Ever had a great initial chat with a potential new client, but left feeling unsure if you’d ever hear from them again? If you’re not sure how to follow up after a promising appointment or impromptu meeting, follow these three quick tactics to ensure you stay on their radar.
Tactic #1: The right-then thank you note
First, don’t leave the parking lot until you’ve begun your planned outreach. Keep a stack of thank you notes or other personal stationery in your glove compartment or in a small storage container. Get in the habit of writing a quick thank-you note in the car every time you leave a meeting with a potential new client.
Keep stamps on hand and deliver the thank you note to the first mailbox or post office you see as you drive away. While it isn’t the most efficient method of communicating your gratitude, a handwritten note still goes a long way when it comes to attempting to land a new client. And because our other two tactics are immediate, text-related follow-ups, you’ll also guarantee that your contact thinks of you 1-2 days after you’ve met in person (right as they may have otherwise forgotten about you).
Tactic #2: Send a “Just one more thing” video
Next, without leaving the parking lot, fire up your cell phone’s video capability. Take a quick video where you offer them an additional tip that you forgot to mention within your meeting. Be sure to start with a brief intro:
“Hey Andrew, it’s Janet. I forgot to tell you one more thing I meant to mention in our meeting…”
Wondering what to say? If you’re communicating with a buyer lead, let them know that you have a weekly sales meeting where agents talk about “coming soon” listings. Tell them you’ll watch for any homes that fit their criteria so they can possibly see listings even before they’re available on the MLS. This is a great way to stay in contact with a buyer who may not be ready to buy yet, but hopes to get pre-approved soon. You may be able to get them to move more quickly if they think the right home is out there and they’re the only buyers who know about it.
If communicating with a potential seller, say that you can send them a hyper-localized market report that uses local data to show them what their house could sell for (or what other comparable houses are selling for, and how fast). Let them know you’ll just need their email address to do so. By tee-ing up a Market Snapshot® or other similar market, your contacts will be much more likely to open it when they see it come through their email.
Tactic #3: Share your customized contact info
Last — and this is one of our favorite methods — be sure to share your contact record with them. Whether you have an iPhone or Android device, you’re able to share a robust contact record that can include everything from your email address and website, to office address to business name and more.
Plus, here’s a tip from master agent Eric Hatch: When creating a contact record you plan to share, don’t just enter your first and last name. Give as much information as possible. For example, Eric includes the term “My Real Estate Agent” within his contact record, along with his home brokerage, Century 21 Cornerstone:
Having that much info in your “name” field comes in especially handy when you make a fast introduction in line at a grocery store, coffeeshop or at a fast-and-furious networking event. These quick connections may not remember your first or last name in the future, but they would still be able to search “real estate” or “agent” within their contacts to find you in the future.
What’s your immediate follow-up method?
Do you have a tactic, or set of tactics, that you use to engage brand-new prospects? Tell us in the comments or drop us a line on our Facebook page, where we keep in touch with more than 35,000 top agents from across the country
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