Stay in Touch with Commercial Real Estate Clients
In commercial real estate agency it is rare that you will win new listings and clients on or at the first point of contact. Whilst it does happen, it is usually the longer relationships that help you build listing leads and commission opportunities. The message here is that you should stay in touch with the people that you speak to.
The process of constant contact helps you build the right relationships and the trust that good clients are looking for. It takes time to do this, but the leverage you gain in a long term client or prospect relationship is large.
Think about this. Why would a client want to do real estate business with an agent? Is it because the agent offers the largest discounts in commissions and fees, or is it because an agent has the right market share and skill mix to encourage a deal in a timely way? The answer is quite clear. Your market relevance is more important than any discounts that you offer.
Here are some tips to help you with ongoing contact and market relevance:
- Understand just what an ideal client looks like and where you can find them. Keep your prospecting activities focused into that set of criteria. Split your territory up into zones where you can drill down into segments of quality properties, good clients, and priority locations.
- Establish a prospecting process that works for you every day. It should be simple and direct. It should let you get in front of more people in a direct way. Don’t take the ‘cheats’ way out of sending direct mail pieces and hope that someone will call you back (generally they won’t). Get involved with your marketing process. Lift the telephone and knock on some doors. Use your business card everywhere you go; give it to more people every day.
- Offer valuable information to your market each day and at each point of contact to your prospects and clients. The prospecting and contact process is about them and not about you. Be prepared to talk about the market and the activity in the local area. Have the facts and figures available to help them see what is happening locally in the market. Be a knowledgeable information source and show the client or prospect that you really are on top of the industry activity.
- Set up some contact systems that make it really easy for your clients and prospects to contact you. Your mobile telephone and your email should be prominent in your marketing material, on your website, and in all your market updates. Spread the word about you and your skills.
Top agents market themselves comprehensively and directly. They meet with more of the right people at every opportunity; that’s what you should strive to do.
