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Scheduling a Visit with a Past Client

By
Real Estate Technology with IXACT Contact Real Estate CRM

You should personally visit your best past clients at least once a year. This is one of the many things you need to do to be sucessful in real estate sales and make clients loyal to you.

However, it can sometimes be awkward or even intimidating, to schedule such a visit. What do you say? What reason do you give? How do you get a client to agree to meet with you?

The best source of ideas is your IXACT Contact real estate CRM database.

Ideally, you’ve been filling out the information in your database with things like mortgage renewal dates, holidays observed, birthdays of family members, anniversaries, supported charities, pets, occupations, etc.

Knowing that a particular client celebrates Christmas or Hanukkah, for example, gives you the opportunity to call and arrange to drop off a holiday gift. You could say, “I have something special for your family and I’d like to stop by this evening at seven. Is that okay with you?

But gift-giving isn’t the only reason for scheduling a visit with a past client.

If you know your clients are planning to fix up or renovate their home, for example, you could call and say, “I know how difficult it is to find a reputable contractor. I’m seeing a client in your area this Thursday. I’ll drop by at six with my list of recommended contractors. Then, I can also answer any questions you may have about them.”

If your contact database indicates that a client’s mortgage is coming up for renewal within the next few months you’ll have another opportunity to visit. You can call and offer to go over financing options and recommend lenders to help them get the best possible rate.

Sure, it’s not always easy. You have to be creative and come up with the right excuse and approach. But the effort is worth it.

A personal visit each year with your best clients pays off in more referrals and repeat business. Don’t risk missing even one.

 

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Frank D'Angelo
EXIT REALTY NEXUS Minneapolis & St. Paul MN - Coon Rapids, MN
Helping people is my business in Real Estate

Great follow up tips.  Most of us do not take the time to followup in this industry.

Best of the new year to you.

Dec 02, 2010 01:15 PM
Rose Osman
John Aaroe Group - Sherman Oaks, CA

Rich, great suggestions!  I'm going to buy a bunch of poinsettia plants and do some drop-offs in the next few weeks!

Dec 02, 2010 01:38 PM
Sophia Lin
Intero Real Estate Services - Sunnyvale, CA
Sunnyvale CA Real Estate Specialist

So true, those best clients cannot be repeat clients if we don't put our efforts in and keep in touch.

Dec 02, 2010 01:47 PM
Allen Deaver
Sky Realty - Kyle, TX
Allen Deaver

Great idea Rich...  Thank you for your inspiration...

Dec 02, 2010 02:01 PM
Anonymous
Anonymous

I like it!  Great suggestions!

Dec 02, 2010 02:53 PM
#15
Angelina Clarke
Builder Services Realty, LLC - Tampa Palms, FL

GREAT SUGGESTIONS Rich!  Thanks for the insight!!

Dec 02, 2010 03:15 PM
Pat Tasker
Shorewest Realtors - Germantown, WI
Your Milwaukee Metro Area Agent (WI)

so many reasons to pop by!  And if you are in a slump, it boosts your happiness level meeting up with past clients!

Dec 02, 2010 03:22 PM
Jason Watton
Realty One Group of Scottsdale, AZ - Scottsdale, AZ
Realtor - Scottsdale Arizona Homes for Sale

Thanks for the motivation - this is so much easier to say than do.  Have a great day!

Dec 02, 2010 04:34 PM
Claudette Millette
The Buyers' Counsel - Ashland, MA
Buyer, Broker - Metrowest Mass

We definitely need to stay in touch with our client base and remind them that we are still around.

 

Dec 02, 2010 11:06 PM
Gay E. Rosen
Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty - Larchmont, NY
As Real as Real Estate Gets!

Rich: Nice tips. I am dropping off market stats!  Best, Gay

Dec 03, 2010 12:50 AM
Bernadine Hunter, SFR, ACRE
Keller Williams Greater Columbus Realty - Pickerington, OH
"Finding Solution to Your Real Estate Needs"

I try to keep in contact on a monthly basis with some kind of communication.

Dec 03, 2010 01:40 AM
Margaret Goss
@Properties - Winnetka, IL
Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

It's simply one of the most important things we ca do!  I try to schedule a lunch/dinner/event with each past client once a year.  And you're right - sometimes it's awkward even if the relationship is friendly but I always feel good when I've done it.

Dec 03, 2010 02:54 AM
Rich Gaasenbeek
IXACT Contact Real Estate CRM - Toronto, ON
Real Estate CRM & Marketing Made Easy!

Nor, Steve, Barbara, Keith, Sophia, Allen, Angelina, Jason, Claudette, glad you liked the post and found it helpful!

