How often do you go into a listing appointment and talk about how slick your internet marketing is? When you’re trying to impress a potential client and prove to them that your listing package is the best thing to come around since Al Gore invented the internet, it’s easy to talk about listing feeds, show a video or two, and perhaps even show off your site statistics or how well you rank for Google keywords. All of that is great, but as more agents become better connected themselves, it’s time to start thinking about ways to keep yourself a cut above the rest.
Rock The Webcam
It’s historically been a part of my plan to send out thank you cards to past clients whenever we do a deal, but lets face it: Every agent and their cousin does the exact same thing, so what makes yours any different? Try using your webcam to make a personal video appeal to your client instead (I know what you’re thinking, and no, a video of you stripping to a Spice Girls song is not appropriate here, sorry). Consider sending out your thank you notes as videos emailed to your clients and see what sort of response you get. Direct, personalized videos to web leads with inaccurate phone numbers can also help you gain the trust of potential clients and increase your chance of response.
Clients Need To Know You Care
There are plenty of tools (many of them free) that you can use to keep in touch with your clients and show them that you are actively working to get their house sold. Trulia creates free weekly listing reports that can be emailed to your sellers, as does Realtor.com. The most common complaint I hear from sellers is that agents tend to “list it and forget it”, and that’s frustrating. Often times clients just want to know that you care about their listing and you’re working to get it sold. If you can prove that to them it makes life much easier when it comes time to ask for a price reduction!
Show Them Your Value
We live in a digital world, and when it comes to marketing a property a well prepared plan of action is exactly what you need in order to get a home sold. I’ve tried and tested every marketing services proposal I can get my hands on, and what I’ve discovered is that my most successful presentation is the one that I created myself (It also happens to be the shortest, with only 9 presentation slides). What I’ve done differently is that I have cut straight to the chase and given the client what they want. I don’t talk about my awards, I don’t talk about my sales volume, I talk about THEM. I show the client exactly how I plan to market, where I plan to advertise, how I plan to find their buyer, and how/why my methods differ from other agents.
If you can show the client how you are a more remarkable agent without droning on about awards and sales that don’t apply to them, you accomplish two distinct things: First, you have shown them that you care about them, and Second, you have shown them that you’re different from the other agents they are interviewing.
Photo Courtesy of codiceinternet via Flickr CC
Ken Montville
July 30, 2010 at 9:24 pm
I’m not sure I agree that every real estate agent and their cousin even go to the trouble of sending a thank you note. I guess I’m a bit old fashioned but I still like the old paper in the envelope type of thing.
The webcam is an interesting idea but I wonder what it does for clients that aren’t that tech savvy or don’t want to watch my video “thank you” done on my Flip camera with God knows what in the background (my posters of The Spice Girls).
Your larger point about differentiation is well taken, though. Ditto your point about staying in touch with your clients during the process. The reporting is easy to send. A quick phone call. Maybe even a “video update on the sale of your home…. bought to you by Jon Benya” (since you’re into it!). I might even send an old fashioned card midway through with something like “hang in there” (or something) written in it.
The Internet and digital communication is fine. Sometimes the personal (human) touch is good, too.
Carmen Brodeur
July 31, 2010 at 3:17 am
It is true that people love video, but taking a video on my flip then downloading it to the computer to email to my client, takes about 5x longer than writing a handwritten note. I just don’t see myself doing it.
Ricardo Bueno
August 10, 2010 at 5:39 am
Carmen: totally agree! Downloading and uploading a video from your flipcam can be very time-consuming. An alternative is to use something like Eyejot.com (I’m not an affiliate) to send video “Thank You” or “Follow Up” emails. Assuming you have a web-cam you can record and send in under a minute. Totally personal and effective in my opinion 🙂
Nick Nymark
July 31, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Anybody used TopProducer to stay in touch with clients? What’s your thoughts on it?
Anthony Rueda
August 3, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Jonathan,
I think you’re right on, when it comes to showing that you care about your possible client. I believe it’s very important to customize my service to exceed the client’s needs.
Ricardo Bueno
August 10, 2010 at 5:37 am
I use Eyejot.com to send follow up video emails to people who comment on my blog and/or send an email inquiry. Their premium version has what’s called a “Bookmarklet Feature.” It basically allows you to send the video that plays in top fold of any site you’d like to send them. Anyway, it’s effective because it adds a personal touch to your communication and it allows you to send/share information in a very interactive way.
I think something like that is totally useful (it’s worked for me).
Audrey Duval
August 29, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Wowwww What a great post, I totally think the same way has you do! Just started to use the webcam to say happy birthday to my client and the idea for thanks you client for a listing is brilliant! Love it! You know All my listing presentation was about them and not me… Who care, who you are, they want a know what is it from them!