When it comes to keeping in touch with your clients, consistency is key. You need a communication plan that keeps you top of mind with your sphere of influence so they’ll contact you when they need to buy or sell a home.
At the same time, your touch points should be authentic and help you build and nurture client relationships beyond the transaction.
To get started, here are six steps to incorporate into your real estate communication plan.
1. Set a daily contact goal and call your database regularly
Take the total number of people in your database and divide by 20. This tells you how many you should call per day in order to make contact with everyone every month. There are 20 business days in each 30-day period.
If that number is too big, then divide by 40 or 60 so you can contact everyone every 60 or 90 days. At a minimum, making five calls per day is easily doable, so start there and do more if you can. You can contact using the auto dialer, or simply call your database until you make the required contacts daily on your own.
2. Use the right tools to reach out to your database
Consider using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software such as kvCORE, Happy Grasshopper or Contactually to regularly email your database. Whatever CRM you choose, make sure all of the contact inputs are accurate and up to date. Digital communication is unreliable and should never be your only spoke, though, so do this in addition to making those calls.
3. Send specific videos to your email database
The videos can range from housing market reports to just-listed, just-sold or listings wanted for your motivated buyers. The possibilities are endless. Make the videos short and sweet to capture and keep your audience’s attention.
4. Use social media as a complement
Post and send messages on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media as a supplement, not as a spoke. Friend your past clients, stay engaged and be supportive, but don’t stalk them. Remember, this is a support item; it’s not a stand-alone effort.
5. Choose which client appreciation events to commit to and perfect them
Decide if these events will be monthly, quarterly or yearly. Take time to plan and promote these gatherings, and carve out time to socialize with each client during the events to catch up. Well-planned out client appreciation events will keep you top of mind and inspire clients to refer more business your way.
6. Learn and use Ninja Selling’s F.O.R.D. memory jogger for your conversations
F.O.R.D. stands for “Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams.” These topics frame your conversations and make it much easier for you to ask for business in a natural, conversational manner. It keeps your ego at bay and makes the discussion all about your clients. Real estate will come up on its own, and you’ll always remember to ask for referrals.
Tim and Julie Harris host a podcast for real estate professionals. Tim and Julie have been real estate coaches for more than two decades, coaching the top agents in the country through different types of markets.
