Is real estate client loyalty your number one priority? Your first reaction might be to assume it is, even if you aren’t really certain. If you worked with a client previously, successfully helped that client buy or sell a home, and completed the transaction in a satisfactory manner, why wouldn’t your client want to remain loyal to you — right?
Interestingly enough, it’s not quite that simple. According to a recent article from RISMedia, it’s never been more important following a transaction to continue fostering a relationship with your client in order to nurture that relationship and truly become their go-to referral source for years to come. At the heart of it all, clients just want to continue feeling valued and appreciated, certainly want to be remembered, and need to be reminded that your relationship with them is just as important after the transaction as it was during. Real estate client loyalty is a critical component of any successful real estate agent’s ability to grow their practice, and real estate agents should never lose sight of that.
Real estate client loyalty tip No. 1: Continue to appreciate your clients
According to Jemila Winsey of ERA Legacy Living in Richmond, Texas, “the clients you work with are with you because of you and the experience you provide during and after the transaction. This is the essence of our business.” It’s important to remember that the transaction is simply the culmination of the first phase of your relationship with your client. That first phase consists of the actual transaction itself, and the ease in which that transaction took place. If the transaction was smooth for your client, they more than likely had a positive experience and became loyal to you as a result. That doesn’t necessarily mean they will remain loyal to you over time, particularly if you don’t continue to show them your appreciation well after the transaction has been completed.
Real estate client loyalty tip No. 2: Regularly reach out to your clients
“People want to feel valued, appreciated, and remembered,” says Nikki McCarthy, Director of Marketing at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Lifestyles Realty in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The operative word in that quote is “remembered” and the best way to help your clients feel remembered is to stay in regular contact with them. While a sense of loyalty may have been born when you first helped them buy or sell their home, that sense of loyalty is strengthened everytime you make the effort to remind your clients that you’re still thinking of them. Reaching out to them via a handwritten letter, phone call, or email can go a long way in making them continually feel appreciated. Afterall, your partnership certainly doesn’t end following the transaction, especially if you want to build a network of loyal brand advocates who will continue to think of you not only for their real estate needs, but the needs of the people in their circle of friends and acquaintances as well.
Real estate client loyalty tip No. 3: Strive to build friendships with your clients
As already stated, an effective way to nurture your client partnerships is via communication, with online communication being one of the more effective ways of helping you stay top of mind with each and every client. By highlighting their sales on social media, possibly via a case study, they’ll once again be reminded of how much you valued them trusting you with their transaction in the first place. By sending regular correspondence, possibly via newsletter or neighborhood market report, you’re not only helping educate and prepare your past clients for changes in the market, but you’re also displaying your expertise and reminding them that you are still the go-to real estate expert in their market. Or, if you choose to send your clients anniversary cards or gifts commemorating their transaction with you, that’s definitely another way to help build a deeper relationship with them that ventures closer into friendship territory—and consequently increases the likelihood that they’ll refer potential clients your way in the future and use your services the next time they’re in the market to either buy or sell a home.
For more information, visit https://www.colibrirealestate.com.
Tina Lapp is head of customer experience and instruction for Colibri Real Estate. With nearly 30 years of professional education experience in the real estate sector, Lapp empowers aspiring and seasoned professionals to thrive in their careers. Lapp was inducted into the RISMedia Newsmakers Hall of Fame in 2022.
