Last week at our Agent First Summit, we welcomed real estate superstar Steve Powers to share great tips on how to be successful in real estate by creating raving fans out of our clients. Steve is a real estate coach who has helped thousands of agents exceed their production goals and find success in the real estate business.
Our Agent First Summits happen every Tuesday morning! It’s a perk for all our real estate team members and any of their guests who want to join us. To get an invitation, RSVP here: Save Your Seat!
Creating Raving Fans From the Start
Creating raving fans means being great for the client from the beginning. You must go into each transaction remembering that your buyer/seller is responsible for EVERYTHING you have. Without buyers and sellers, you can’t pay for your home, car, family, or anything!
Because of this fact, giving your clients the respect they deserve is essential. Understand that it’s stressful to sell and buy homes. You need to show people compassion and let them know you understand what they’re going through.
The best way to build trust with clients and convert them into fans is to have lots of communication with them in the beginning. In the first seven days of a listing, call both husband and wife at least three times (for example, Monday, Wednesday, Friday).
The thing is, people generally don’t like to ask questions, but if you call them regularly and give them an opportunity to talk about questions they have, they will be more willing to ask questions and feel more respected. They will then be more amenable to you when you need to have tough conversations (like convincing them of a price drop).
In fact, the first week is the best time to get referrals because people are eager to share that they’re selling or buying on social media and, much of the time, friends will ask about their agent. People like to give referrals at this early stage because they want validation that they chose the right agent.
Asking for referrals, even during this first week, is the best thing you can do for your business. Don’t hesitate to follow the steps below to get the most out of your client relationships from the get-go.
Calling Clients the Right Way
When calling clients throughout the week, always call on their cell phones. Don’t call people at night; call them during the day to give them their own personal updates. In addition, always end the call professionally then ask for a referral.
When you’re chatting, there are four main steps you should keep in mind.
- Always use the words “your REALTOR®” to make sure people know that you are a professional, but friendly. You’re not just a friend. You’re a professional salesperson and should be respected as such.
- Offer to give them a “personal update.”
- End the call professionally.
- Ask for referrals.
For example, you might start with “Hello [name], this is your REALTOR® [name]. Do you have a minute for your own personal update?”
Next, ask them some questions you know they can see that you’ve done, i.e. “I sent you paperwork, did you get it?”. Then, tell them something they’ll have to believe about what you’re doing, i.e. what next steps you’re taking. Finally, open up for questions. No matter what they ask, always tell them it’s a great question!
When you feel the call is coming to an end, ask if they have any more questions. When they’ve “ended” the call by saying they have no more questions, ask if they know anyone else who needs help from a realtor. This is where you can get your referrals.
Keep up with this exact pattern until you close, then give the same call every 60-90 days following. In this way, you can keep in touch with people organically. You see, the reason we don’t get referrals from our clients and get repeat business is because we fail to follow up.
Building Trust With Clients
After clients move in, call and make sure everything’s okay. Offer to be the problem solver regardless of whether you were on the buying or selling side! There is nothing wrong with providing more value than anyone could ever expect of you!
After the closing, call past clientsjust before their yearly anniversaries. You should call them a week or so before to make sure that you aren’t late. By keeping up on anniversaries, you can then be there when, 6 or 7 years later, they want to move again.
Finally, as you’re interacting with clients, don’t give too much personal information. People won’t be nearly as willing to give referrals if they think you’re busy and struggling with personal issues. In an effort to be kind, they’ll leave you out of the conversation and you’ll miss referrals and the new clients you need.
If you can follow these simple steps to build strong relationships with your clients, you’ll find that you don’t just have friends, but fans of your business and your work who are eager to share you with their own friends and family.
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