As today's consumer gets more informed every day, competition for listings is tougher than ever! As top flight agents offer more services and value, it will be necessary for all of us to re-examine our systems and strategies to meet the new consumer demands.
Why would a property owner choose you when interviewing several agents? The competitive edge is the professional who stands out and gets attention by going the extra mile. After studying over a hundred top agents earning healthy six and seven figure incomes, it becomes clear. Value-added services and attention to detail, combined with consistent delivery systems are key.
Here are a couple of tips to make your customers and clients feel special and guarantee you referrals and repeat business: Some require investments, while others require simply your attention and follow up:
When working with buyers, help them help you. Ask the right questions and then actually LISTEN to the answers. Watch them as they see the properties. Offer them a disposable camera to take photos of what they think is impressive or important about a prospective property. The one they take the most photos of may just be the one they really want.
If your buyers are from out of town and staying at a local hotel, have having a small basket of fruit and munchies delivered to the hotel with local information packets as a welcome. With a little gesture of care, they will be impressed with your attention and feel welcomed by this extra touch.
Buyers need to devote their attention to the selection process. If your buyers have small children, trying to keep an eye on over tired, stressed and bored children diverts their attention. Provide a dependable babysitting service for a day allowing the kids to relax and play and the parents to concentrate on the right property to BUY.
If babysitting is out of the question, keep your car equipped with coloring books, crayons, game boys, beanie babies and kid treats to keep them occupied and feeling like they are getting some attention. Smart agents also keep lots of baby wipes in the trunk.
Superstar Craig Lerch of Philadelphia keeps a small cooler in the car stocked with water and soft drinks for his buyers during the showing process. He also has them fill out a questionnaire form that includes personal information like birthdays, etc. to be put in his valuable database when back at the office. This utilization of time and use of a designated form helps the systems process of critical information necessary to keep in touch during the selection process and after the sale.
On closing day, have prepared a buyer gift box complete with emergency items while the trucks unload. Top agents are known to include treats for the kids, bathroom items, tape, juice boxes, coloring books and crayons for the kids, glass cleaner, paper towels, etc. Plan ahead and have the box printed with your name, team logo, and stickers that identify you and your team as the new neighbors show up to introduce themselves.
When a new family moves in, they might really benefit from a resource list of dependable outside services. Provide the names of local contractors, services, and information they can refer to if they are in need. Some top agents offer a home closing “gift” of complimentary certificates offering discounts, or free service hours from everything from a handyman to discount tickets on cleaning, groceries, bakery goods, local restaurants, etc. This little service offers convenience and comfort to a new family, while promoting the services of your “team”.
Top agents use systems to continue the connection after the closing. Dianna Kokoszka, mega agent from Colorado makes the phone call after a closing within 72 hours of the move in, even if the home- buyer is not her direct customer.
She has a simple script that states, “Hi, this is Dianna from the Kokoszka, and I was just checking in to see how many boxes you still have left to unload. The real reason for my call is to ask if there is anything wrong with the property since you moved in, and to be sure you are taken care of”. Her next question is to let that property owner know that several leads have come in on the property they just bought, which validates their good choice, and allows her to ask for referrals with this script: “I've had several prospects call and ask if the property you just closed on was still available. I've told them, of course, that it has just closed. However, as you meet your new neighbors, ask them if they are planning to sell and tell them that Dianna of the Kokoszka team has ready buyers for their property”. The new homeowner is impressed with the attention and Dianna is one of the very few agents that follow up with a call to check and see if all is well. It must work, as she closes over 200 properties a year with a simple phone call.
Set up a system to contact the buyer on a consistent basis after the sale. Calls should be coordinated with follow up, like making sure all is well in the home, that they have received their paperwork from the closing, etc., In every case, be sure to ask for referrals to expand your business.
Ask permission to send out an announcement introducing the new family to the neighborhood. It can be as simple as a letter that says;” The Jones family has just moved into the former Smith home at 122 Main Street. Stop by and welcome them to our neighborhood and tell them (Your name and company) said to stop by. It gives the adults “permission” to say hello and informs the neighborhood that you were the agent involved.
There are many ways to add value to the awesome life change of moving to a new home and in some cases a brand new area. Think “out-of-the-box” to create comfortable ways to make your buyers feel special and to build a guaranteed referral program that spells profitability for you!
Published: October 10, 2001
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