As the housing market sizzles, many agents are struggling to keep up with their daily demands. From answering calls to pursuing leads and listings, the day-to-day tasks of a successful agent can seem endless. One of the most time-consuming tasks, and a large hold-back for many? Keeping in touch with previous clients.
Keeping in touch is no small matter. Recently, the National Association of REALTORS® found that 90 percent of buyers would work with the same agent again, but only 19 percent did, simply because the agent didn’t keep in touch.
“Real estate is a relationship business,” says Caroline Ruhl, president of Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS® in Davenport, Iowa. “You have to stay in touch with your clients.”
Unfortunately, for as important as keeping in touch is, it can also be equally time-consuming. Email, newsletters, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn—the options are endless. In a society where relationship building is now seemingly dependent on technology, Ruhl notes that many agents would do well if they got back to the basics and added a personal touch. “Pick up the phone, write a personal note, send snail mail—do the things that take a little bit more time but better serve the consumer and make a lasting impression,” says Ruhl.
However, these little touches can take up a lot of time. That’s where an automated follow-up program can save the day.
In order to help make an impression and keep it, Ruhl has partnered with The Personal Marketing Company (TPMC), which provides personalized real estate marketing tools and products for real estate professionals, allowing them to save time and stay connected. To help her agents stay connected, Ruhl uses an automated follow-up postcard service provided by TPMC, where each former buyer receives one postcard branded to their REALTOR® each quarter for five years.
“The postcard program is simply a soft touch to remind our clients of the experience they had with Ruhl&Ruhl.” While Ruhl notes that the postcard program is only one of the many ways her company encourages their agents to build their client relationships, it’s something they can take off the agent’s plate, freeing up time for other prospecting and marketing initiatives. “It’s just one more tool in their toolbox to keep the relationship with their client strong in order to serve them better,” says Ruhl.
Ruhl believes working with TPMC has positively impacted client relationships while helping build referrals by keeping her agents top-of-mind.
In addition to keeping themselves front and center, The Personal Marketing Company’s follow-up program provides Ruhl’s agents with a “hands-free” way to reach out. Agents and brokers don’t have to struggle to keep up with mail-outs; TPMC does it for them. Once a client is enrolled, agents don’t have to do anything further.
“Our agents can rest assured that their clients are receiving a branded piece from them each quarter,” explains Ruhl.
As the market heats up, agents are scrambling to take care of today’s transactions. A hands-free client follow-up program allows them to focus on their daily tasks without losing sight of the long game—staying connected, and building meaningful relationships.
For more information, please contact a Client Service Specialist at 800-458-8245 or visit www.tpmco.com.
