The connection you have with your clients is likely exactly what dictates your relationship with them not only during business transactions but outside of it as well. As an agent, you already know that many times the relationships you have with your clients spill into your personal life. Sure, not all of your clients are your friends, but some of them may very well be and others are likely using your personal time for business as you are with theirs.
For these reasons, there are very rational ways how to deepen your connection to clients. Here are a few tips for how to deepen those client connections and relationships.
Be More Personable
Being personable in 2022 may be second nature to you as an agent especially if you’re the type of agent who simply can’t shoot off a text, email, or document without knowing exactly whom you’re sending that thought to. The reality is that the “to whom it may concern” greeting is as cold and heartless as it sounds.
That said, be more personable in your interactions with clients in order to deepen your relationship with them. Address your clients and fellow real estate colleagues by name and be as personable as you can be without getting personal. Although, there are obviously legitimate personal friendships in which personal touches are more than warranted and certainly sought after.
Soften the Blow
No, we’re not talking about softening bad news emails–there’s another blog post for that somewhere–instead, we’re talking about easing clients or colleagues into a mutual line of communication. We say this because in real estate clients, colleagues, and other professionals in the industry are requesting your time, expertise, and maybe even taking you away from your personal or family time.
The same can be said for you as an agent seeking information or services from others or your clients. If you’re trying to recruit an expert within your industry to help out with certain parts of your real estate transaction, then be courteous enough to establish a rapport before soliciting help, advice, or communication. Your rapport with clients will strengthen your communication with them and help them feel more comfortable with you as their agent.
Set Yourself Apart from Your Competition
In today’s non-stop busy world of real estate, it’s fairly commonplace to hit “send” after quickly drafting a response without any professional courtesy in your emails or text messages. This is often perfectly acceptable in the industry and throughout the business world as everyone (including yourself) knows just how busy you are all the time.
But the reality is that quick, terse, and impersonal responses to email or text message inquiries, while considered acceptable, are far from that. If you want to deepen the connection you have with your clients, then it’s time to start being more thoughtful and personal when it comes to how you respond to requests or questions. To be honest, making an email seem more personal and well thought out takes little more time than shooting off a one-sentence response.
While text messages are intended for short, quick answers to simple questions, emails are by no means the same. Stop treating your emails like text messages and instead take time to respond thoughtfully and professionally even if the request or question is a simple one. Don’t be like the rest of your competition, but instead set yourself apart by being the class of your industry instead of following the norm.
