One of the key elements of successful referral and repeat marketing is keeping in touch with past clients. Only by communicating in just the right way, at just the right frequency, can you ensure a steady stream of referrals and repeat sales.

But what if you’ve lost touch with a client you did business with months or years ago? Is it too late? If it is, it sure would be a shame since you spent so many real estate marketing dollars and so much time and energy converting those real estate leads you once had into clients.

In most cases, you can still win that client over. But, to create loyalty, you must take action now.

Don’t just start sending those past clients your newsletters or flooding them with your drip marketing. Instead, in the beginning, reconnecting with past clients can start with a phone call. Here’s what to say:

Introduce yourself fully

Don’t assume your client still remembers you. Say something like: “Hello. It’s Jim Stephenson here at ABC Realty. How are you? It’s been some time since we last spoke.”

Apologize

Tell your client that, frankly, you should have done a better job of staying in contact, and that you want to make a fresh start.

Ask how you can help

Let them know that your job as real estate sales professional involves more than just helping to buy or sell a home.

Make a promise

Say that, with their permission, you’re going to keep in regular contact with them in order to provide them with information and advice that will help them maximize the enjoyment of their home.

Say thank you

Make sure they know you appreciate the opportunity to renew the relationship and be available to them as their “home expert.”

Most clients will appreciate the call and give you permission to stay in touch.

When they do, don’t forget to put them in your IXACT Contact real estate CRM so you never lose touch with them again!

Making calls to long-lost clients may feel a bit uncomfortable. But it’s worth it.  Remember, just one more loyal client in your database can mean thousands of dollars earned through referrals and repeat sales in the future.

We want to know:

Do you have any tips or ideas you can share with us about re-connecting with a client whom you’ve lost touch with?