How to use Personal Note Cards effectively to generate more referrals....

Personal Note Cards
Send Out the Personal Touch

 
The business professional with the most friends WINS! Period. The formula for success is that simple.

The power to attract people is what gauges success. The more people consider you a friend and a business professional, the greater your potential for success. Your existing client base, if managed properly, can become your most treasured outside sales force for referrals, the champions of your cause.

Your style of marketing to these people will profoundly impact their impression of you. I firmly advise implementing a personalized, hand-written note campaign. It's quite simple: Two cards a day and 10 a week equal 520 notes per year. That's 520 subtle yet powerful marketing opportunities for a very small investment on your part.

It's important that these personalized cards don't mention anything about your business, nor should they contain a business card. Never send them in an envelope with your company name and logo. You wouldn't send your mother or cousin holiday greetings with your business card or company logo. Likewise, if your goal is to create a multitude of friendships, then why jeopardize them by sending business information to a prospective client?

Here's the drill: Purchase several boxes of blank, inexpensive note cards. Place two blank cards on your desk every morning. Sometime throughout the day, perhaps at lunch, during a break or while on hold for a business phone call, grab a card and write that personalized note to someone in your database. You'll find it most helpful to have your database open when you are ready to draft that note. You might write, for example:

Hi Joe,

I've been thinking about you. Did you catch that Dodger game last night? It went into the 11th inning. Sure was exciting! I hope that you and your son are both doing well. Perhaps we can all go to a ball game sometime this summer and enjoy each other's company. Let me know if that would work for you.

Sincerely,

Your Name

That note doesn't say "business," it says "friend." Remember, two cards a day and 10 a week equal 520 a year. Ask yourself this: If you reached out 520 times a year to people you know with a friendly note, how many more transactions would be referred to you as a result? 

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How to farm your existing client data base....Orphaned Clients and ideas to bring their business back to life....

Amp Up Your Database
How To Capture "Orphaned" Clients

 

Since the housing crisis began back in August 2007, over 400,000 Realtors have "left the building." One reason for this, according to Lawrence Yun, National Association of Realtors Chief Economist, is that many who flocked to the industry for a quick buck around five years ago have left the business to pursue the same elsewhere.

But there are many different reasons people leave the business—from relocation to retirement—so who's looking out for all those former clients now?

The one who keeps in touch with them is the one who will win their future business.

Follow these easy steps to capture these potential clients:

1. If an agent is leaving or has left the business, ask if he would be willing to leave his clients in your care. If his answer is yes, ask if he would vouch on your behalf with an introduction letter. Volunteer to create this intro marketing piece yourself, or it may never happen. Then before he leaves, ensure to collect his list of database contacts either on a spreadsheet or out of his contact management system.

Alternatively, if you're part of a real estate brokerage, ask your broker for a list of "orphaned" accounts and database contacts.

Add them to your contact management system and start a marketing campaign to this group.

2. Send your introduction letter, explaining to this new group of clients that their former agent has left the business, that you'd like to keep in touch with them, and that you'll be calling in a few days to say hello.

3. Follow up with a phone call as promised to obtain an idea of their status, and request permission to gather their email address to keep them up-to-speed on what's happening in local real estate. This will also be their permission to be added to any sort of email marketing campaigns.

If anyone is going to add a slew of new names to their database by following up with these clients—while reaping the future income and referrals they can bring—shouldn't it be you? 

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Some unique closing gifts & ideas for your clients...

Thank You for Your Business:
Unique Closing Gifts for Your Clients

 

Sometimes, a simple note is not enough to show your gratitude. Housewarming gifts are a great way to remind your clients that you're there for them, long after the paperwork is done. And, like business cards or branded mailers, these gifts are another way to market yourself to potential clients and their referrals. The following are a few great closing gift ideas your clients will talk about to everyone they know:

Decorated Dinnerware – A flock of pottery shops have sprung up across the country where you can paint ceramic pieces from little statues to plates and coffee mugs to giant cookie jars. Register your clients at one of these stores, so they can decorate their own dinnerware. Every time they use these items, they'll think of how you helped them reach their dream of homeownership. For a state-by-state list of these businesses in your area, visit www.paintyourownpottery.net.

Services Directory – If your clients are new to the area, why not compile a directory for them as a unique closing gift. Imagine a book that lists and even maps out all of the restaurants, markets, gas stations, movie theatres or playhouses in their neighborhood. Include business cards from emergency services like a plumber, electrician, landscaper, and handyman and create some outbound referrals. Be sure to brand the book with your contact info because this book just might become their go-to guide for all of their home and entertainment needs.
Basket of Goodies – Instead of the typical basket of fruit many agents give their clients as a closing gift, try something different. Fill a basket with pancake mix, muffin mix, jam, Earl Grey tea or coffee, a couple mugs, a spatula, oven mitts and anything else they might use in the kitchen. Each time your clients cook breakfast, bake a cake, or just relax with a hot cup of coffee or tea in their new home, they'll remember you and the great service you provided.

