Building lasting client connections in real estate

THROUGHOUT my real estate journey, I’ve discovered that building lasting client relationships is the most crucial aspect of leading a successful business.

These connections are the foundation of our industry. Yet, the art of sustaining these relationships is intricate. It demands dedicated effort, personalized communication, genuine gratitude and an unwavering commitment to serving as a valuable resource.

Outlined below are the guiding principles that have shaped my strategy for cultivating and nurturing client relationships over the course of my career.

1. Serving your current clients

Maintaining a steady flow of communication is a central component in maintaining relationships with my existing clients.

I proactively engage with them once or twice a week, combining calls with timely texts and emails. Complementing these efforts, I send regular mailers every three months, personalized holiday cards and birthday wishes to each of my clients.

This consistent routine not only keeps the lines of communication open but also reinforces a personal touch within our professional relationship, demonstrating reliability.

My primary objective is to anticipate and meet their needs promptly. By addressing their needs proactively, I aim to surpass expectations. I see our relationship as extending beyond a mere service transaction. It’s about cultivating a profound sense of trust and assurance.

2. Service beyond closing

After successfully closing deals and completing transactions, the following 30 days are pivotal. During this time frame, my focus is on maintaining a consistent connection with clients, averaging about seven interactions. This outreach strategy encompasses thoughtful gestures such as sending housewarming or closing gifts.

Moving forward, my commitment extends to reaching out every 90 days indefinitely. This regular communication, centered around significant events like birthdays, weddings or the arrival of new family members, holds profound meaning for clients.

Demonstrating continuous care beyond the transactional phase can make a genuine difference in fostering lasting relationships. So, I would recommend investing a bit of time at the end of each transaction to input your client’s information into your database, including details such as birthdays and forwarding addresses. This simple step will help you stay organized and ensure no client slips through the cracks.

3. Become a resource

As real estate agents, our responsibility goes beyond the conventional transaction. It’s about evolving into a continuous resource for all our clients, both past and present, ensuring they have access to accurate and current information at every stage.

To accomplish this, I remain attuned to the market, aiding past clients in making strategic decisions such as refinancing and investments. Furthermore, I’ve curated a network of reliable vendors — plumbers, electricians, painters — each renowned for their dependability and ability to address various home-related needs.

4. Referrals and advocates

You might question the value of investing effort in maintaining lasting past client relationships. Why not concentrate solely on current clients? To put it into perspective, about 65 percent of my business originates from repeat clients who, treated as friends, not only remember but also refer me to others. Expressing my gratitude, I make it a point to send gifts to clients who send referrals my way — a timeless gesture to convey appreciation for their trust in me for their homebuying or selling processes and for referring their family and friends.

Past clients also have the potential to transform into powerful advocates for your business. An unexpected cold call in 2016 led to a client who, over time, evolved from a business relationship into a genuine friendship. This connection resulted in over 30 new clients through referrals. By consistently going the extra mile, my business thrived, reaping the rewards of treating clients like family.

Create a lasting impact

Client relationships stand as the foundation to enduring success in this industry. By adopting thoughtful approaches, positioning ourselves as valuable resources and nurturing meaningful connections, Realtors can construct a network that stands resilient over time, consistently generating valuable returns. Remember, success in this industry is not just about transactions; it’s about the lasting impact we create in the lives of those we serve.

John Sullivan is the team lead and Realtor with The John Sullivan Group at huntington & ellis, A Real Estate Agency. Originally from Brighton in the south of England, he is now a permanent resident of Las Vegas. After a successful 10year period as a professional soccer player in England, he decided to relocate to Nevada and pursue a new career in real estate. With eight years in the business, Sullivan and his team have facilitated more than 750 transactions, helping families buy or sell their properties in the Las Vegas Valley. This track record has solidified his standing among the top 40 Realtors in Las Vegas and the surrounding areas, an achievement maintained for the seventh consecutive year among a pool of over 17,000 licensees.