RISMEDIA, February 23, 2009-So often when we discuss the benefits of a product, program or service, we take it from the real estate professional’s perspective. However, a point often lost is how that benefit also affects the buyer/seller for whom the agent is working.
Justin Datesman, of Hackettstown, New Jersey, knows firsthand how much a simple gesture from his Realtor, Gelsamina Malanga of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, can make all the difference.
“Gelsa is great,” he says. “I used her nine years ago to purchase my first home. , I needed to paint the entire house, install new carpets throughout, and purchase and install three new toilets. The Lowe’s coupon she provided saved me 10% on the carpet purchase/installation, which is very helpful.”
Malanga provided the Lowe’s coupon through her participation in the Lowe’s Program for Realtors®, a free program through membership in the National Association of Realtors. The Lowe’s Program for Realtors includes free, customized direct-mail pieces with 10%-off coupons, 5%-off discounts on gift cards, helpful tips, e-mails and videos from HGTV, a bimonthly magazine with simple home projects (Lowe’s Creative Ideas magazine) and the program’s newest offering-Inside Out, which offers Realtors the ability to automatically send their entire client base a personalized, monthly e-newsletter with information on buying, selling and moving.
“Having the coupon from Lowe’s led me to purchase from them instead of the competition,” says Datesman. “Overall, it was a very positive experience. The flooring salesperson at the Hackettstown store (Carmine Carsillo) was very helpful and knowledgeable. He helped me choose the right carpet for my needs-at the right price. He followed up on my order and gave me details on timing and installation.”
What’s more, Datesman says that his special order came in sooner than expected, allowing him to move into his new home quickly. “The contractor Lowe’s used for the installation was also very good,” he says. “They were responsive in communications and installed immediately once the carpet came in.”
In the end, Datesman credits Malanga’s service, thoroughness and dedication to her clients with making him such a happy customer.
“I’ve also worked with a few other agents in the past and none come close to Gelsa in terms of service and personability,” he says. “She is thorough, prompt, and always goes out of her way to help make the buying experience as smooth as possible for her clients.”
Realtors who wish to team up with the Lowe’s Realtor Benefits Program must be a member of the National Association of Realtors and can easily sign up by visiting www.LowesRealtorBenefits.com.
The Lowe’s Program for Realtors is free for Realtors and offers personal marketing tools from Lowe’s and the National Association of Realtors.
For more information, visit www.lowesrealtorbenefits.com.
