Make Relationship Calls, Not Sales Calls

Say you get two phone calls in quick succession.

The first call is from your investment advisor who is trying to sell you on yet another financial product. The second call is from the contractor who installed your air conditioning system last year and is checking to see if everything is working properly.

Are you going to react to both these calls in the same way?

Probably not. You might treat the first caller as a pesky salesperson going after their next lead, and try to get off the phone as quickly as possible. During the second call, however, you’ll likely be much more receptive and be willing to chat for a few minutes.

Why? Because the first is a sales call, the second is a relationship call. There’s a world of difference between the two.

As a real estate sales professional, you want to build loyalty with your past clients and referral sources. So when you follow-up with them, you need to focus on building the relationship, not making a sale.

If every time you speak to your clients you ask, “Do you plan to make a move soon?”, they’re going to become resistant to speaking with you. That’s definitely not conducive to getting them to recommend you to their friends and colleagues!

Your calls should focus on what you can do for your client, not what your client can do for you. Here’s an example of what you might say:

“Hi Sam. Just checking in to see how you’re enjoying your home. It’s been three years now and I was thinking that you might be considering some renovations. If you need a contractor recommendation, give me a call. I may be able to help.”

Notice the difference? A client who hears a real estate sales professional start a conversation that way is likely to think of you as a helpful expert, someone who cares about their needs.

Takeaway point: When contacting past clients, focus on building the relationship, not on getting a new listing.

I want to know: How many times are you calling your clients per year and what do you say during these calls?

Make sure you’re using your IXACT Contact real estate CRM to schedule quarterly keep in touch calls so you can ensure you’re staying in touch and that you’re consistently top of mind. Also, don’t forget to record your conversations in the client’s contact profile so the next time you speak with them, you’ll know the details of the last conversation. If you’re not using IXACT Contact, sign up for a FREE 5-week trial at www.ixactcontact.com!