Client Gift Strategy for Real Estate Agents

Adding a gifting strategy to your real estate marketing plan can be a fun and lucrative thing to do for your company. Many agents will give closing gifts to their clients and think that is all they need to do to get referrals. That is simply not the case. If you want to build an effective referral marketing plan that will fill your pipeline for years to come, consider incorporating a relationship marketing strategy.

Relationship Marketing Strategy

Relationship marketing can make a world of difference in how well your business does year after year. Strategically building strong relationships with your clients and key local business trades, is like having a team of sales people happily sending you new business everyday.

People are glad to refer you because they know, like and trust you. But good relationships need to be nurtured. Like any relationship, both business and personal, it’s a two way street. When you take the time to connect with someone in a meaningful way, that’s when the law of reciprocity kicks-in.

Gifting Strategy - Part of a Relationship Marketing Plan

Why gifting is important in business?

Tom Ferry, one of the top real estate marketing coaches, interviewed John Ruhlin, author of Giftology, and Glennda Baker from Glennda Baker & Associates in Atlanta about creating a gifting strategy for your company.

1. The Inner Circle, who is key relationship?
The people you want to focus on may not be the owner of the company. They get gifts all the time and it won’t make as much of an impact. You want to focus on the key people around them, they will appreciate it and remember you when the time is right to recommend your service. For real estate clients, you can start off providing gifts for the household then as the relationship is more established and you get to know your clients better you can gift more personal items to the family and pets.

2. Play the long game.
When you start a gifting strategy for your business you need to follow the “recipe” and play the long game. Ruhlin recommend a minimum of three years. You should give without expectations. Building strong, positive long-term relationships will “give back” in ways you can’t imagine.

3. Timing matters when giving client gifts.
Surprise and delight your clients by gifting at unexpected times. Your gift will get lost in a sea of gifts if you give around the holidays. Plan a schedule for ordinary days where your gift will make someone happy – just because you were thinking of them.

4. Set a budget.
How much should you spend on client gifts? Your gifting strategy should have a budget that you can afford. If done right it should pay for itself 10x so Ruhlin recommends 5% to 15% of your net profits..

5. Personalize for a perfect gift.
Your gifts should be catered to the person and be catered to them. When you really want to impress someone, think outside the box and give them a meaningful gift that they wouldn’t buy for themselves.

6. What should not be given as a gift? -types of gifts to avoid.
Don’t put you logo on it. If you give the right gift your clients will remember how thoughtful you were whenever they see or use it. Don’t give food or alcohol unless you know your clients health issues. If you do give something that is consumable, like brownies or a gift card, try and pair it with something tangible that will be long lasting and meaningful.

7. The gift note is more important than the type of gift.
When you put time, energy and thought into a handwritten card it evokes a feeling of venerability. People respond and appreciate that in a relationship.

Coming up with unique and customized gifts for every client situation can be difficult and time consuming. Our personalized gifts will help make your gifting easier. Download our Client Gift Catalog below and save on your first order.