How many of your past clients reached out to you when their lease was up at the end of the year, wanting to relocate to a different neighborhood? Have any past rental clients contacted you in regards to becoming buyers?
According to the 2020 NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends report, 75 percent of buyers and 73 percent of sellers said they would definitely use their real estate agent again or recommend to others. This is why it’s the responsibility of agents to stay memorable to their clients, and why they should make that a priority.
However, what many brokers fail to do is acknowledge the strongest leads that are accessible to them — their past clients. This is usually due to poor communication and follow-up. In order to be successful in real estate in the long run, following a more relationship-building-based approach is optimal. Having repeat clients is also ideal because it keeps a sense of loyalty and stability in your business. Moreover, you become more qualified for stronger referrals from loyal clients, and you won’t have to rely on constantly investing in marketing to find brand new leads.
By following the four tips listed below, I’m sure you will successfully turn your past clients into repeat business.
1. Remember holidays
Holidays are an excellent way to keep in touch with your past clients and remind them that you’re still around. Sending out a cute, handmade holiday card, or even a box of chocolates, helps remind the client that you’re looking out for them, and that you’re keeping them in mind. Once the time rolls around for them to move out, they will feel familiar and more willing to work with you.
Remember, the attention and effort you present to your clients will remind them of your dedication and loyalty, which will ultimately make you stand out.
2. Make social media your best friend
We are so blessed to be living in an age where we can brand ourselves and curate a target audience that can keep up with what we’re doing every day. You should use this to your advantage in your business. Social media can become a way for your clients to see how your business is unraveling. Plus, they can keep in contact with you right from their pockets.
Social media is extremely crucial to real estate agents as it improves brand visibility. You can create an inspirational real-estate lifestyle Instagram profile by sharing pictures of your listings, as well as cool spots you might know in the neighborhood. (Everybody loves a good restaurant recommendation!) That way, your past clients will see how your business is thriving.
Facebook can allow you to share fun real estate articles in order to keep your clients engaged with the industry. It can also help you stay updated with your clients’ lives. You can use these outlets to share your accomplishments, like the houses you’ve sold to other clients. This builds credibility; when your clients see you’re closing many deals, they’ll want to work with you again.
You design a persona and a lifestyle behind your real estate license that makes you unique and sets you apart from other agents. This is what attracts your clients and makes you memorable. Social media shouldn’t be a once-a-month kind of task, either. It’s all about relationship-building, and it should never feel transactional. You should constantly be posting, commenting and connecting daily to keep yourself at the top of people’s minds.
3. Take advantage of the CRM
Keeping track of all your clients can become tedious. It requires a lot of effort and dedication to keep all of your data in order. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a true blessing for real estate agents. Not only does this automated marketing tool help you stay organized, it also reminds you when to interact and stay up to date with your clients.
Not having a organizational tool in place could mean misplaced or scattered business leads and information, which often leads to a client being forgotten and ultimately, not being converted into a potential client in the future. With a CRM, you can even connect social media platforms like Facebook to help keep track of birthdays and holidays, as well as complete other tasks, like sending automated reminders for scheduled meetings and even personal encouragements when needed.
4. Have fun with your career
If you interact and close with clients in a transaction style and restart from scratch after every year, you will just end up losing morale and motivation in your career. A huge part of being a real estate agent is building interpersonal relationships; this is how you get your strongest form of clients (return and referral). If you treat being a real estate agent like a job, it will feel like — a job. If you treat it like a career, you will be able to grow and become very successful.
With that said, you should try and get to know your prospective clients when you first get in contact with them. Incorporate small talk, which will help you better understand your prospective clients and what they’re looking for. In a field that can be pretty ruthless, developing a personal environment for your clients will make them feel more comfortable and enthusiastic about working with you.
Think of creating an enjoyable experience when touring your prospective client, for instance. Take them out for a cup of coffee in the neighborhood. This will make them feel as though you’re an expert in the area. Not to mention, it’ll make them feel more special — like they’re not just another client.
If they close with you, bring them a cute housewarming plant, or treat them to dinner at an expensive local restaurant. Creating a fun and unique experience for a client sets you apart from other agents. As a result, clients will be more likely to keep your name in mind later in life, when they’re looking to buy or rent in another location.
Mia Baranovsky is a licensed real estate salesperson with REAL New York in New York.
