A while back I wrote an article about an agent whom I had regular lunch meetings with during the time I was a partner at VREO.
Robin was a client. But unlike most clients, he revered the time we spent together. He never answered his cell phone during or kept me hanging while he flexed his Realtor muscle before me. He never drowned me in his real estate war stories. He never pontificated. He never felt the need to prove anything to me about himself. There was no need. As a result, I looked forward to spending time with him. I never felt I was being sold, pitched, played, managed, incubated or cultivated.
Our last lunch was over a year ago. Well after he went from client to friend. But then some things just got in the way of us hanging out. I started 1000Watt. I hunkered down. I stopped taking lunch breaks.
Then last month, out of the blue, an email arrived from Robin. It was a lunch invite.
I’ve done business with many agents. Most were pleasant people. I hear from some via their monthly newsletters. Others send yearly holiday cards. A few call out of the blue and ask about my family and then sign off with the tried, true and tested “Oh and by the way…” pitch for referral business. One I never hear from at all.
Little do any realize that I’m seriously contemplating selling one of my homes. Been so for over a year now but haven’t because I’ve been sitting on the fence not quite sure what to do. None of the agents I’ve worked with in the past have compelled me. None have inspired me. None have made the effort to really mine the past client vein.
Little do they realize I guess how I was one lunch date away from giving them my business.
Robin and I ate at the Madonna Inn. If you’ve never been there just image what it would look like if gawdy died and went to heaven. (See pic above). The place is a testimony to Alex Madonna, a maverick builder, a cantankerous land owner and visionary who possessed an uncanny blind eye when it came to decorating.
After our meal, Robin and I emerged from this pink palace with another great meal, another great conversation under our belt. Our cars were parked at opposite ends of the parking lot. I decided to walk him to his car. Halfway there, I asked if he would list my home. I told him I was thinking about selling it for the past year. Granted the home is forty miles from where he practices but I would be honored if he would take it.
I know all about the jurisprudence of using a local agent. I’ve read all the “How to hire an agent” content ever written. But at the end of the day, after viewing every agent website in Nipomo, from the Hawaiian shirt wearing agent with the Hawaiian music that loads with the site to the dozens of agents who never returned an email sent to them from their own website, I came face to face with the reality that at the end of the day, this business is all about relationships. Deep meaningful ones.
Over the years, Robin spent a few dollars taking me out to lunch. We’d talk real estate, technology, movies and life. He never once asked me for business. Never once sent me a recipe. Never once sent me an email newsletter. He just acted like a true friend.
I never felt like a lead.
Never felt like a prospect.
Never felt I was anything but a human being.
Technology sure is great. When used correctly it enhances, expands and engages the experience. But it’s not everything. Sometimes technology can distance us from what we do best. Like the human touch. Like friendship. There’s no technological substitute for doing that. For doing the right thing. For going that extra mile. To me, this is part of Web 2.0 is about. Back to core basics. People connecting with people.
Robin got the listing.
It’s a beautiful home.
3 bedrooms, 2 baths with tenant.
- Davison
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If you haven't been diligent about keeping a great database over the last several years. Could you recommend a way you could start to reconnect with past customers if you don't have all of their information. Possibly an ad campaign? I've always wanted to reconnect …however, wasn't sure what to say or offer (besides the who do you know..)
Matt,
I subscribe to the belief that you don't need to ask people who they know. If you did a great job for them, they will, on their own, refer you.
Imagine the cash register girl at the market asking you while bagging your groceries if you know anyone else who needs food to please stop in and shop at her store.
Contrary to the referral business guru's spiel, I think if you have to ask your friends and customers for more business, you look needy and you probably haven't done a very job motivating them on your own accord.
Granted, some have dug up business that way but I could never do that. I don't ask my consulting clients if they know other companies who need consulting. It just seems tacky.
If you haven't been diligent in keeping a database, drive by and knock on your past clients door. Drop off a something of value. Free of a sales pitch. What's topical in your neck of the woods? Are foreclosures looming? Is there any info you could dispense that could ease your past clients?
Perhaps you want to offer them something over the top and way cool. A free, 2-hour interior decorating consultation with a local decorator. Free snow removal for the winter.
What could spending $500 for a past get you in return?
Why not go to http://www.homeperks.com and enroll in their real estate rewards program. Sign your customers up and surprise them with a gift certificate worth 1000 points for just being a client that they could cash in for a nice gift. Once you do that, tell them that for every referral they send you, you'll add another 2000 points to their bank. There's a lot of cool stuff I know I could buy with 10,000 reward points.
Think, what would blow you away if you were a homeowner and your Realtor from 3 years ago showed up back in your life?
If you can answer it, do it yourself.
My motto… give, give and give a bit more.
Thanks Mark!
I found it difficult to ask for referrals as well. Previously, didn't subscribe to back office or marketing theory. Relied too much on referrals and took a lot for granted. I still envision a great real estate system working with lead generation, conversion, and total fulfillment.
I am a small broker shopping franchises and believe me there is no perfect system out there. Not sure we need a franchise either. We are in a conservative market where people look at the bigger brokers as stability. However, they are continuously complaining about value. They seem to look at real estate company x,y,z as if they all had agents that teamed together, (maybe like the customers do in their workplaces) . Unfortunately, as you know, very little teaming takes place. For example, what strategies are we using to get Mark's home sold today. There are 200 million ways all independent contractors are working today. Without a systematic, duplicative, predictable approach. That's quantifiable, qualitative,
Marc,
This is an excellent example of what I push all day to our clients– 'relationship'. I'm sending this link to an agent I spoke with just this morning. He was asking for ideas about contacting his previous clients– what he should say to them in an email, what drip campaigns people use etc. This is just what he needs to read to get inspired! [including your answer to Matt's first comment].
Thanks again. These days, all my years of speaking with our clients about building relationships is being validated [vs being seen as "so what", "just a woman's point of view, what about lead generation!"].
Feeling more sane every day now!
I hope your home sale goes extremely well. Sounds like you have a great advisor/agent and friend to help you.
Take Care,
Stacey
Marc,
I didn't get to read your post above yet but I did scan through it and read the comments. I never really thought about it but homeperks.com, even as a concept, is absolutely brilliant. Have you used them in the past? Also, how did you find them? It's such an 'outside of the box' idea that I'm surprised by its simple brilliance.
Joshua,
Thanks for the kind words about us @ HomePerks.com. We're currently in stealth mode and we're introducing a rewards network site that launches in a couple weeks. Our mission is to help professionals engage consumers through a rewards model. So check us out and watch for our new launch in March. Thanks again for the comment.
I did not find Homeperks. They found me. In fact, I should have notated in the comment above, Homeperks is one our clients. And yes I agree, their idea is brilliant and we are honored to be one of their advisors.