What’s the best way to generate repeat & referral business?

After doing the job well the 1st time, you’ve got half the battle won. The rest is about your ongoing relationship & how well you nurture it, while reminding people that you have something special to offer when it comes time to sell (or buy) again.

Imagine if you dropped by every Saturday, did all their yardwork for them, then cooked & served a gourmet dinner while discreetly reminding them that you’re in the real estate business and have something special or unique to offer. Do you think that might have a positive influence when it’s time for them to move? Absolutely! Is it practical? Of course not! It may seem ridiculous, but if this extreme example or some similar substitute became the measuring stick against which all practical possibilities were compared, the effect on your choices would surely improve your client relationships and your client retention ratios.

The point is that it’s about solid relationships. The more effective you are in your personal contact, the closer you get, the better the relationship.

So, how do you get up close and personal with your contacts effectively? What should you do to maintain & even improve the relationship with each and every one of your clients & prospects? Obviously, you’re not likely to do the yardwork thing, but there are excellent options available to improve client retention.

Phone calls, drop-by visits, mailers, e-newsletters, client events, magazine subscriptions, entertainment, promotional items, sponsorships, the list of possibilities goes on and on.

You’d expect a personal visit to have a bigger impact than an e-newsletter, but there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to interaction with those you want to do future business with.

Take stock of who you are, the clientele you deal with & what your goals & objectives are. You’ll want a base connecting method for everybody, but there will be specific individuals that you’ll want to do more for, & perhaps you may have 3 or 4 different categories of contacts. Formulate a custom, budgeted plan for marketing and client retention that will allow for a “layered” approach suitable to your situation.

You might want to take advantage of the complimentary consultation and business assessment that DMS provides. We can help you clarify which of the options available to you will best meet your need and why, so you can structure a layered program that suites your budget and gets results.