What to Do in the First 9 Months

Make Them Customers for Life

A closing is not the end of your relationship with your clients. All successful sales associates know that it is only the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship that results in referrals and a continuing stream of business over the course of your career.

Following are some tips to establish customers for life once that first closing is over:

• Call within 24 hours of the closing to congratulate the client on the sale or purchase.

• Send a thank-you note one week after the closing to emphasize what a pleasure it was to work with the client.

• Send a binder to the client containing copies of the transaction paperwork, including appraisals, inspection reports, warranties, and settlement statements. They'll remember you when they refer to this information at tax time.

• Send a customer satisfaction survey form two to three weeks after the closing to get feedback from your client on your performance.

• Ask your client for an endorsement or testimonial letter that you can use in your listing presentations and on your Web site.

• Find out if the client has any friends, family, or business associates who might be interested in receiving a free comparative market analysis of their home. — Walter Sanford, Sanford Systems, Kankakee, Ill.

• Create a file that includes personal information on your client, such as names, birthdays, ages, pets, and family hobbies.

• Establish a follow-up system for all your clients. An effective follow-up system includes occasional phone calls or visits, newsletters, e-mail, cards, and small gifts. It’s important to keep in mind that your contacts with past clients need to adhere a number of new federal anti-solicitation laws, such as the National Do-Not-Call Registry and CAN-SPAM. Click here to learn more about these restrictions at REALTOR.org. If you are unsure about how the new rules will impact your telemarketing activities, it is recommended that you consult with your attorney before taking action.

• Choose a unique gift to send to past clients and referral sources each year—a special cake, a Halloween pumpkin, a spring flower arrangement—then repeat the same gift for several years. People will come to expect the gift and associate it with you in their minds.