Anne Marie Malfi, Real Estate Marketing Consultant/Virtual Asst, Bucks County,PA

I think by now we've all seen this commercial:

The Swiffer commercial has a "regular" mop asking, ok, begging and trying to "woo" the customer to come back to them with flowers and song dedications on the radio, now that they've switched over to using the new and improved Swiffer mop.

The woman's reaction - "too little, too late Mr. Mop." It doesn't matter what you did before, and what you'll do now to try to get me back - I'm convinced I no longer need you.

I think the commercial is brilliant for the message Swiffer is trying to communicate to it's consumers - sometimes another product provides so much more and cares about it's consumers that there's nothing you can do to change that and keep them.

Sometimes messages like this are a little too late and give us the message we're not important to these companies.

The "baby come back" method of marketing is not the kind of marketing we want to be focused on when it comes to our consumers, especially with all the ways we have to stay in touch with them - it should never get to this point!

To market to this very important group - your sphere of influence - you don't need to purchase any special tools - you possess them already, but you have to be willing to use them.

By using your blog, social media sites, the phone, email and any way you can find to make a connection with your clients, you are given numerous opportunities to provide exceptional customer service - value - and a need for your clients that will have them very much aware of how you continue to be a resource of value for them beyond their day at the settlement table.

Think about a company whose product you used to use regularly - what made you stop using it and back away from this company? Did the company stop providing any of the following?

Customer Service

Value

Keeping in Touch

Listening more than Speaking

There are so many easy ways to make a prospect and customer feel important and the investment of time that you put into it will be well worth the rewards you will receive - another opportunity to work with this person and an opportunity to work with their sphere of influence.

Some key ways to invest in your relationships with previous clients (will also work with new prospects - start off on the right foot):

1. Provide targeted information (whether in a phone call, report, newsletter, or email) - fulfill your client's needs - give them what they want and need.
2. Marketing Updates - provide information on your client's listing before they even have a chance to ask. Why leave them wondering or questioning what you're doing to get them to SOLD.
3. Send a link to a client when you post some new information to your website - why keep what you're doing a secret? Perhaps include it in your next newsletter. Mention a question that recently came from a client and address it in that newsletter (be sure they get a copy.)
4. Invite them to your blog - show them what you're involved in - direct them to the blog about their listing, send a link to the local business you just mentioned, promote your community - your next client could very well discover you and your services with their next Google search.
5. Engage on social networks - make your profile visible in the searches. Invite clients to your page and engage with them. Think about it - do you really want them to stop communicating with you after their transaction is completed?

• This is a great way to keep the communications going and a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to their sphere of influence that could most likely see the link or comment you provided your client and perhaps a referral or new client is within arms reach?

Think about it - Why would we ever want to stop communicating with a previous client who we invested time with to get to know them, spent many hours with seeing homes or spending time showing their home and got them the results they were looking for - wouldn't we want them to feel good about our relationship so much so that they would want to mention our services to others? Does our commitment to them stop after we sign the papers at the table?

Ever notice the great feedback you get in touch with someone simply because you acknowledged them with a note or a call? When we commit to stay in touch we are not only building on that relationship but increasing the chances of having relationships with all the people that person knows.

As previously stated in one of my blog posts:

"Simply offering "good" or "average" services to your clients is not going to get you noticed or talked about. Being honest, sincere, genuine will speak volumes to your clients. Every time you interact with a client think to yourself is this the best I can give? Would I feel special if I were the client?"

Think of a cat and some of the traits they have. They are creatures of routine and if you change their setting and eating times it throws them off so much so that they turn away from you.

Can't the same be said with our clients? If we change our habits of staying in touch with them they'll undoubtedly get upset and turn away from us as well.

Taking care of our prospects and customers from the very beginning and throughout the relationship is hard work but so worth the effort of having to turn to marketing them to get them back which in all likelihood will not happen - once they're gone they're not coming back.

Don't become a dispensable service that can be easily discarded because there's no more use for it or value in it.

I hope this post inspired you to make the commitment to your clients:

1. To stay in touch well after the transaction is complete and,
2. Encouraged you to find ways that you can commit to regularly and that will work for your clients to keep that relationship alive.

