Focus on cultivating long-term clients and form immunity to adverse market conditions
Attracting long-term clients is a powerful strategy for growing your real estate business. Long-term clients are likely to feel more satisfied, are more likely to refer other qualified buyers and sellers, and repeat as clients when their needs change.
Savvy real estate professionals can gain big from using these 10 strategies for retaining loyal clients:
Focus your marketing on existing clients. Your current customers have already overcome certain hurdles to doing business with you and are more likely to buy from you again.
Be consistent in your approach. Treat clients with honesty, humor, and respect and maintain this over time. Present a consistent, solid, and professional style to your clients - one that they can grow to depend on.
Follow through on your commitments. If you promise to send information or to follow up, be sure to do this. You'd be surprised at how many professionals promise to send information, but then never do. You will gain loyalty and trust by doing what you say you will do.
Allow yourself to connect with them. Find out about their lives, their hopes, goals, and desired outcomes. Ask questions that encourage a deeper sense of shared understanding - the greater level of connection, the greater mutual satisfaction.
Have fun. It's easy to get caught up in the grind of daily matters. Clients want to work with an agent who enjoys what they do. The more fun you can have while providing strong outcomes, the longer your clients will stay.
Position yourself as a resource for life. Tell your clients, at the beginning, that you want to be their agent for life.
Ask for feedback and input. At some intervals within the working relationship, solicit feedback and input. Ask your clients how they feel about working with you and ask if they have suggestions for improvement. Asking for their ideas shows that you care about their opinions.
Share resources. Do you know a good interior decorator or home improvement specialist they might need for a project? Tell him or her about it. Sharing resources is a terrific way to build loyalty and satisfaction.
Reward them for being loyal. Send a handwritten thank you note when you get a referral. Or recognize clients in your newsletter that have helped your business. Often clients just want to be recognized and appreciated.
Keep learning. The more you focus on gaining new knowledge, new skills, and new experiences, the more you have to offer your clients. The more you have to offer, the more they will benefit and be loyal to you.
Implement these ten tips for client retention, and you too, will have a business that continues to grow and thrive into the future regardless of how hot or cold is the market.
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