Going above and beyond for a client can mean so many things. There is no set rule for what is basic and what is exceeding expectations. When speaking with other agents on the topic they have unique ideas on what little things count. The bottom line is people love being heard, appreciated and acknowledged. Sometimes you can make a difference with some of the smallest gestures. Most people will do things in their personal life to bring joy to friends and family such as bringing your spouse soup when they are sick, offering to take out your friends pet when they are running late at work, offering your sister a ride to the airport when she is leaving for vacation and more. Why not do this for your clients?
Some of the little things that count for my business is not only the holiday card at Christmas but other feel good moments such as showing up when my client is moving and lending a hand (or when this is not possible due to time restrictions: order a pizza and drinks for them). Spending money isn’t always necessary when showing your worth to your clients it can take place in what is considered our “job”. A small way to help our clients: we are all guilty of faxing/scanning our offers to the listing agent and letting them do the work, but I never do this step without a detailed summary about my client, our price and the pre-approval process and who I have spoken with about it. This is the bare minimum allowable in my personal business but often I try to present my offers in person and while there provide a letter from my client to the sellers outlining there excitement about the property and sometimes a photo, if the situation seems right. I have won multiple offer situations with the lesser offer because of being the only agent to present my offer, resulting in the seller having an emotional connection with my buyer – going above and beyond for my client while getting out of my comfort zone. Having done over 100 offer presentations I still get nervous pulling up to the home and sometimes my offer presentation is only 5 minutes in length, but it is always worth it for my clients.
Not every client is the same but some other things we have done to help our clients with the process include (but are not limited to) helping with a garage sale (a great way to meet the neighbours and showcase the home if anyone asks about the for sale sign in the lawn – the dollar store offers signs as well kijiji is free to market on + your own Facebook page), organize the house warming party by sending the invites, taking coats, serving food/drinks – you are getting handed a database from just one party. Checking in after they have moved in – don’t be afraid to check in – this is one of the hardest things to do because it feels like a ticking time bomb but a few times I have done the check in call and it was something minor that I knew how to do and they did not and I was able to help at no cost and received a ton of gratitude for. We also host 3 major client appreciation events including marble slab day (ice cream) where we invite our clients to have an ice cream cone on us (one of our favourite days as we get to catch up with all our favourite people), a backyard bash with live music, BBQ and games, and one other random event whether it be bowling, outdoor movie night, a volunteer day and more.
When helping your next client take note of the items around the home, the information they tell you about there family, what excites them or troubles them about the process and see if you can incorporate something special for them whether it be getting them a coffee with the fixings they take without having to ask (pay attention to your first coffee order and make notes) or getting their dog a treat from the pet store you can really make an impression while at the same time make your own days brighter.
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