| How often have you seen a customer buy from | | | | must make sure that the seller knows you're |
| one agency and then a few years later, list with a | | | | doing something regularly to promote the |
| different agency? I've seen it far too often! I | | | | house.OK, you sold the house. Everyone passed |
| always wonder if the agent did something wrong, | | | | go and collected their money. Now what?Now you |
| or just didn't bother to turn that person into a | | | | send a thank you letter with a brief questionnaire |
| lifetime customer.I'll admit, real estate customers | | | | asking for feedback on your service. It will let you |
| aren't known for their loyalty. In fact, if you list a | | | | know what you did right - and occasionally you'll |
| house and it doesn't sell right away, they might | | | | hear what you did wrong! Don't be afraid of that. |
| take their listing elsewhere even if you've spent | | | | Welcome that kind of feedback because it gives |
| hundreds on advertising for them. But there are | | | | you the opportunity to make a friend out of an |
| ways to improve your chances of keeping them. | | | | unhappy customer. Write back and thank them |
| And there are ways to turn satisfied buyers and | | | | for letting you know and for helping your career |
| sellers into "Lifetime customers."And remember, if | | | | by letting you improve your service.Next, put |
| your commission averages $10,000 per | | | | those names and addresses in a data base and |
| transaction and people move every 5 years, you | | | | start staying in touch. Every 2 to 4 months is |
| stand to gain an extra $30,000 over the next 15 | | | | often enough, unless you know that they have |
| years. Then consider those buyers who like to do | | | | friends or relatives who are about to make a |
| rehab. They sometimes buy more than one each | | | | move.Send a magazine article about their hobby, |
| year. Add in the friends and family each customer | | | | birthday cards, a postcard with a funny joke, a |
| could bring you, and there's only one conclusion: | | | | pretty picture, or perhaps an article about getting |
| Customers are worth keeping!How to keep a | | | | the house ready for winter. Anything that will |
| listing: Stay in touch during the listing period. I can't | | | | interest them and keep your name in front of |
| count how many times I've gotten listings that | | | | them will do.I wrote a monthly newsletter, and if I |
| used to belong to someone else, just because the | | | | was late getting it out customers would call to |
| sellers felt ignored.So, rule #1 is "Stay in touch, | | | | see why it wasn't there. That was before email |
| even when it's difficult."It is difficult to call and | | | | became so popular. Now you could do it |
| speak with the seller when there's been no action, | | | | electronically at zero cost if you write it yourself, |
| but call anyway. You can tell him or her where | | | | and you could add a personal note to really special |
| you've advertised, how many flyers you've given | | | | customers.You're going for "Top of mind |
| out to office drop-ins, how many flyers you've | | | | awareness," and you can only get that through |
| mailed to long distance inquiries, etc. Perhaps you | | | | regular contact. Your goal is for them to think of |
| took new photos and posted them on your virtual | | | | you first when anyone mentions needing a |
| tour. Whatever you've done, let the seller know | | | | Realtor.That brings me to Rule #2: Stay in |
| you did it.In my office we kept track of all | | | | Touch!Marte Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter and |
| activity and mailed a monthly report, along with | | | | former real estate broker. She has extensive |
| copies of each ad we had placed in a newspaper | | | | experience in writing for the real estate industry |
| or magazine. In addition, we called mid-month just | | | | and related fields. Visit her at and sign up for her |
| to stay in touch. This practice was responsible for | | | | complimentary real estate marketing ezine. |
| most listing renewals. The important point is, you | | | | |