Even though it is precisely the approach taken by successful licensees since I entered the real estate business in 1975, it is not usually expressed in this way. So important is this thought, this phrase, that you should write it down and make it something that you hang on your wall as a reminder. Look at it every day. Constantly ask yourself: "How do I reach Tomorrow’s Customer Today?"
Building the level of trust and confidence required for a homeowner to list with you the most valuable possession they own takes time. You do not usually list a house the first day you meet the owner. In order for people to give you their business or refer you to their friends and family, you must win their confidence and that is usually something that takes place over time. Consider also that the average term of home ownership is some 5 to 8 years and it is easy to see that you are constantly in search of Tomorrow’s customer today.
You more than likely met today’s customer yesterday and have been building that relationship over time. Part of the job description of a real estate professional is to open lines of communication with as many people as possible, and then to keep those lines of communication open. Traditionally this has been done by making real life appearances everywhere you can. We refer to it as “networking.” It has often been said that the real estate business is a “people business” and that it is all about “networking.”
While networking is still a viable source for lead-generation, one of the strongest things a real estate agent can do to keep themselves in front of their desired audience is to utilize social media. Consumers spend hours a day on their mobile devices browsing their social feeds for content.
In addition to posting information on open houses, new listings, etc. to agent newsfeeds, it’s important for a real estate agent to also include consumer-driven content that will engage their followers. The more often an agent posts great content, the more likely they will stand out in the mind of the consumer when it comes time to buying or selling a home. Of course, frequently updating and managing social media accounts can be a daunting task. Instead, consider utilizing tools like RT Social, which alleviates the need to closely monitor social acounts by providing agents with consumer-driven content that gets automatically posted to social sites for them.
Similarly, another trust-garnering approach is to develop a connection with local nonprofits. Establishing that a real estate agent will make a donation with each closing not only sets an agent apart from the rest, but builds that level of trust with the consumer.
In the end, contacts create contracts. How are you reaching tomorrow's customers today?
