An Old-Time Favorite Gives Me The Edge, Return Service Equals Staying Power

An unusual conversation happened upon a gentlemen and myself while standing in the check out line in a Cracker Barrel Restaurant. He noticed that I had purchased for myself a product that was very familiar to him. He tapped me on my shoulder, and proceeded to explain that after his father came home from work he would often take him to a soda fountain where he grew up, and share this "old-time" favorite, a Skybar. Now, I am very much a youngster as it concerns this gentlemen; he is mostly white hair and walks with a cane. I could not help but to sit with him a while outside the restaurant in their famous rocking chairs, and let him divulge on his reminiscence. So, we sat for a while, and I listened to a wonderful story. He and I now make it a point to get back to that restaurant every so often where we swap " I don't cares" back and forth.

So where is the edge? It's the product. I realized that this relationship was created by a simple candy bar that conjured up old memories of a father and son sharing an afternoon together as friends. The value is not the candy bar, but the familiarity of such a wonderful feeling that I recreated by purchasing the product, and listening to another person's feelings. Sounds kind of sappy, I know. But creating deep relationships with your clients will also create trust and keep you at the front of your clients memory when they think of real estate.

For Example: I took note that a client who recently purchased a home with me had spoke of a certain band that he was so impressed with. So, the next time I picked him up to go view homes, I made sure to have a brand new CD of that band that he loved playing in the CD player. As we drove he spoke about the band members and their songs, and had a really relaxed experience as we went from home to home. At the end of the trip, I ejected the CD, placed it in its case, and gave it to him. He was very grateful, and told a number of his friends what I had done. By creating a relaxed atmosphere, and creating a focused and deep relationship with my client, he has expressed his intent to buy and sell with me in the future, and has been a wonderful source of buyer and seller referrals.

Thanks to an older gentlemen, I learned the value of creating focused and deep relationships, and how there is a great value in hearnig what your clients interests, and connecting with them. I think that when we get caught up in the daily grind of showing homes, setting ups open houses, meeting with new buyers, or doing listing presentations we sometimes turn into selling machines oblivious to our buyers and sellers needs. I speak of creating a sense of fulfillment with my clients, and I mean to do just that.

Give this idea some thought. If you want to be successful for years to come, you want to start now to create those lasting relationships for return service. And it is a great way to set you apart from other Realtors in your area. Remember, you want to create value for your clients, otherwise they will find someone else who will.