Regardless of the nature of the business, every type of client wants to be made a top priority. Especially in respect to real estate, they are well aware that you are likely juggling multiple clients, numerous showings, and prospects building on the horizon – but they want to feel like you’re actively motivated to help them succeed and that you share in their vision.
It’s not uncommon for people to genuinely want to have a trusted, long-term partnership with an Agent – as someone that is always looking out for their best interest. And considering that a referral is one of the best compliments that someone can give you, there are a few building blocks to grow positive long-term engagements with your clientele.
Here are four essential ingredients into nurturing these relationships for the long haul.
Be a useful resource
A common misconception for many real estate agents is that once the transaction is done, the engagement is done. However, that’s never the case for top performers who have built their reputation on trust and accountability – because they know how to become a valuable resource for their thriving clientele.
Being a reliable source means to return calls and emails at lightning speed. Especially when relating to the digital sphere, setting up a baseline of responsiveness is important if you want to keep in contact in the future. They will be more receptive to engaging with your monthly newsletters, holiday cards, and interesting trends in the local neighborhoods that come in the way of blog news.
Be honest
In any relationship, the keys to a healthy partnership are honesty and communication – there has to be a solid element of trust. Purchasing a home is a major life investment where a client is looking to put down roots, start a family, or perhaps might be selling their property to add to the final pieces of their retirement puzzle. Clients look to their real estate agents to be there for them during this critical juncture in their life.
They want to know about market activity, to know about neighborhoods intimately, and most importantly – they want an appropriate way to be given bad news. Buying or selling a home can be an emotional rollercoaster and they need someone in their corner that is prepared to fight for them and keep them optimistic about what’s ahead.
Treat clients as people, not transactions
It can be easy to grow complacent and to focus your energy on securing new clients. But winning new clients is hard, and if all you do is one transaction with every new client, you’re missing a tremendous opportunity and making your life much more difficult than it needs to be. Ultimately, it’s a very short-sighted approach.
Clients want to feel important, and that you genuinely want to help them succeed and are always going above and beyond for them. If you treat them properly, you’ll develop relationships for life that will result in a long-term stream of referrals and repeat transactions.
Create a partnership
The key to building a long-term partnership is to never let the communication immediately fall away.
Building a trusting partnership happens through listening, understanding their requirements, and establishing a mutually agreed upon strategy for buying and selling. It also means to actively and honestly representing the client’s best interests.
Schedule reminders to check in quarterly or bi-annually or set up a face to face to see if there is anything you can help with or provide your expertise towards. Or when a client is getting settled in, send over a nice gift basket, or pop by to ensure that everything is going well and they are happy.
What it really boils down to in terms of setting up the foundation of a long-term relationship is to lose the shortsighted lens that often plagues many agents who are motivated by the final transaction. By going above and beyond and truly providing value, you will leave them feeling positive about you as their agent, and more likely to recommend you to their friends and family.
Having a system that enables you to provide exceptional service, and to keep in touch in a way that’s timely and relevant, is imperative in order to compete. IXACT Contact’s powerful real estate CRM and Email Marketing system makes it easy.
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