So, you closed a real estate deal? Congratulations! Now, what?
Any sale person will tell you that the biggest asset of any business is past clients. It is easier to get repeat business than to convince new customers. Besides, word-of-mouth is worth any marketing budget.
However, most people only buy and sell houses once every couple of years. It can be hard for your happy clients to remember to give you a call when comes the time to buy or sell a property again.
Here are the top five ways to stay in touch with past clients in real estate.
Keep things personal
Real estate transactions often create personal relationships between agents and their clients. Remember those long phone calls on the weekends? You probably know a lot about them and their families by the end of the transaction.
Use this knowledge to your advantage: send personalized postcards for birthdays and anniversaries. For some in-person interaction, throw an appreciation party for former clients or invite them for coffee.
Make sure mail from you is worth opening
Growing your mailing list is a recurring theme. However, if your emails end up directly in the spam folder and more clients opt-out each time you send one, it won’t do you much good.
Make sure your newsletter has some added-value content that will keep them coming back for more. Include local events and real estate news that are relevant to your target market.
Include a small gift in your direct mailing, like a scratch ticket or a little snack!
Advertise locally
Real estate is, first and foremost, a local business. It will be easier for your clients to remember your name if they see it as they go through their daily tasks. Your marketing budget is not infinite, so focus your investment on local opportunities before going global.
Sponsor a local sports team and don’t forget to attend the games: you may very well run into clients you haven’t seen in a while.
With Terraboost, you can advertise in local pharmacies and supermarkets and target neighborhoods where you have previously worked. Since 85% of the customers live or work in a 3 to 5 miles radius, former clients will remember you as they run errands.
Include a small gift in your direct mailing, like a scratch ticket!
Say thank you!
Everyone wants to feel appreciated! Don’t forget to thank your clients after a successful closing. Sending a memorable and useful gift never hurts either.
However, don’t stop there: send a thank you note and an appreciation gift each time they refer someone to you.
Include a small gift in your direct mailing, like a coupon or a little snack!
Be there for the long run
Real estate is a “hurry up and wait” type of game. No business is built overnight. It may take years before your clients are ready to buy or sell their house again. Don’t stop contacting former clients because you haven’t heard from them in a while.