2024 has been quite a year for the housing industry. Interest rates kept us on our toes, the dust is still settling from the NAR settlement, agents are retooling their buyer and listing systems, we are digging an even greater hole in terms of our inventory, and now we even have insurance issues to bear. This year challenged both new and seasoned real estate professionals. Despite the challenges, there are big opportunities ahead for agents who know where to look.
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Don't let 2022 slip by without recognizing your clients in a big way. Although the pandemic is still affecting us, our celebrations had to be tamped down over the last couple of years. So, dust off that past client database and let's do some big planning between now and the end of the year!
If you have never done any gifting or live appreciation event before, now is a great time to dive in. There are really only a few things to consider:
Start making a list and jotting down some ideas over the next few days and in the meantime, let’s dive a little deeper into these points. Please note, I am also a proponent of creating a personal annual property report, but today is not the day for data. Today is a day for fun and celebrating!
Do you love Thanksgiving? Do you have favorite holiday cookie recipes, handed down through the generations? Do you spend time each January planning and looking forward to the year ahead? Do you identify with a culture that has an interesting tradition you would like to share? Or do you just want to celebrate with your clients and have a great time? Start with what says year-end celebration to you and then think about how you can parlay that into a business client celebration.
Although there may be religious or specific holiday-focused events that may make some clients uncomfortable or may even exclude some clients, generally-speaking, if it is meaningful to you, it will be meaningful to your clients.
At the very least, meeting face-to-face to drop off a gift is key to making this worthwhile. After all, having a moment or two of conversation will re-engage that bond that may have been lost over the last few years.
There are only 77 days until Thanksgiving and 108 days until Christmas. You don’t have a lot of time to prepare, so be realistic about it. If you think you are going to have enough time to have an artist custom-create a watercolor house rendering for each of your clients (yes, that is a thing! Check this out: https://www.etsy.com/search?q=custom+watercolor+house&explicit=1&is_personalizable=true ), that might be pushing it. But if you want to plan an event for 100 people in the beginning of December, you have time to plan and get the word out if you start now. Well, finish reading this article first, but then get on it!
It is very important to establish a budget right off the bat because it is easy for things to get expensive. Start with the most expensive components for the event and gifts – usually the venue, food, and the gifts themselves. Everything else – the invitations, linens, packing material - these usually have less-expensive counterparts that can be substituted.
Want to avoid a crowd? Here are three fun gift ideas instead:
Start getting into the holiday spirit and get excited about connecting with your clients this year! Your future pipeline will thank you and you can end the year feeling great about the connections you have made.
By Denise Lones CSP, M.I.R.M., CDEI - The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones, brings nearly three decades of experience in the real estate industry. With agent/broker coaching, expertise in branding, lead generation, strategic marketing, business analysis, new home project planning, product development, Denise is nationally recognized as the source for all things real estate. With a passion for improvement, Denise has helped thousands of real estate agents, brokers, and managers build their business to unprecedented levels of success, while helping them maintain balance and quality of life.