The relationship between an agent and buyers is a delicate dance that begins long before the sale and ends long afterward (if it ever ends at all). However, that process can be derailed when you’re not offering buyers the right touch points to make them feel special and keep yourself top of mind when it comes to their real estate needs. Here are X ways to create valuable touch points between buyers and sellers that will pay dividends down the road.
Make Yourself Helpful
You’re the expert on your region. Don’t just tell people, show people. Create a one-sheet or packet that includes all the relevant information a new buyer might need to feel comfortable buying a home here. Then pass it out to local businesses, local government offices, local hotels, and anyone else you can think of. Foster relationships so that when someone shows up asking questions, the company has your packet handy and ready to go. Don’t forget to plaster your face and contact info all over it, and show off your personality a little bit, so people feel like they get to know you. Then, when they’re ready to get serious about buying, they’ve already got your information handy and your face in their mind.
Make Everyone a V.I.P.
All your clients should be V.I.P.s for you, so make sure they know it. Plan an event and invite all of your leads and potential buyers as well as those who bought a home from you. Also, ask service providers that you work with (or want to work with). Roll out the red carpet. Get a photographer. See if you can get some local press to show up and cover the event. Hand out goody bags to all the guests. Make sure everyone leaves the party feeling valued and worthwhile because that’s what he or she is going to remember.
Make Yourself Available Online
Being personable in the real world is important but don’t think you can’t do the same thing online. That packet you made should also be available electronically. You can even expand it into an ebook full of experiences and tips. You want an online presence, but it takes more than just starting a Twitter account or opening a Facebook page. Interact with every comment, whether it’s a response or alike. Invite anyone and everyone to follow your pages. Encourage engagement by asking questions, proposing ideas, and inquiring about feedback.
Make Matches For Others
Part of the process for building your brand and touching other people is to make “selfless” acts. Helping to develop relationships in the community for others will come back to you in significant ways. If you know someone running a charity who needs help finding backers, put them in touch with good people you know in the community. If you have potential buyers or actual buyers who have trouble meeting new people, host a mixer at a local bar. Think that two local businesses might be able to help each other out? Put them in the room together and let them sort it out. You might not find immediate benefits from these touch points, but they’re the kinds of things people remember six months or a year later when they’re looking for help.
Make Sure to Follow Up
The end of the transaction isn’t the end of the relationship. Even if the sale falls through, there are ways to keep in touch with potential buyers without being a pest. A great way to stay in touch is to find an article that would be of interest to their specific needs and then send it there way with a note reading “thought this might interest you.” You can even find a neat article that speaks to a general audience and send it through a mail merge, so it looks more personalized. Not everyone will respond but you might be surprised to hear from a few people, and that’s your cue to follow up and see what their current needs might be.
Make a note of Special Dates
Chances are you’ve got a database full of information about your clients, past and present. Put it to good use any way you can. One great way to do that is to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions. Set up a system where you can be alerted when a client’s special day is coming up and then make sure you send them something. Could be a card, could be an email, whatever it is, make contact. If you want to take it to the next level, set up Google Alerts for the names of clients and see what pops up. You might find out that someone got a promotion or had a special event. Then you can reach out and offer your congrats. Who knows what might follow.
Make a note of Holidays, Too
While we’re keeping track of special days, why not keep track of holidays as well? Run through the calendar and call out opportunities you might have to reach out to your contacts and partners. Sure there are the big days like Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, but don’t overlook the secondary holidays that offer you a chance to get creative and stand out. Groundhog Day, Flag Day, and Veteran’s Day offer lots of opportunities for unique messages, mailings, and offers. Also, then there are all of the wacky holidays that seem to pop up all the time (National Hot Dog Day, National Hot Sauce Day). Surely you can have a field day getting creative in your messaging around them.
Make More Quality Interactions
A quality interaction can best be described as something more than just a phone call or email. We’re talking about in-person meetings or get-togethers. It can be one-on-one, but it doesn’t have to be. This could be you showing up at meetings for local clubs, at places of worship, for special nights at the local tavern, or at a fraternal organization. It’s not just about showing up, either, it’s about making your presence known. That could be anything from a sponsorship to speaking up to just walking the room and introducing yourself. Don’t wait for opportunities to present themselves, every person there is a potential client or a current one who is waiting for the right motivation.
Title Partners of Florida is here to support your business
Have questions about making sure your next real estate transaction sails smoothly to a successful closing? You can make the process seamless and hassle-free by contacting Title Partners of Florida.
