MY MIND??! Each of us, in businesses that require your attention to getting clients to use YOU rather than the average Jane or Joe out there, must have away that we contact our people. There are several different approaches to this but only a few that actually work out. What you need in your business is a steady source of customers; but how do you do it? One such way is to work By Referral! I'm a Realtor with Remax Professionals here in Littleton Colorado and I've discovered that to get the business you've got go out and hunt for the clients AND make sure you stay in contact with those you've already served.
If you're working By Referral, then you hope, HOPE, that your past clients, friends, family and everyone else know who you are, know what you're doing and know someone who needs YOU. There's several strategies to how you should contact your "Mets" and those "Leads" you're given, but just how strategic should you become?
Here's a few...eh...not so great methods that people use....in order to "Stay in Touch" so that they'll get referred new clients and business:
The Buckshot Method - Blast-em all! Email to every one in your database or direct mail! That should get someone to know what you do and to use you.....Right??? WRONG! In my past I spent $2,400 on mailing out 10,000 flyers to people. Pretty....oh so perfect flyers that I created....on full-color card stock....nice! I received only ONE call. To add insult to injury my friend said "Hey, I got your card. It looks great, thanks!" Sending out cards or e-mail are just as in-effective (in one trigger pull) as shouting "I sell cars!" to the freeway!
The Recipe Card - Oh, you've seen these! This is a card you get in the mail with a pretty photo on one side with a nice tasty dish and...on the other side....oh look...it's from my exterminator! So...what kind of message do you think you're communicating? Maybe if you're a caterer...I could get it. But from someone in a non-food related industry...well. You're not exactly at the top of my mind to send a client your way but if I'm ever in the mood for Stawberry Crepes....??
The Call Till They Buy - Ok, I like talking to my friends, family and clients like any of you but do you ever have those people who call you about three or four times a week begging for business? Perhaps they come by all the time or poke you incessantly on Facebook till you delete them from your friends list. Too much is TOO MUCH! I don't mind keeping someone in the top of my mind if they need a service or something but Good Night...GET A LIFE!
Ok Clinton, so...what's a better way. Well that's my quest. A few years ago, when I decided that I wanted my clients to be "Clients for Life" (or friends for all my life), I investigated a few ways of how to best touch them. When I joined Keller Williams back in 2008, I read the Millionare Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller and thought I had found a system. I did find a system but what I also found is that not every square peg fits a round hole. Not only that but technology has increased with the advent of Facebook, Twitter, Active Rain, Wordpress and YouTube for getting your word out.
So...here's a thought. Maybe the right way is to incorporate several contact methods in a concise manner. Have a system that keeps to a schedule so you can set the expectation with your clients, friends and family that, yes, "I do exist and am a Real Estate Agent, Plumber, Artist...ect" and that I want you to know I'm here for you. I believe a constructive way to do this is to plan what you're going to say and when.
The day before Thanksgiving 2010, I decided to Buckshot all my friends in Facebook with a simple little message: "Hey! Happy Thanksgiving!" and send it to all 767 of my friends (you can find me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/coloradovistas). Do you know, it took me 9 HOURS to contact 422 of my friends and post that little message to their page? See....if you just 'update your status', according to Mike Murphy - VP of Global Sales at Facebook, only about 30 to 50 people see the message. That means that you have to personally contact all the others personally to say "Feliz Navidad" or "A chipmunk bit me on the lip today".{and to think that 345 of my friends never had a happy thanksgiving due to poor planning...bummer}
So, you've got to be a little strategic. Plan your e-mails, your flyers, your 'recipe cards', and your phone calls. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, right?
What I would like to know is what tomorrow's winning lottery numbers are and what you've discovered has been the perfect combination and rhythm to contact your peoples. Let me know what your thoughts are below! Don't worry...I won't steal your secret formula of 9 herbs and spices but I think it would be great to know what you do that helps you and your business personally. We could all use the improvement and, it's true what we learned in kindergarden: It's fun to share!
~Clinton
L. Clinton Porter
Realtor / Broker Associate
RE/Max Professionals
Team Colorado Vistas
Littleton / Ken Caryl Colorado
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