If you're looking for an innovative way to keep your name in front of potential clients, here's a great prospecting tool your clients will keep all year long. If you prospect a specific geographical area or have sold several properties in an area where you would like to do more business, create an "Annual Report" following the steps below:

Begin by choosing an attractive binder suitable for adding pages throughout the year. For your cover page, use an aerial photo, a picture of a something distinctive about the area, or one of your current listings. (Make sure your name and company information is also included!) Next, list the comparable sales for the year along with pictures if available. You can also include any of the following:

1. Highlights from the last year (i.e. local high school won the league championship, the July 4th block party (be sure to include pictures), and any other types of pertinent information for people who live in the area.)
2. Quotes from local experts about what they expect the local real estate market will be like in the upcoming year.
3. Quotes from old or new residents in the community about what they like about the area.
4. New services in the area
5. Assessor's maps and/or title company information
6. Information about what economists believe will be happening to prices and interest rates.
7. Addresses and phone numbers of public services such as police, fire, library, etc. as well as phone numbers for local merchants.
8. Information about upcoming sporting events, plays, concerts, and other types of leisure activities.
9. Any fun idea you believe people will enjoy such as gardening tips, barbecuing ideas, etc.

Send copies of your "2000 Annual Report" to each resident in your target market. Most people who receive your annual report will keep it "just in case" they need to refinance or perhaps have to sell. To put your "Annual Report" to even better use, you can send a "quarterly" update (hence the three-hole binder). Examples of what to include on a quarterly basis include local school sporting event schedules, current comparable sales data, updated information about the real estate market, seasonal information, etc.

And at this time next year, don't be surprised by how many people want your Annual Report for 2001!

Published: December 22, 2000

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Bernice L. Ross, Ph.D. operates RealEstateCoach.com, with her husband and co-trainer, Bryon Van Arsdale. A Professor of Psychology at Los Angeles Pierce College, Bernice also is a faculty member at Coach University and holds the designation of Master Certified Coach. She served as Executive Director of Training from 1993-1997 for Prudential Jon Douglas Company, and also pioneered the first real estate/coaching teleclasses for Continuing Education credit in California. E-mail Bernice at bernice@realestatecoach.com.