5 Communication Strategies
1:53 Minute Read
What’s one major complaint clients have with real estate agents?
Survey says….
Lack of communication!
I know we’re all busy. And it’s easy to abandon tasks that seem unnecessary. But if you want long-term success in real estate, building trust through communication is key. Lack of regular contact is the biggest, reputation-killing complaint by far and yet the EASIEST one to fix. Here’s how:
“Most clients don’t need much hand-holding. They just need to know you’re managing the process.”
Never miss these 5 times to engage your clients. In less than one minute, you can create a warm exchange and set yourself apart from all the competition. Make this a part of your selling system. Have a plan to execute it. Don’t leave it to chance.
First Meeting. Whether you earned that listing or not, take a minute to thank potential clients for their time meeting with you. Same goes for buyers too. Within 24 hours of your first meeting, take a minute to write an email, text or best of all, send a notecard. Sincerely express appreciation for them and that you’re looking forward to meeting them again and getting to know them better.
Weekly Updates. Is it really too much trouble to send an email saying, “Hey, just wanted to touch base with you”? Let GRAR send your clients a weekly report of their property’s web traffic. They will receive an email each Monday morning indicating how many buyers saw their home online. Not only is it good information, it’s also great PR for you! That report gives you the perfect reason to send follow up emails and make reasonable adjustments to the listing. Set it up once and forget about it. Easy Peezy.
GO TO: GRAR > Member Login > Tools & Resources > MLS & Tech Tools > Public Search Statistics.
When Trouble Occurs. Too many agents pretend to be gazelles when trouble erupts. They run for the tall grass and hide until the storm blows over. Don’t miss the opportunity to become a client’s hero. Stand up. Be seen. Take charge. Become The Fixer – The Slayer of Problems. And you will become their agent for life. And let’s be honest: Sometimes it’s the agent who created the problem. If you’ve made mistakes, the best advice is this: Own it, Apologize and Fix It. Never lie. Never shift the blame. It makes you look weak. Showing good character – even in the middle of a misstep – is the best way to heal a setback.
Closing Sequence. While you may have closed dozens or hundreds of properties, please remember it may be a new experience for your client. They have many questions so take the time to educate and prepare them. Each Monday we send an email to all parties including our client, the lender, other agent and title company closer. We keep everyone in the loop. Included in that email is a review of what occurred last week, where we are in the process now and a list of next steps to anticipate this coming week. Our final email – Closing Instructions - is sent the week of closing. It includes answers to every question any client has ever asked us. No stone is left unturned. And no one ever says, “No one ever told me that.” Because there is no good reason to “reinvent the wheel” each time you converse with a client, we save one document that contains all the language we typically use. We simply cut and paste what we need. If you’d like a copy of that document, just CLICK HERE. I am happy to share it with you.
Follow Up. Some folks think their real estate agent collects a commission check and moves on to another client. Pleasantly surprise them. Let them know you’re still thinking of them long after the transaction. After possession, send a message asking about their new home, getting settled and tying up loose ends. At the beginning of the next year, ask if they need copies of their transaction for tax purposes. Each springtime, send a market update and ask for referrals. Keep in touch.
And one important benefit of good communication? You will receive referrals forever.
Feeling crowded at your current brokerage? Ready for a change?
