Get to Know Your Clients and Prospects

Some agents only scratch the surface when it comes to getting to know their clients. And because they don’t take enough time getting to know them, some agents can’t easily meet their clients’ needs. When agents aren‘t invested enough in the client-agent relationship, the client is sure to feel disappointed with the amount of confusion and wasted time it takes to achieve a satisfactory result.

To get to know your clients better, avoid asking questions that generate a quick yes or no answer. These questions don’t reveal much about the client and probably won’t help you meet his needs quickly and efficiently. Instead, ask questions that require your clients to provide more descriptive answers and allow you insight into what they really consider most important.

Here are some questions that might help you better understand your clients’ needs:

What are the primary reasons for your move?
What do you consider most important about your home purchase?
What is most important about this sale?
How are you expecting this move to benefit you?
How would you describe your past experiences with real estate agents?
How can I make your life easier?
What do you expect of me?
What worries you most about this sale/purchase?

Listen to Your Clients

Real estate clients want to work with an agent who is genuinely interested in them. If you listen with only half an ear, your clients will eventually catch on and feel dissatisfied with your relationship. Even worse, you will miss important information that your client shares, and without it, fail to meet her expectations.

Though it’s important to listen well and gather information, it is far from your only job. Buying or selling a home is stressful for most people. As an experienced agent, you have the ability to comfort your clients and help them feel less overwhelmed by the whole experience. Help them keep their peace of mind, and they will appreciate you for it.

Stay in Touch

Don’t just communicate with your clients when you have a potential buyer or a home to show. Reach out on a regular basis. You can do this by calling, emailing, sending newsletters or sending mailings every few weeks. This lets your clients know they are on your mind, and more importantly, it keeps you on their minds. What should you send? Always send relevant information that is of true value to your clients. Your clients want information that benefits them, so don’t go overboard with talking about yourself. Additionally, remember your clients’ important dates, such as birthdays, holidays, weddings, graduations and anniversaries. This is just one additional way to show you care.

Let REVStaffing boost your productivity. Take the next step towards better organization and exposure for your business. Shoot us an email or give us a call for a free needs analysis.

1. Your Attention: Your clients want to know they have your attention. They want to feel that you’re interested in their needs and remember them as individuals. If you can easily recall your last conversation with a client, remember important dates like birthdays and anniversaries, and keep track of the most important criteria in your client’s home search, this can go a long way towards satisfied clients and new referrals. No one wants to be just another contact on your list. Personal attention is key.

2. Consistent Contact: This goes hand in hand with the attention your clients want. Frequent contact via phone calls or email lets clients know they’re on your mind. How many times have you waited for an associate to handle something for you and thought he forgot about you because of the lack of contact? Staying in touch, even if only to say hello and that you’re still on task, can increase client satisfaction. It may even provide the opportunity to get more work. For example, your phone call or email may stimulate your client to remember a friend who needs an agent with your experience and expertise.

3. Easy Access to Listings: This is the technology age. People want access to listings online, through their smartphones and via email.  Make it easy for your clients and prospects to search for properties and research prices by providing access to featured properties and MLS listings via your website. Consider offering an app that allows your clients to access listings, get real estate news, request showings, and contact you through their mobile devices. Providing email listing updates can increase client satisfaction as well.

4. Details: Your clients expect you to be a reliable source of details useful in searching for the right property or selling their homes as quickly as possible. Help buyers learn more about the areas they are considering by providing updated community profile information on your website or blog and in your email blasts. Fill them in on schools, transportation, crime rates and recreational opportunities. And be sure to share your personal observations when you speak with clients. Will they know their neighbors and enjoy a community feel or is the area more likely to please busy professionals who don’t want much  interaction? Is the community mostly homeowners? Are there a lot of renters? Include a little history of the area and some human interest anecdotes to help your clients develop a picture of the area.

5. Advice and Education: Any agent can show a home; your clients want so much more from you. They don’t need you to just  help them find a home; they need you to help them find the right home. And often this means educating them on the market, helping them evaluate affordability and helping them negotiate.  Sellers want the benefit of your expertise with pricing their properties and attracting serious buyers quickly.  Your advice? Make it honest. Do you think an area is up and coming or on its way downhill? Is a community excellent for young families hoping to stay put until retirement? Do you think your client can do better for the price? Share and show your clients that you are always on their side.

Our REVStaffing virtual assistants dramatically boost our clients’ productivity. Take your next step towards better organization of your residential or commercial business by sending us an email, or give us a call for a free needs analysis. We’ll be happy to discuss ALL of your unique 2012 business needs; ask how we can give your business a LIFT!