If you’re seeking new ways to earn repeat business or client referrals after closing real estate transactions, there are a couple of very simple ways to do so. If you can follow these easy steps, you’re sure to win repeat business after every real estate transaction you close!
1. Send a Closing Gift
Regardless of whether you worked with the buyer or the seller, you still want to send a quick gift that will help you stay top of mind. This doesn’t have to be something extravagant. Just keep these three things in mind when choosing a gift.
- Appreciation. No matter what it is, your gift should show your appreciation that your client worked with you. Even though you helped them, they really did you the ultimate favor by choosing to work with you rather than the competition!
- Utility. You want your gift to be useful so that they actually get to use it and appreciate that you went to the trouble to get it for them. Plus, they’ll remember you better if they see the gift more!
- Memorable. Make sure you include a monogram or some other personal touch that will ensure they remember you whenever they use your gift.
Some of the best gifts you could include to hit these criteria are things like:
- Custom paintings of their home.
- Doormats.
- Personalized kitchen utensils.
2. Call After Closing
It’s crucial to connect with clients after a closing to ensure that everything ends smoothly. Call them the day after closing to review the process and discuss any outstanding issues that may have come up.
Calling them allows them to ask any questions that have come up and seek clarification on any details that they weren’t sure about. It’s great for new homeowners since they probably aren’t super familiar with the real estate process, no matter how many homes they have purchased.
Then, call them a week later to repeat this process. It’s important to ensure that your clients are satisfied and ready to move forward. They will appreciate the effort you put into keeping them happy even after you’ve “got your money.”
3. Prepare Clients
You absolutely MUST prepare clients for what they should expect after closing. Ideally, this is something you’ll do before closing, obviously, but it’s important that we mention it here. You need to make sure they have a rough outline of how the process will go.
Homebuyers need to be reminded that they have to pay property taxes, file various documents, etc. As the real estate agent, you know these things far better than they do. The chance that they’ll forget something important is real, and if you didn’t prepare them, they have every right to blame you if they do forget and something goes wrong.
Give your clients the confidence they need to become homeowners, even if they’ve been homeowners before. Every time is new and different for them, so it’s crucial that you provide them with the support they need to succeed.
4. Secure a Review
It’s crucial to get good feedback from your clientele, both to maintain a strong relationship with them and to improve your work for future clients. You’ll not only be building goodwill and strengthening your relationship with your current clients by asking for their honest feedback; you’ll also be learning how you can do better for future clients.
Be sure to request a review following every transaction. And once you’ve secured that review, you’ll be set up perfectly for a referral.
5. Ask for a Referral
Real estate referrals are crucial to a good business. You need clients to know they can trust you, but they have to hear it from other people, not just from yourself. Ask your clients to vouch for your services and provide that extra level of social proof that most people are looking for when they look for a professional service.
Referral business is some of the best business you can ever get as an agent, so be sure to ask your clients to send your way anyone they know who is in need of real estate support. Ask them on a regular basis too—not just when you close with them, but throughout the year as you see fit.
6. Call the Other Agent
Maintaining strong relationships with other agents is a powerful way to get repeat business. Working closely with these agents may help you get a referral from them and give you an edge in a multiple offer situation since the other agent knows how smoothly a transaction with you will likely go.
Call the other agent and let them know how you enjoyed working with them. Build that strong relationship with them and lay the groundwork for future transactions with them.
7. Contact the Other Client
Seriously, calling the other client is easy and simple. In many cases, you can find their contact information on the contract itself, so it’s only a matter of giving them a call or sending them an email to congratulate them.
Don’t be afraid that you’re taking someone else’s client. The transaction is over at this point! All you’re doing is acting professionally and standing out from the crowd. This allows you the chance to remain top of mind for the other client, especially if they had any issues with their agent.
As you can see, it’s simple to get repeat business on any transaction. Just follow these simple and easy steps and watch your repeat business grow!