Proper customer relationship management might be the single most important tactic to success as a real estate agent. Networking is the name of the game, and maintaining contact with the clients you already have is the most effective way to expand your business base. CRM software and applications now exist in order to help you along your way, and ensure you can apply some basic principles to help your business grow.
1. Say goodbye to the spread sheets
Any real estate agent who has been operating for more than a week will have figured out that you need to your client’s information organized. That being said, in 2018, there are much more sophisticated ways to that than with a rolodex. With the technology available, you should think of your contacts as a lot more than just names and numbers. If you’re still operating without IXACT real estate CRM software, you’re missing out on the opportunity to automate the process around developing and maintaining relationships in a whole new way.
2. Grow your business organically
CRM software allows you to contact people directly from your dashboard and even has a calendar that can help you keep track of who you should be contacting each day in order to make the most of your time. Perhaps more importantly, it also offers a tracking system that can let you know where every client is in the sale cycle and reach out to your contacts at appropriate times.
3. Automate and save time and money
CRM also allows you automate much of your marketing. For example, you can schedule email drip campaigns to coincide with certain times of the year. It can also be an easy way to build better, more effective marketing habits. For example, CRM makes it easy to develop a “daily five” routine. The daily five is one of the most important tricks in the real estate agents playbook- you simply call and check in with five people a day, for five minutes each, five days a week. If you manage to stick to the routine, you’ll have made a total of 1,250 calls by the end of the year. CRM helps you stay organized and makes sure you are contacting clients at equal intervals.
4. Keep track of your outreach efforts
CRM also means that you will have a record of who you have contacted, so that you can assess how effective your outreach is and whether or not you are putting in the legwork. Remember that referrals are the lifeblood of a thriving real estate practice, and one of the biggest challenges when an agent is establishing their name is to figure out what the most effective way to do this is. Thanks to the magic of CRM, you won’t have to wonder about what the best way to contact each client is. As soon as you log in, you’ll know who is on the list and what the best way to contact them is, whether by phone, email, or touching base on social media.
5. Let your clients know you appreciate them
In the aggressive pace of today’s business market, it is easy to forget to pay thanks to those who helped us along when we were starting out. CRM makes staying in touch with past clients a piece of cake. With CRM, each time you close a transaction, simple use the tool to assign them to a follow-up plan of your choosing, ensuring that they won’t be forgotten down the road. Real estate success is based on strong relationships, and with CRM, making and maintaining those relationships will feel like a breeze.