The easiest business you’ll ever get is from past clients, whether it’s working with them on a new transaction or receiving a referral to one of their friends or neighbors. Your team won’t get this business, however, if you’re not top-of-mind. Science has proven that memories are short—remembering a name from the past doesn’t always come without effort. With regular communication, however, you can be the team that comes to mind at just the right time.
Here are some simple ways to stay in touch. Making regular communication a part of your daily habits is a straightforward way to stay prominent in the minds of your clients.
- Pick up the phone or send a quick text just to say hi. It doesn’t get any easier than this. You might send a text saying, “thinking of you,” or “just tried a great restaurant I thought you might like.”
- Remember birthdays. Create a plan to send out birthday cards (a rare thing these days), a birthday cupcake or even a simple text or social media post. Facebook is a great way to keep tabs on birthdays for the week, but make a habit of collecting client birthdates to keep in your CRM.
- Create events. It might mean buying a batch of tickets for a monthly movie night, hosting wine tastings at a local store or planning a family-friendly ice cream social in the summer time. Whether or not your clients participate, you’ll benefit from staying in front of them with your invitations and reminders.
- Post a social media shout-out. This goes without saying, but make sure you follow your clients on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and other social media. Be sure you and your team members respond to their posts in a genuine way.
- Create a real estate review. Sending out a comp report to two past clients each week is simple to do, and a value-add. Better yet, share it over coffee.
- Send a note. Handwritten notes are a blast from the past and people love receiving them. A quick note of appreciation, congratulations, or “thinking of you” is an easy five-minute task.
- Share an article. From hobbies to a fun adventure article to travel ideas, forwarding an article you’ve read to someone who might enjoy it is a great way to engage a past client. Even better, set a Google Alert if you have a client with a specialized interest so you can be sure to share the latest.
Form great habits this year for improving communication with your past clients—your No. 1 source for future business. Stay genuine and sincere, and you and other members of your team will come across not as pesky salespersons, but as true caring friends and associates.
Sarah Bernard came to real estate from a career in corporate marketing and property management. Licensed in 2014, Bernard sold $6 million in properties with 12 transactions in her first year and was Rookie of the Year. Five years later, she has grown a team that includes three buyer agents and support staff. Expected sales in 2018 are $18-$20 million and 80 transactions. She hopes to double her business in 2019, and is committed to learning and improving her team management every day. For more information, please visit www.workmansuccesssystems.com.