Memory Mug – Here's a great and inexpensive closing gift your clients will never forget. Take a picture of their new home and add to it their name and the date that they purchased the home. Then put the picture into one of those customizable coffee mugs and give it to your client with a coffee gift card or a pound of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. Again, you can add your name and logo to the back of the mug, and your clients will think of how you helped them obtain their dream home every time they take a sip.Free Magazine Subscription – Not only do magazine subscriptions make a great closing gift, they're also a great marketing tool. Each month for the next year, your clients will think of you every time they get their latest issue in the mail. Some companies, such as www.magazineclosinggift.com, will allow you to add your name, logo, or even a message to the magazine subscription of their choice. Many subscriptions are less than $20, so it's inexpensive too. During the transaction, try and learn about your client's interests and hobbies. This will show them how much you care, and it will help you select the right magazine subscription as well. 

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What business professionals should know about Twitter... Tips for everyday users....

 

The rules of marketing remain constant, but the media has changed drastically.Consumers have adopted social media quickly, with Twitter growing faster than most. But don't just open a profile and start tweeting! Here are six ways you can optimize your Twitter strategy for maximum business attraction:

• What's In A Name? Choose your Twitter ID carefully–make it memorable and appropriate for doing business. Your own name is always a good choice. Make sure email and social media user names are similar to avoid confusion. Upload your photo, too: Profiles with photos on average have 10 times more followers.

• Wash, Rinse, Retweet. When you embed outside photos, links, and videos into your tweets the likelihood of getting retweeted, attracting more followers, or getting a call goes up exponentially: 19 percent of all tweets have links, but 57 percent of those get a retweet. Also, asking for retweets with "pls RT" or "please RT" or "Please Retweet" scores 50 percent of the time.

• Verbs–That's What's Happening. "The Science of Twitter" webinar from HubSpot says verbs and adverbs get far more retweets than nouns or adjectives.

• Hashtag Heaven: Hashtags make tweets searchable. Make sure to incorporate real estate terms into your hashtags: #RealEstate, #Realtor, #RE, and #NYRealEstate (or whatever state of the Union) work best.

• Your Ad Here. You want as much organic traffic as possible, but inexpensive Twitter ads can help you target leaders and key demographics for your tweets. Check Twitter for Business for details.

• Rules of Engagement. People refer to Twitter as a "micro-blog" for good reason, and many of the same rules apply. Post too seldomly and you'll lose readership, post too much and lose engagement. Most retweets occur between 3-5 p.m. EST; readership declines by 50 percent after the third tweet in a single day, regardless.

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"Tips for the Real Estate and Mortgage Professional"

How to Stand Out from the Crowd Marketing 101 The purpose of marketing is to obtain mental real estate.  Competition is fierce these days, as consumers are bombarded with distractions from every direction. How can you make sure that your message is heard and remembered? Communication is Key    Whether it's a company brochure, a newsletter, or a flyer, the idea is the same. You are trying to attract the reader's attention! When you create a company brochure, produce something that's compelling. Remember, your brochure will be competing with a mountain of magazines in the waiting room. Don't hand  out a standard overview of your company, with a look and feel  that mirrors everything else in your industry. Create something that  will "wow" the reader and help you stand out from the crowd. Newsletters are a popular marketing tool, but their effectiveness  depends upon their content. Rather than producing a lengthy  piece that prattles on about your business, try to provide brief bits of interesting information. Give the reader general news and  tips they can use, or at least share with co-workers around the water  cooler. Success stories are an especially useful communication  device. Select a difficult transaction you've completed which had a  great outcome, and use it to indirectly illustrate your talents to your customers. Utilize Your Database   Your client database is the most valuable resource you have. Do you use it to its full potential or is it merely a repository for data from past transactions? Each contact within your database should be classified as either an  active or passive lead.  Active leads are those who are about to make a decision,  and they should be contacted frequently. Rather than calling a client to ask if they're ready to commit, try calling to provide them with information  instead. Tell them about an additional feature of the item you've discussed,  or bring up a different product for their consideration. Perhaps you have a  special offer that might interest them. By contributing something of  value to the conversation, you're able to touch base and further establish  your worth as a resource.  Marketing has never been more challenging than it is today. Make the most of the communication opportunities you have, and you'll reap the benefits for  years to come. WWW.TRIADLENDING.COM  Pre-Qualify Here