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How many contacts are actually eager to hear from you? Unless you’re really putting some thought into your client touches, that number is probably a lot lower than you’d hope for.
Not to worry — getting back on track with client touches is easy, especially with a little help in the form of simple customer relationship manager (CRM) reminders.
In this article, we’ll run through the types of personal touches you can make to build better relationships with the contacts in your database. As long as you make an effort to include sufficient details on contacts and take the time to schedule the right reminders, these touches will help you stay top-of-mind.
1. ‘Housiversary’ cards and gifts
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Most people (especially first-time homebuyers) are sentimental about home purchases. Including closing dates and associated reminders in your CRM makes it easy to work high-quality personal touches into your contact schedule for buyer clients.
Instead of sending out an email for these touches, consider mailing a handwritten note along with a small gift — something like a bottle of sparkling cider. A week or so later, you can even make a quick call to check in and ensure they’re still happy with their home.
2. Happy birthday videos
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Who doesn’t want some extra attention on their birthday? Setting birthday reminders in your CRM gives you another excellent opportunity to send past (and potential) clients a personalized birthday message each and every year.
Again, handwritten notes go a long way here, but video emails aren’t a bad option either. With a video-email service like BombBomb, it’s easy to knock these types of touches out in minutes.
3. Event invitations
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Want to show past clients how much you value them? Consider throwing client-appreciation parties once or twice per year. Not only will hosting these events give you an opportunity to really reconnect with the people who attend, it’ll give you a chance to “touch” all of your past clients with personalized invites.
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to ideas for client-appreciation events, think about what would appeal to your clientele.
Still drawing a blank?
Holiday gatherings featuring kid-friendly events are usually a safe bet, especially if a significant portion of your clients have children.
4. Casual follow-ups
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What do you do when a contact casually mentions something like an upcoming baseball game for their child? Like most people, you probably offer positive comments and ask a few light questions before moving on with business, which is fine.
If that’s all you’re doing, however, you’re missing an excellent opportunity for some casual follow-up.
Make note of topics you intend to follow up on in your CRM along with a reminder. Some topics, like the baseball example above, are perfect for a quick email or text. A simple “Hoping for a home run!” on the morning before the game would surely win you some brownie points.
Remember this: You can’t treat all of your contacts the same and expect to really connect — that’s why generic marketing emails and rigid scripts perform so poorly. By identifying what makes each client unique, you can ensure your personal touches are actually meaningful.
Pat Hiban sold more than 7,000 homes over the course of his 25-year career in real estate. Now, he dedicates his time to helping others succeed as agents and investors. As host of the Real Estate Rockstars Podcast, Pat interviews real estate experts to explore what works in today’s markets. He also founded Rebus University, an online training platform for real estate agents and sales professionals.