Feel free to share ways you continue to engage with your clients (whether past or current)

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Some other blogs to help get you moving in the right direction of providing exceptional customers service and marketing expertise to your prospects and clients:

• Marketing Strategies
• Your Newsletter
• Areas to Focus

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Often times websites are created and change very little or only certain pages change. There are many reasons for this:

1. We build it and forgot about it
2. We are driving visitors/traffic to our other sites (blogs and social media sites - important, yes, but if you have a website you want to make sure it's receiving traffic and directing traffic bank and forth to all your sites)
3. We simply don't have the time to update our sites

So here's your opportunity to regularly change the content on your website to encourage visitors (prospects and past clients) to visit again and again and again - you get the point.

As I mentioned in the title of this blog - you also want search engines visiting and revisiting your website and they will do that when you add fresh content to your site.

This can be accomplished by adding a "What's New" page to your website. Here you are focused on updating and directing your visitors to important new content on your site and fulfilling their need for information.

The benefit of adding a "What's New" page is that you are primarily updating one area of your website and since you are adding links to the pages you want to direct them to - those pages are automatically updated and generating traffic. Search engines love new content and if you are using keywords and optimizing this page you will benefit from having a page that is seen as being regularly updated and has the content that consumers are seeking.

While I don't encourage adding everything from the list - pick some key areas and see how they work - analyze your website visitor statistics and see where they're going. Keep at it until you have the right content driving traffic - repeat traffic to your site. Ideally you will want this "What's New" Page to be easily accessible from your Home page - appearing on your navigation bar so that it's easily found. The key is not just mentioning what's new - take them there by including links to take them to those pages directly.

Here are some examples of things you might want to include in your "What's New" page of your website:

New, Featured Listings & Open Houses - whether it's a widget or a featured listing

MLS Search - why have them go elsewhere? - provide right there on your website.

Hot real estate tip or link (a good opportunity to share some link love with some of your local business owners)

Updates on Your Company

• Awards
• Community Involvement - show how you're involved in your community - link to a blog or social media site in which you've mentioned what you're doing. Show it on your calendar of events.
• New Staff - link to a blog that you've written about this new staff member
• New Testimonial - Link it to your testimonial page

New Video - what a great way to show your prospects and clients new listings. Most video tools have the ability to embed them into blogs and websites. (who knows - they may even forward to someone that might be interested.)

Links to news articles about the real estate industry and your market - whether from your blog or a pdf file that they can print directly from your site. Another way to show your expertise and the value of working with you.

Calendar of Events and Community Events - a great way to show things going on in your community is to have a calendar that has dates highlighted to encourage them to explore and have them coming back to your site for this information. Be sure to highlight what events you're involved in and take them to the blogs you've written about your community, events and new businesses you have highlighted.

Newsletter Sign up another way to stay in front of your prospects and clients and show the value of your expertise and of working with you.

Your blog - Either feed your blog directly into your site or at least mention some of the most recent blogs you've done that you feel would be of interest to your visitors. Encourage them to subscribe to your blog via the rss feed so that they are getting regular communication and content from you each time you update your blog or simply encourage them by providing relevant content.

A call to action asking them if they want to be notified when updates are made to your site - encouraging them to revisit your website when you add something new - a reminder if you will to visit again.

Social Media Engagement - Encourage them to interact with you on social media sites that you participate on. Engaging with them in this fun way is a great way to build on your relationship and show them what you're involved in - maybe they'll see something in your stream and it will encourage them to ask you a question. Often customers may be thinking of something and won't reach out to you but if you put it out there they just might.

Visitors (prospects, past clients and search engines) may come to your site once, but to keep them coming back you need to have fresh and relevant content. You need to provide solutions to their questions. You need to provide information that means something to them - that fulfills their needs (WIIFM.)

How does your website stack up? Are you seeing repeat visitors and are there key pages/content that drives traffic to your site? Do you have a page like this that generates traffice?

What other suggestions for content to a "What's New" page would you include that would not only provide great content for your website visitors but also generate more traffic for your website?

