Your database is the cornerstone of your business, but it can be all too easy to let it get disorganized and untidy. With spring now in full bloom, the time has come to dust away the cobwebs and get organized for the season ahead!
One of the most important things to remember when reviewing your database as a busy real estate professional is that you must utilize your resources of time, energy and money wisely. That means really focusing on clients who are likely to use and refer you in the future. Who will champion you? Who will drain your efforts with no end reward? Whether your database has 50 names or 250, having the right people in there will guarantee that you maximize your available resources.
To begin your springtime reevaluation, check in with each relationship to make sure your marketing efforts are on track. Yes, this can be time-consuming, but the reward is worth the effort!
Reach out to everyone and find out if you are the agent they would refer to others. Next, recategorize each relationship based on their response. Finally, divide your database into those customers who represent future value to your business and those who don’t.
To make sure you’re spending your resources where the payoff is the greatest, rank every customer with an A+, A, B, C or D score. Some rankings will have changed since you last did this, so be objective and don’t be afraid to amend someone’s grade. Remember this isn’t personal, so there’s no guilt attached!
Customers who still send you multiple referrals or are very likely to refer you should remain as A+ clients. However, if you discover that they’ve recently worked with a different agent to purchase a new home or that a family member is now in real estate, then you’ll want to move them down in your database. To keep track of every relationship, use a real estate CRM like Buffini & Company Referral Maker® CRM, which is extremely efficient because it allows you to rank actively in the program.
Once you have re-qualified each relationship, follow up appropriately according to rank. Give your greatest attention to your A+ clients. Shower them with attention and treat them to exclusive activities such as client parties. Keep in regular contact with your other customers in descending order with Pop-Bys, handwritten notes and monthly Items of Value to stay top of mind.
Spring cleaning your database is a great way to become more productive and organized in your business. Whether you are a new or a more experienced agent, this is a really valuable exercise that vastly increases your efficiency and effectiveness in the marketplace.
Cleaning up your database can feel like a daunting task. You don’t have to go it alone—a business coach is a great way to get some accountability when you tackle a messy database. Our team of coaches at Buffini & Company are trained to navigate clients through this task and more as they maximize productivity in their business.
As the market heats up this spring, take the time to re-qualify your database, and consider bringing in some reinforcement with a coach. When the referrals pour in, you’ll be happy you did!
Brian Buffini immigrated to San Diego from Ireland in 1986 and became a top-performing REALTOR®. He then founded Buffini & Company to share his powerful lead-generation system. Buffini & Company has trained more than 3 million people in 37 countries and coaches more than 25,000 business pros. Today, Brian’s a New York Times best-selling author and reaches over 6 million listeners a year through The Brian Buffini Show podcast. For more information, please visit www.buffiniandcompany.com.
