The majority of a real estate agents' time is spent marketing and networking, as these two areas are key drivers of sales and new listings. While by their very nature most agents are fantastic networkers, there are some activities that fall in the gap between these two skills which can be missed by even the most experienced real estate professionals.
The key to maximising the return on your marketing and networking activities is to create memorable connections between you and your prospective and current clients. To assist you with this we have listed three ways to improve your marketing and networking.
1. Reward customers for referrals: when you provide great service to clients, they'll naturally refer you to their friends, colleagues and associates. If you do hear of a client providing a referral for you, it may be nice to courier them a small gift, such as a bottle of their favourite wine. Your generosity will be appreciated, and could encourage them to continue referring you to their networks;
2. Send a card: cards are cheap and effective, and can be utilised in a variety of ways. You could start by building a database of all of your past and present clients' birthdays, and work to mail them a card every birthday with a personal handwritten message. Your clients are likely to remember this small act, and this may help keep you 'front of mind' next time they are planning on transacting property;
3. Personal connections: it may help to use contact tracking software often utilised by sales representatives in competitive industries. This will allow you to centralise all of the small pieces of information you gather about different clients, such as their favourite chocolates or cafes. Being able to recall this information after a period without contact may help create a stronger connection with your clients;
Try using these simple tips and you may be surprised at the response you receive.