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This post was inspired by Bob Stewarts Blog Challenge when he asked the question "How do you use your blog to enhance your existing relationships with clients and prospects?" I have four examples that I want to share that I hope will encourage others to be an active member of this community.

I have used my blog posts (and what I consider to be another version of my websites) to generate interest in my marketing and virtual assistant services as well as provide ideas on how my prospects, readers and clients can extend their reach and provide great customer service to their prospects and clients.

First Example

• One way is when I posted a Marketing Report blog. This post generated a lot of interest and increased my readership both on ActiveRain and via the feeds to Twitter and Facebook. Not only did I encourage agents to create and use this tool to reach their sphere of influence but I had many contact me to create a template for them to use that would highlight how they market their listings.

Even yesterday, a new member of ActiveRain who has subscribed and reading my posts contacted me about this very post.

The response that my clients and readers have received has been overwhelmingly positive from their clients. When I create blog posts like this I try to put myself into the shoes of a consumer - I was one in the last few years when I was buying and selling a home - and I know what I wanted, needed and what was of interest to me. I like sharing that information with agents to help and remind them of putting themselves into the consumers shoes - seeing what's important to them and allowing them to build a solid relationship with that client.

• Another post that generated a lot of interest was this one entitled "Customers are internet savvy and checking up on your promises are you delivering? in which I highlighted some areas that you may or may not be promising to your clients for their listings on where they will appear that yield great results due to the amazing exposure they receive.

I invited the agents to see how they're doing and if there were areas that their listings will benefit from having this added exposure and to be sure to share it with clients. Many found the post/checklist useful to measure their pre-listing presentations and to build their marketing plans for the upcoming year.

Receiving comments like this:

"Anne Marie- There is certainly a lot to do! And you are right, many clients are checking up online to make sure that their Realtor is doing what they said they were going to do! It is important not to overpromise and under deliver! The beauty about your list here is that this list can be reversed into a beautiful listing presentation in terms of what one WILL do. It is a lot of work to do all of those things which is another reason many agents need to consider hiring an expert that can help!!! : )" ~ Chris Somers

"Awesome post Ann Marie. If everyone followed your advice there would be a lot more top notch Realtors:)" ~ Bill Gassett

Second Example

Another great compliment you can receive is having your post reblogged and that honor has been given to me many times by so many members of ActiveRain. One that surprised and delighted me was this one. Wow, I think I was walking on the air the rest of that day!

Third Example

Another way that I have discovered that my blog are helpful and enhance my relationships is by providing blog posts that agents and brokers have told my they have printed to use in their business plans, training classes and as a simple reminder of what is important to keep focused on when it comes to marketing and staying in touch with their clients. Again, just this week I was contacted by an agent to offer training for their office staff.

Comments I've received on blog posts that members felt they could use in their own agent training classes and as a daily reminder for themselves have included:

"What a great post. Lots and lots of great ideas. I am going to share these with some of my agent friends. Thanks so much for sharing. You just might want to do some coaching in addition to your Virtual Assistant practice" ~ Karen Anne Stone

"Great post - each activity improves our skills and generates leads. I have shared it with the rest of the staff and it was favorably received." ~ Ryan Shaughnessy

And its comments like this - positive feedback - knowing I am making a difference to my colleagues and yes, many of them are my actual clients - so they can in turn make a difference to their clients - is what it's all about for me.

Fourth Example

The last way I use my blog posts is as a link in my responses back to inquiries about my services. Whenever someone inquires about my services I not only provide them with a phone call to discuss their needs but I highlight some of the services I provide that may benefit them by sending them an informational piece that lists those services along with the link to my AR blog. I want them to see firsthand the content I provide, the advice I preach, the tips I share and how the readers and subscribers to my blog respond to me. Often the comments left are testimonials to how my advice shared can be applied to their business and often they will return back to tell me about their success.

It is no secret that AR is a powerful tool and it certainly is the most powerful one I utilize to grow my business. It has provided me with clients, friendships and colleagues that refer business to me and that I can refer business to.

