How Gifts Help Realtors Remain Top of Mind and Gain More Referrals
If you’re in the real estate business, you know just how important it is to cultivate a positive reputation among your community. You want to be the agent people think of when someone says they’re looking to buy a house, or the recommendation a relative receives when relocating from out of town. Your place in the community has a major impact on your success, and your name is developed through each client you work with. To make the most of client relationships and build your best reputation, let’s explore how adding closing gifts to each sale can make a tremendous impact on your business.
Gifting builds personal relationships and helps make clients feel cared for on an individual level and leaves a positive impression at the end of the real estate purchasing process. It’s no secret that buying a house is not everyone’s favorite activity, but if the process ends with a gift from you, your client’s entire attitude can be affected. Now when they think back, any stressful negotiations or tiring house hunting days seem brighter, because you took the time to thank them in a beautifully personal way. They feel like a person to you, not just a number on your spreadsheet. When the last thing you did for your client was send a gift, it will be the first thing they think of when remembering working with you. This positive impression keeps you top of mind amongst your clients, and a positive perspective is so important for client satisfaction, reviews, and customer loyalty.
A closing gift is a natural conversation starter that can lead to an increase in your publicity and referrals. People love to talk about things that make their experiences unique, and in the house buying process, a closing gift is the best way to give them something to talk about. Especially if the gift can be displayed or used in the home. The door for conversation and subsequent referrals can be opened by a unique set of soaps or lotions for the main bathroom, a centerpiece for the dining room table, or even locally sourced tea or coffee that will be the focal point of a housewarming party. This is probably the most natural way to grow your business because a conversation can start with a simple question that people love to ask when something catches their eye: “Where did you get that?” Now, you can be top of mind among your clients as well as the people in their social circles.
Closing gifts a great way to persuade your clients to recommend you to their friends, family, and neighbors. The gift simply shows appreciation for the client. All that comes of it is the lasting positive effects that will ultimately positively impact and grow your business.
The biggest takeaway from all of these results is natural publicity. You cannot compete with the word of mouth advertising that stems from a lovely closing gift. The trust that already exists between friends and family will outweigh any advertisement you can put out there. If you use personalized gifting to remain top of mind with each of your clients, the network of referrals builds itself! Suddenly, you are the recommendation on the neighborhood Facebook page, in the newest community blog, or at a weekly fitness class. Your clients know people, and people listen to people. Gifting is how you can take advantage of everyone’s social habits and enter those conversation circles permanently.