In our sixteen years of focusing on branding and marketing in various niches of the real estate industry with both companies and agents, we have seen innumerable ways that real estate marketing professional in all facets of the industry attract clients, and create a referral stream.
Closing gifts is one way to assure this happens. We have heard and read many discussions on the subject as to what works and what does not work when it comes to closing gifts. We have concluded that the appropriate answer is that it dependson the personalities of the agents and the personalities of the people they attract. Remember, the old adage: People like to do business with people like themselves.
It is not uncommon to hear that someone with a high-end listing will show prospects homes in a chauffeured limousine, for instance. Or, they will rent a helicopter to view the property if they have a buyer for large tracts of land, ranches or vineyards. They will also wine and dine them at posh restaurants. We have seen the same type of service albeit less extravagant at the mid-range level in real estate, as well as in commercial real estate also.
Here is an example of a successful agent who feels that gift giving is the best method to attract those who are ready to buy or sell. We call it, the “treat them as if they ruled the world “system.
This agent specialized in luxury real estate. A special gift from Tiffany’s was sent after a listing presentation. It was a clever gift, a silver pen. The attached gift card explained this was the “special” pen for the potential sellers/buyers to sign the closing papers with. This individual had a high enough percentage of buyers/sellers sign the exclusive for this method to justify the cost. At the end of the transaction, there was another luxury gift for the client.
This is one way of doing business, it worked for this individual. Even in the age of electronic signing, this person is still spending money with Tiffany’s on other items as the opening gambit.Keep in mind that this is the type of client this individual attracts over and over again, because this agent would want to be similarly treated, if he/she were the seller or buyer. It worked.
At the same conference, we, we were speaking at, we met another agent whose approach was radically different. This person does not give gifts, she spontaneously gets them from happy clients. This is another approach to working with the wealthy or any other type of financial strata that one is working with.
Her stance is that her service is invaluable, her knowledge of the luxury market impeccable. She has an impressive roster of clients who praise her expertise and prowess. These are the clients she consistently attracts. She is a player on an equal footing with her clients who are treated like partners in the process of selling or buying a home. Although, she does not expect a gift, she often gets gifts from her clients.
Find your approach, express it clearly and you will attract the very ones you would like to work with. There is no right or wrong here, it depends on your personality and the people you would like to do business with. As a rule, we gave ourselves a gift when we closed a deal.