You love and appreciate your clients, past clients, and people who refer to you, right? So why not send them a real estate valentine? 
There are so many kinds of love in the world. Bible scholars say 4, psychologists say 7 – and none of them even mentions a love of chocolate, hot showers, or dogs! For most of us, the word “love” encompasses all sorts of warm feelings and appreciation.
I once had a neighbor who was so hung up on romantic love being the only kind that he could not say “I love you” to his children. He thought it wrong to say: “I love pizza,” “I love my dog,” or “I love that song.” Poor guy. Poor kids, too.
Your real estate valentine…
In case any of the people on your list are like my neighbor, your real estate valentine could begin with mentioning a few of the kinds of love in the world. You wouldn’t want them to get the wrong idea! Then it could go on to the love you feel for the people who support you.
Thank them for their friendship, for trusting you, for doing business with you, and for referring others to you. If you want to extend your “goodwill reach” a bit farther, you could send a real estate valentine to people who help you get your job done. For instance, your favorite appraisers, inspectors, closers, lenders, stagers, photographers, assistants, transaction coordinators, etc.
Everyone loves to be appreciated, and Valentine’s Day gives you a perfect excuse to “touch” your clients, past clients, and those in your sphere with a friendly, non-salesy message. At the same time, your real estate valentine will be a subtle reminder that you do love referrals!
If you don’t want to write it yourself…
There’s a pre-written real estate valentine included in my set of 26 Event/holiday-themed keeping in touch letters – a set consisting of 2 letters per month, plus New Year and Easter greetings.
Another kind of real estate valentine: your care.
This could be considered a year-round real estate valentine, because you show your love and care for your clients by the things you do every day. It shows in the attention you give them – the speed at which you return messages – the care you take in answering their questions and concerns. It shows in your willingness to jump in and solve problems. It even shows when you tell them what they need to know rather than what they’d like to hear.
You show your care through your marketing efforts – with beautiful photos and property descriptions. You show it by going over all the details in a purchase agreement with them, so your buyer or seller knows exactly what every paragraph means, especially monetarily.
Speaking of what they need to know..
Hidden cameras may or may not be legal in your area, and the same is true for hidden microphones. However, whether they’re legal or not, either or both are apt to be in use.
Therefore, another way you can show your love for your buyer clients is by warning them about 
what to say – and not say – while touring a home. An excited, enthused client might gush about how much they love the house – and tell you “privately” that they’d pay over asking. And if their words were recorded, there would go any chance of negotiation.
At the same time, warn them about talking about it in any public place. You never know who might be listening – or looking at a social media page.
All of those things make your care obvious…
A real estate valentine simply states it “out loud.” And… it should put a smile on the faces of those who receive it.
One more thing: show your care by carefully considering what might be the unintended consequences of your actions.
A post I read recently is a prime example. It could be an agent’s misguided attempt to get the very best offer for his clients, but …
It’s an interesting story, and Scott Godzyk tells it well, so I’ll defer to him. You can read it here.
By the way, Scott comes across more strange situations than anyone else I’ve ever heard of. If you enjoy reading interesting tales, I recommend following him on Active Rain.
Don’t forget your personal Valentines!
Someone who loves you – your partner, your child, your parent, or your sibling, will be disappointed if you forget about Valentine’s Day.
My own son says it’s a made-up holiday to get people to spend money on cards, flowers, candy, etc. He’s probably right. According to www.news10.com, “…52% of Americans are set to spend $21.8 billion for Valentine’s Day. The majority of that money will be spent on candy, cards, and flowers.”
However, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to let people know you love them. You can make your own valentine cards, cook a special meal (or make candy) for a loved one, or pick up the phone and call loved ones at a distance.
graphics courtesy of stuart miles @ freedigitalphotos.net
