the increasing interest rates, a postcard may prove to be more effective.
When creating postcards for direct mail for real estate agents, you have to find the correct balance between useful, informative, and fun content. Your postcards should also have custom content for various interests, areas, and demographics.
The most significant advantage of direct mail for real estate agents is that it can be automated, and you can connect with all your clients simultaneously. When you work with a good direct mailing company like Wise Pelican, you can track and analyze your email marketing campaign.
Make Their Lives Better
One of the most essential tools to your success is the industry knowledge you offer your former clients. This entails your network of resources and referrals that your past clients may need during or after the transaction. You should remind past clients that you can offer them referral resources, whether it’s a trusted repair person or a lawyer to help with legal issues.
When you act as a guide and share your market knowledge with former clients, they will see you as a valuable and trusted resource. Your past clients should be aware that they can approach you with any issues related to your scope of practice, even though they are not specifically related to your transaction.
Personalize the Experience
Your capacity to retain clients is influenced by the relationship you develop with them from the very first day. Frequent communication is necessary as clients always want to feel that you are looking after them. If you frequently keep in touch with an existing client, the communication will become more natural and smoother when the deal closes.
However, if you wish to build your relationship with your former clients for the long-term, your conversations should be more than just professional. You have to get to know more about your clients by inquiring about their interests and families.
Because humans are social creatures, clients will opt to do business with real estate agents they respect, trust, and enjoy working with. Therefore, you must ensure that you have built a personal relationship with your customers before the closure of the transaction.
Reach Out To Clients on Special Events
As you communicate with your clients, you should take note of their anniversaries and birthdays. While many real estate agents send holiday cards in an attempt to retain their clients, reaching out to special events is far more effective.
Individuals usually get multiple holiday cards from various vendors that frequently go unnoticed. Nonetheless, when clients get a gift or card on their anniversary or birthday, it is seen as more thoughtful and personal. Anniversary and birthday cards indicate a degree of fondness and familiarity that extends above the typical realtor-client relationship.
Send Clients Thank You Letters
When you send clients thank you letters at the end of the sale, it shows that you care. You can also go the extra mile and send clients housewarming or thank you gifts at the end of the sale. Although sending a gift indicates your gratitude, you should not buy clients’ loyalty.
Sending clients thank you letters is not only a gesture of gratitude; it’s also the first move in opening the gates to a long- term relationship. In today’s modern world, which circulates around electronic communication, a handwritten letter shows clients that the relationship is professional and personal.
Reward Loyal Clients
You should not be complacent with your former clients. You may find yourself directing lots of effort into acquiring new clients and end up forgetting about your past clients. After your customers have become repeat clients or have referred family and friends, ensure you reward them.
Whether it’s exclusive discounts or special offers, ensure you reward your loyal clients and not only reach out to them when informing them about new listings.
Treat Each Client as Your Most Significant Client
This is a vital tip when it comes to retaining clients. What you may not remember often is that the renters who came to your office may be home buyers after a few years. Today, first-time homebuyers may be searching for a small condo, but in fifteen years may be putting a million-dollar mansion on the market. The elderly clients downsizing might not make a purchase again, but their grandchildren might.
Therefore, treat each client as your most significant client. Give all your clients the same degree of service and follow-ups; you’ll find them rewarding you with referrals and loyalty for a long time.
Conclusion
Clients are always looking for real estate agents who put their needs first. For you to be the ideal real estate agent, nurture your relationship with your former clients and show that you still care even about getting your commission check.