Staying in touch with former clients is one of the most effective ways to grow your business. Even if you've done an outstanding job for them, consistent communication shows that you want to remain their trusted real estate professional for all future needs.

But remember—clients won't stay engaged if all you ever talk about are listings and market stats. The real goal is to be a resource for all things homeownership—not only when they buy or sell, but throughout all the years in between.

Newsletters as a Foundation

A bi-weekly newsletter is an excellent vehicle to share homeowner-focused content. Today's consumer prefers quick, digestible articles, 350 to 600 words, paired with strong visuals. Covering topics like maintenance, seasonal tips, market updates, and financial insights positions you as an ongoing educational resource while keeping your name top of mind.

Additional Ways to Stay Connected

• Homeowner tips: Share maintenance, gardening, decorating, and entertainment ideas that show you care about their daily homeowner experience.
• Annual property reviews: Provide an annual snapshot of their home's value, equity growth, and potential tax appeal opportunities.
• Service providers: Offer referrals to trusted contractors and professionals.
• Information guides: Provide professional reports on topics like downsizing, rental property, moving, taxes, or the role of a buyer's agent.
• Personal touches: Remember birthdays, anniversaries, and home purchase dates with a call or note. As the saying goes: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."
• Community calendars: Share schedules of local concerts, festivals, or farmer's markets to connect clients to their community.
• Customer appreciation events: Host activities such as pie giveaways, shredding trucks, or family picnics to thank your sphere.
• Local merchant spotlights: Highlight favorite restaurants or shops to provide extra value and strengthen local ties.
• Financial insights: Simplify concepts like refinancing, equity growth, and investment property benefits.
• Social media: Consistently post on the top platforms to extend your reach and reinforce your expertise.

Why It Matters

It costs 5...7 times more to attract a new customer than to keep a current one. Building client relationships for life translates into a business that grows stronger year after year and extends far beyond the average retirement age.

With a plan and commitment to long-term connection, your past clients can become lifelong advocates. Consider how InTouch Systems  can complement your efforts and make staying in touch effortless.

The concept of an Emotional Bank Account was popularized by Stephen R. Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and serves as a metaphor for the trust and goodwill built in relationships through positive interactions.

How It Works in Communication

Think of each relationship as having an emotional bank account, where every interaction is either a deposit (building trust and goodwill) or a withdrawal (eroding trust and causing strain). Just like a financial bank account, a healthy balance leads to strong relationships, while overdrafts lead to broken trust and difficulty in communication.

Deposits: Building Trust & Connection

• Active Listening: Genuinely listening and seeking to understand the other person.
• Keeping Promises: Following through on commitments and being reliable.
• Showing Appreciation: Expressing gratitude and recognizing efforts.
• Being Respectful: Speaking kindly, avoiding sarcasm, and showing empathy.
• Apologizing Sincerely: Owning mistakes and making amends when necessary.

Withdrawals: Damaging Trust & Connection

• Breaking Promises: Failing to follow through on commitments.
• Not Listening: Ignoring or dismissing someone's concerns.
• Criticism or Harsh Words: Speaking negatively or being overly critical.
• Lack of Empathy: Being dismissive of feelings or situations.
• Dishonesty: Any form of deceit or lack of transparency.

The Impact on Communication

This concept applies to everyone, whether you're working with clients, colleagues, or even family and friends. The Emotional Bank Account is a powerful metaphor because trust is built the same way in every relationship. If you're struggling to connect with someone, it might be a sign that your account is overdrawn. Strong, lasting relationships with your sphere of influence require consistent deposits—small actions that build trust over time. Invest wisely, and you'll create connections that lead to long-term success.

Just like with money, the health of your Emotional Bank Account depends on consistent deposits over time. For REALTORS®, those deposits are the newsletters, posts, and updates that educate, inform, and make your sphere of influence better homeowners. Each touchpoint builds trust, credibility, and goodwill ,so when the moment comes for them to make a move, you're the professional they already know and trust.

If you find yourself short on time to make those deposits consistently, that's where InTouch Systems steps in. We'll handle the communication for you, keeping your account full and your relationships strong—so you can focus on what you do best: serving your clients.

One of the most universal challenges real estate agents face that hinders them from reaching their full potential is lead generation and consistent client acquisition. Without a steady stream of qualified leads, agents may struggle to grow their client base and close enough deals to sustain and expand their business.

While both working with strangers and people you know have their merits, focusing on strangers presents a significantly larger pool of potential clients. However, working with people you already know offers less competition, a greater opportunity for success and conversion, and a lower cost of acquisition.

By leveraging existing relationships and building trust with referrals from satisfied clients and professional contacts, agents can tap into a network of pre-qualified leads who are more likely to convert, ultimately leading to a more efficient and successful business model.

In terms of customer acquisition cost, the most profitable and least rejection-prone source of prospecting and lead generation is often referrals from satisfied clients or professional contacts. Referrals typically have a lower acquisition cost compared to other sources because they are based on trust and credibility established through existing relationships.

Additionally, referred leads tend to convert at a higher rate and have a higher lifetime value, as they are more likely to be pre-qualified and motivated to work with the agent. This approach minimizes rejection as the leads are already predisposed to trust the agent based on the recommendation from someone they know and trust.

Therefore, focusing on cultivating and nurturing relationships with existing clients and professional contacts to generate referrals can result in a more cost-effective and successful lead generation strategy for real estate agents.

Develop a strong personal brand that reflects your values, expertise, and unique selling propositions, and consistently communicate it across all marketing channels and interactions.  Provide educational and informational content that addresses common homeowner questions, concerns, and trends in the real estate market, positioning yourself as a trusted resource and expert in the field.

Maintaining top-of-mind awareness among people you know, including past customers, friends, relatives, and acquaintances, can be achieved through various effective strategies:

• Personalized Communication: Regularly reach out to contacts with personalized messages, such as handwritten notes, emails, or phone calls, to stay connected and show genuine interest in their lives and well-being.
• Social Media Engagement: Utilize social media platforms to share valuable content, such as market updates, home buying/selling tips, and success stories, and interact with contacts through comments, likes, and shares.
• Newsletters, blog posts, information guides, and webinars
• Networking Events: Attend community events, networking groups, and social gatherings to meet and reconnect with contacts, establish new connections, and showcase expertise in the real estate industry.
• Client Appreciation Events: Host client appreciation events, such as parties, workshops, or seminars, to express gratitude to past customers and strengthen relationships with them and their network.
• Referral Incentives: Offer referral incentives or rewards to encourage past customers and contacts to refer their friends, family, and colleagues to you for their real estate needs.
• Follow-Up: Follow up with past customers and contacts regularly to stay top-of-mind, inquire about their needs, and offer assistance or advice when appropriate.

By implementing these strategies consistently and authentically, real estate agents can effectively build their brand and maintain top-of-mind awareness among people they know, leading to increased referrals, repeat business, and long-term success in the industry.

If you're struggling with not having enough time and resources to do everything you need to do, check out InTouch Systems.