Every site I register on I find a way to either link or feed my AR blogs into it to not only promote my services but ActiveRain because I feel that if this network can bring me this kind of exposure and business there are others that can benefit from joining the network. It's a paying it forward mentality that I believe in and possess as I know all too well that many of us here do.

On August 23, 2008 I made the smartest decision for my business and so invite you today to discover the great success you can have by joining and being an "active" member of the Rain.

A special thank you to all the members here that interact with me, read my posts, contribute by commenting and add such value to my posts. You are one of the best parts of my day!

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This community is full of people who are always looking to make a difference to the people who hire us to provide real estate services, in our communities or to those special people in our lives.

This idea was shared with my  11 year old daughter (Sarah) from a teacher in her school.  My daughter has been actively looking for ways to get involved with more community service and this is one way she felt she could make a difference in someone's life.

If you're looking for another way to extend your help, especially this winter ~  another way you can make a difference to someone in your community, we hope you'll join us in making a difference!.

A simple gesture can make a difference, and you'll see how at the end of this short video.

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My Advice to Consumers Reading ActiveRain Blogs - The Real Estate Industry has Lots of Positives

I think it's safe to say we've all been hurt before - whether in a relationship, business, and just from experiences we've had. The memories that can come back to us when we relive those experiences can be quite painful and often leave us feeling cautious about trusting anyone. I know on many of my blog posts people have shared some of the negative feelings that they have experienced and are aware of when it comes to the real estate industry and how agents and real estate professionals are perceived.

My advice today is directed to consumers - people reading AR blogs, possibly in search of an agent who can represent them in what will be one the most important and life altering decisions of their life - selling or buying a home. Home represents many different things to people and can be a sacred and safe place for many. It's the place we feel safe and we draw strength from, a place where memories are created and a place we think of when we think family.

Are you a consumer that has a "trust no one" mentality when it comes to the real estate industry?

One faithful day last August while doing a Google search I stumbled across ActiveRain and discovered a whole new world of experience, knowledge, friendship, community and yes, trust. Yes, to my great surprise my experience here has been a community that is meant to help people - the general public/consumers looking for real estate services and guidance and colleagues looking to share information about increasing their knowledge and improving their businesses.

Like me, you have stumbled upon a community that is eager and so willing to assist you. I know from personal experience - not only from my online and offline communications but my interactions of working firsthand with so many great professionals from the AR network that you will be in good hands. I can't specifically name an agent that will work well on your behalf but what I can say is that there are so many great agents and real estate professionals to choose from on this network so why leave it up to chance and choosing someone you know very little about.

My advice is simple:

• Read the blogs and get to know the agent, broker, stager, etc - you will see and feel what they're about.
• Investigate further - visit their website and get a feel for their strengths. Look for the kind of presence they have on the internet - do you get a sense that they will provide that level of service and marketing that you are hoping to receive?
• Review their testimonials and hear from people who have worked with them and experienced firsthand the services they've provided
• Reach out and interact with professionals from the network - subscribe to their blog via the RSS feed and take some time to discover through your interactions if they are the right agent or real estate professional to work with.

Give yourself some time and then take that leap of trust knowing that these re professionals are dedicated to getting you the results you are looking for - they are bound by a code of ethics and their own code of wanting to do the right thing for their customers.

They dedicate a lot of time and effort to bringing you information about your community, the real estate industry and have put themselves out here in very personal ways for you to have the opportunity to get to know them. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of that.

I know in my heart you will find the right agent or professional here on this network - there are just so many that I would personally choose myself to represent me.

I wish you great success in choosing your agent or the real estate professional you are looking for and hope that you will drop me a note to share your success - knowing I have been where you are - a consumer looking for an agent to represent me.

I simply trust that you will have a great experience and you will discover for yourself that there are some great professionals in the real estate industry and positive experiences to be had that undoubtedly you will want to share with your friends and family.

Consumers:

Help, advice and knowledge are a simple click away for you - what are you waiting for?

Agents and RE Professionals:

Some of you have left comments about the negative feelings and perspective of the public when it comes to the RE industry - what are you doing to show there are positive aspects?

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