Norma, variety is indeed "the spice of life".  The Holiday Season is the time we tend to think of seeing clients, but if you can mix it up all through the year, all the better.  There's less competition for one thing!  :)

Lanre, so true how we can get caught chasing new leads that we forget to stay in touch with the clients who have actually given us thousands - or tens of thousands - of dollars in commissions.

Dec 03, 2010 03:39 AM
Rich Gaasenbeek
IXACT Contact Real Estate CRM - Toronto, ON
Real Estate CRM & Marketing Made Easy!

Cheryl - hadn't thought of that one!

Dave - great point about not overstaying your welcome.  You're dropping by, not making a night of it.  Now if they offer you a coffee, feel free to accept their hospitality if you can. 

Ken - what a great example of this in action, and I love the fact that you did it in the summer! 

Tni - at the end of the day you gotta be yourself.  It's too much effort trying to be someone you're not...

Dec 03, 2010 03:54 AM
Rich Gaasenbeek
IXACT Contact Real Estate CRM - Toronto, ON
Real Estate CRM & Marketing Made Easy!

Rose - poinsettias are perfect! 

Pat - you're right on.  There's no greater pick-me-up than putting a smile on a client's face! :) 

Gay - market stats will work just fine.  Who isn't interested in the value of their (in most cases) largest single financial asset?

Good for you Bernadine!  Monthly is great.  Just be sure to keep your communications fresh and relevant and you're well on your way to becoming a contact management master!  ;-)

 

Dec 03, 2010 04:00 AM
Reg Gupton
Reg Gupton Inc. - Boulder, CO

Rich, et al.  Great posts and an on-going issue for those who I work with.

A long time ago when I had just started out in real estate, while out for a stroll on the Downtown Boulder Mall, I saw coming my way a past client couple. We had closed their transaction a few weeks before.

We walked up to each other. Shared a warm embrace. I asked how they were doing, how the kids were adjusting to their new school and how the house was doing for them.

We talked about these things, then the husband said to me:  "Reg, are you angry with us?"  Of course not was my answer.

He then said:  "Well for a couple of weeks prior to the closing, you talked to us sometimes 2-3 times per day making sure the transaction closed smoothly."  Which it did.

I was shocked and embarrassed.  I apologized for my behavior and learned a powerful lesson.

I changed my Closing Action Plan(s) in Top Producer to include post-close calls scheduled at 7, 30 and every 90 days after that.

Did I make all the calls? Nope and I was better than before.

I have had agents say they do not want to know how the house is doing because if there is a problem then they will have to deal with it.  So right.

Better to learn about a problem early on than learn about it from an attorney.  Recommendations can also be made to repair/contractor/trades people for those inevitable repair/remodeling projects.

A Metro Denver agent friend of mine calls all 456 people in his database every 60 days.  It takes him a few days. It is well worth the investment of time.

He closes about 10 deals per 100 people in his database. Pretty good ROI I would think.

Staying in touch with by phone or face-to-face is the best way to grow your business.

 

 

 

 

 

Dec 03, 2010 04:47 AM
Rebecca Diamond
Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Bryn Mawr - Bryn Mawr, PA
Main Line Homes for Sale

Scheduling my client visits is sometimes tedious, but I always look forward to them once scheduled. They are always informative and fun and it only takes 10-15 minutes. 

Dec 03, 2010 05:10 AM
Melissa Zavala
Broadpoint Properties - Escondido, CA
Broker, Escondido Real Estate, San Diego County

Those personal visits can really go a long way toward future referrals and an unsurpassed level of service.

Dec 03, 2010 05:49 AM
Tod Hunt
Hunt For Homes, LLC - Medford, OR
Your real estate advocate

Great post and reminder. Building a strong referral base of 20-25 "A" clients - what I call my "raving fans" - is essential if you want to continue to attract and build upon a clientele that is a pleasure to work with. Treating your top clients like VIPs is a very gratifying experience. It makes us feel good about what we do because we receive genuine appreciation from those we have most "connected" with.

Thanks for your post!

Tod Hunt, Broker   The Atlas Group, Medford, OR

 

Dec 03, 2010 06:05 AM
Rich Gaasenbeek
IXACT Contact Real Estate CRM - Toronto, ON
Real Estate CRM & Marketing Made Easy!

Reg, thanks for taking the time to share with us such a great story!  In fact, it's such a perfect illustration of why it's important to stay in touch, and how quickly people can form opinions of us when we don't, that I'm wondering if you would object if I featured your story in a future blog post - with full credit to you of course? 

Rebecca, you make an important point.  Client visits don't have to take a long time.  10-15 minutes - even 5 minutes - of face time can leave a very positive impression. 

Melissa, glad you liked the post. 

Tod, I like your concept of the 20-25 Raving Fans.  It's really applying the 80/20 rule to your Sphere of Influence, which itself is a product of the 80/20 rule.  Kinda like "80/20 squared"...

Dec 04, 2010 09:22 AM