If you have a business, you have a brand, and each time you connect with your clients—whether in person, on the phone or online—you have a chance to build your brand and create loyal advocates. Think about the brands you love—what do they have in common? Chances are they actively engage with their customers on a consistent basis and provide value, in addition to advertising their business and services. While advertising plays a role in building a brand, it’s more important to add value and insight and connect with your clients; after all, they provide the best advertising—their rave reviews and referrals to their family and friends. Want to build your brand? Here are a few steps to take:
Be consistent. What’s the best way to build trust? Be consistent. Your clients want to know they can rely on you to help them find the right home, to find the right buyer for their home, to go to the mat in negotiations, and to keep your word. When they know they can rely on you, they’ll trust you, and trust is crucial to building a lasting brand.
- Send your marketing materials on time each month. Like the majority of people today, your clients crave valuable information. When you send your marketing flyers each month, they begin to expect them and look forward to receiving them. Follow it up with the eReport marketing email and you’re sure to stay top of mind.
- Personalize your marketing flyers. Marketing flyers are not only informative, they’re also easily sharable. Make sure the people who your clients pass it to know who sent it by personalizing Including your name, logo and contact information on your flyers allows whoever receives your flyer to contact you with their real estate questions.
Keep in touch. Staying in contact with your clients not only allows you to find ways to serve them, it also keeps you in their minds so when they overhear a friend or family member say they’re looking for a real estate agent, they think of you.
- Give them a call. A phone call is a quick way to touch base with your clients, see how they’re doing, listen for ways to serve, and remind them you’re never too busy for their referrals.
- Stop by their home or office. Pop in for a visit with your clients and be sure to bring a small token of appreciation for their business and referrals, such as a favorite beverage, a seasonal item like a potted plant, or a sweet treat.
- Get social with your clients online. Everyone is online these days so meet your clients where they are—social media. Post a mix of valuable information, listings, helpful buying and selling tips and photos that allow them to get to know you and your life and interests better. Additionally, connect with them by ‘liking’ and commenting on their posts.
Do the unexpected. The unexpected extras, that is. Stand out from the competition by surpassing your clients’ expectations. This means listening for a need and addressing it without being asked, patiently reassuring them through challenging situations to alleviate their anxiety and learning more about them so you can personalize your service. All of these things show that you care about them as people—they’re more than just a commission check to you.
These steps are sure to not only build your brand, but boost your reputation as the real estate professional who’s not only the local market expert, but also offers the highest quality of client service as well. As a result, your happy clients will shout your praises from the rooftops and refer you to their friends and loved ones.
For more information, visit http://buffiniandco.com.
