Inexpensive Ways To Keep In Touch With Clients!

With more consumers staying "invisible" while searching on the Internet today, it's more important than ever to stay in touch with your client base.

Everybody talks about online lead generation being the way to go, but I don't think it's as effective as we're all lead to believe. There are many companies that want you to spend your hard-earned money on their products and services. Yet do they really work? Well, that's a topic for another day.

My focus today is about finding and using free and inexpensive ways to keep in contact with your clients. Make sure you have their updated email addresses and phone numbers. By staying in closer contact with your clients, it'll be easier to get referrals from those who know you care about them.

Here are a few strategies to consider:

• follow-up calls to your client - 1, 15 & 30 days after closing
• have client fill out a questionnaire about their family
• call or mail a card on client's birthday
• send client a Home Anniversary card
• send a copy of closing statement for their next tax return
• have a client appreciation party for those you enjoy being with
• send a quarterly neighborhood market update by email
• recommend contractors for any upcoming projects
• ask them to call you before re-financing to avoid costly loans
• invite them to join Facebook and become a friend

Be their real estate resource and let them know that they aren't bothering you when they need anything. Many of your clients may be nervous or scared about their personal situation in this economy and you don't even know about it. When you stay in touch with your clients, they know you care about them.

If you have any other ideas that are working for you, please comment below and share.

Are You Maximizing Your Time?

Do you wake up in the morning with your day planned out?

If not, you are costing yourself valuable, irreplaceable time and money.

Here are 3 strategies to help you achieve your daily activities:

• Time-Block Your Day - I know there are usually many distraction each day that take focus away from achieving your objectives, but you need to limit them. Set up 2 times each day to return incoming calls, i.e. 11:00am - 12:00 noon and again at 4:00pm - 5:00pm. Now this doesn't mean you can't return calls earlier or quicker, but if you are focused on prospecting or doing another dollar-productive activity, it's critical not to be interrupted.
  
• Are You A Night Owl or Early Bird? - Figure out your creative peak time. Each day you need to allot time to prepare the day's activities, review your goals, read at least 10 pages of a motivational or inspirational book. You need to get your creative juices flowing! Whenever that time is best for you, take that personal time to rejuvenate yourself and get hyped for the day.
  
• Keep Travel Time To A Minimum - When scheduling appointments for the day, see how you can combine road trips, so that you'll spend less time on the road and be more efficient. Give your clients a couple of different time options that work best for you instead of asking them what they want. Most of the time, your clients will gladly accomodate you.

These 3 strategies will help you achieve more out of each day instead of wondering where all the time went. You thought you were really busy, but if, at the end of the week, you have no new listings or sales, you really to look at what you're doing with your time.

When working, write down what you've done every 15 minutes. Was it busy work? Keeping transactions together? Prospecting for new clients? Only you'll know the true answer, so don't fool yourself. Take charge of your day!

Are You Ready For Spring Market?

As many areas are starting to thaw from under several feet of snow and frigid temperatures, now that March is here, spring isn't far behind. And with spring, buyers start roaming the countryside, often looking at open houses, deciding if now is the time to buy a home.

I've heard some head-scratching tales from buyers lately about selfish listing agents and I want to share with you some open house strategies that can help you and your sellers achieve your goal of selling their home.

Now I understand that some buyers go to open houses to deal directly with the seller's agent, but you need to verify that they don't really have a buyer's agent, who they mistakenly forget to tell you about.

According to your state's laws, you need to disclose your agency role to the buyer and appropriately assist them.

If they have a buyer's agent, who couldn't attend with them, please honor the agent by calling them after the viewing and let them know of the buyer's interest and have them follow up, so that they can hopefully write an offer on your listing.

I've heard stories where the buyer was told they'd have to write an offer with the listing agent, since their buyer's agent wasn't there. Now I know laws are different everywhere, but if you agree with this situation, are you working in the best interest of your client?

When I'm at an open house, I always ask how they found out about it (usually by the internet or directional signs) and if they're working with a buyer's agent. If they say "YES", I still do everything I can to interest them in my listing, knowing their agent would write up the offer. I do this, because it's my job to get my listing sold!

Also, I take the time to prepare, arrive early to make sure it's in showing condition, host, ask & answer questions and anything else I can do to maximize the open house experience.

I know many agents do open houses just to pick up buyers to work with, but really put some extra effort into it and hopefully you'll be able to sell it.

In 2.5 weeks, our Cincinnati market is holding a city-wide, REALTOR® Super Open House Weekend. I think it's coming just in time for the warmer weather and with 40 days left to apply for the $8,000 tax credit.

If your area isn't doing this, start your open Super Open House Weekend within your company or combine several company's listings and hold them open.

Don't let this important time of year pass without a promotion. You need to get the first-time buyers looking and writing offers, so that the sellers can become move-up buyers.

It's prime selling time!