Keeping lines of communication open with past and present clients is a job in and of itself. In the following interview, Regal Realty International Broker/Owner Ericka Thomas de No offers insight on achieving and maintaining customer loyalty, and more.
Ericka Thomas de No
Broker/Owner
Regal Realty International
Houston, Texas
Region served: Greater Houston
Years in real estate: 30+
Number of offices: 1
Number of agents: 3
Best time management tip: Be prepared and re-confirm all appointments ahead of time.
Most successful ad/marketing idea: I have found great success with distributing educational flyers that deal with purchasing real estate to individuals renting high-end apartments.
Key to staying profitable: Real estate education
Can’t live without tech tool: My cellphone
You have a wealth of long-term and multigenerational clients. What strategies do you utilize to achieve customer loyalty? Achieving customer loyalty is all about maintaining ongoing communication with the extended family. As years go by, my experience becomes even more valuable as I meet each new generation, many of whom eventually become clients themselves.
How do you determine your marketing spend and how does this break down between print and online? I try to maximize my print expenditure by utilizing outlets that also support an online presence. The amount I spend on marketing has changed over the years from 100 percent print to an even mix of 50 percent print and 50 percent online due to the changing marketplace.
I’ve noticed that you advertise in The Real Estate Book and on RealEstateBook.com. How do those work into your overall marketing strategy for your own brand and for your listings? Utilizing visuals of my properties and my personal photo on the back page of The Real Estate Book provides a recognizable presence in the Houston area and also creates confidence in my multi-marketing strategy that I can show to my clients. I recently got a call from a 30-year repeat client who was out picking up an order at a local restaurant and saw my picture on the back of the book, enticing them to pick up a copy to thumb through while they were waiting. Not only was I excited to hear from this client, it’s proof that the ads I run are making an impression on existing clients as well as prospective buyers and sellers.
You use an integrated marketing strategy, including print and specifically, The Real Estate Book. How does it benefit you? I obtain leads through The Real Estate Book’s integrated marketing program, and I also use copies of the book in my listing and sales presentations. Whenever I have a buyer, we meet personally so I can understand exactly what they’re looking for. Since I always advertise on the back page of The Real Estate Book, with a high-profile design and my picture, I bring a copy to each meeting to give those prospects. It really impresses them and adds to my credibility. And on every listing presentation, I bring copies of that listing in every book, which helps prove that while I’m a small independent outfit, I’m marketing their property everywhere.
For more information, visit http://www.regalrealtyinternational.com/.
