You hear through the grapevine that a past client is thinking of making a move.
“No problem,” you think. “He’s in my real estate database and I’ve stayed in touch with him and his family for more than four years. He recently mentioned to me that he enjoys the real estate newsletters I send out every month. He’ll call me when he’s ready to speak to a Realtor.
Will he?
What happens if days or even weeks go by and you haven’t been contacted? If your past client is really serious about moving, he would have been in touch with a Realtor by now.
Did he contact another agent and not you?
Never take client loyalty for granted. Even if you’re certain that — due to your real estate referral marketing tools and your real estate database you use to generate repeat business — your past client is loyal to you, don’t be so presumptious as to think you’ll automatically get the call and, by consequence, the listing.
Client loyalty significantly increases your chances of getting repeat business, but it doesn’t absolutely guarantee it.
So you can’t rest on your laurels. You must be proactive.
When you hear that a past client may be moving, treat that information as a hot lead.
Contact your past client right away. Explain to them that you’re available to help with any information or assistance they may need — and that you hope you’ve earned their confidence in your services.
What if you discover that your past client is indeed considering hiring someone else?
Then at least you can deal with that issue right away (instead of finding out about it too late). It may be that your past client doesn’t realize you handle out-of-town relocations or real estate in a different part of the city.
Whatever the reason, you now have an opportunity to get the listing you might have otherwise lost.
Takeaway point: Loyal clients are your most valuable business asset. Never take them for granted.
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