How to Nurture a Phone Call into a Relationship or Not!

Everybody knows it’s important to stay in touch with our clients and prospects, right?  So, how many people actually do it?

I’m pretty good about staying in touch with clients and prospects though like most people, I am not perfect.

Four years ago, I received a call from a yellow page ad (does anybody remember those?).  This woman and her husband were looking to rent a home.  He was in the military, and they were transferring into the area.

I didn’t and generally still don’t handle rentals for renters.  However, I am happy to help a bit if I can.  I emailed her a list of homes that met her criteria and provided her with the listing agents’ information.  I also told her which papers and websites were most likely to have what she needed.

She was grateful for the help, and this is where I made what could have been a fatal mistake.  I didn’t put her on my mailing or emailing list.  I didn’t follow up with her in any way whatsoever.

So, you’re asking, what’s the point Christine?  And, that’s where luck stepped in.  About 10 months later, I got a call from her, and she said their lease was about over, and they now wanted to buy a home. 

Fortunately, I remembered her.  Even, better, I was able to help her and her husband find their home.  But, perhaps what was the best was that helping her find a new home for the two of them was like going to lunch with my girlfriend several days in a row and just having a great time.

Since that time, they’ve been transferred out of the area and now back in again.  I’ve helped them rent their home and find another, larger rental, and they plan to buy a larger home in the next few years.  We’ve developed a great friendship, and I’m happy to have her home again.

So, what’s my point?  I was lucky.  She appreciated the help I gave her without asking for anything in return. In fact, she appreciated it so much, that when it was time to buy, she contacted me for help despite my lack of follow up or contact.

But, how many buyers and sellers are likely to do the same?  How many will remember your name a year or two from now if you haven’t kept in touch with them?

This was a great wakeup call for me.  If I can sometimes make this kind of impression by doing so little, how big an impression could I actually make by doing the things we know we should to keep in touch with our clients and our prospects?

How about you?  Do you stay in touch with clients and prospects, or do you depend upon luck and wonder why you don’t have the business you would like to have?