Has it occurred to you that the service you provide for your clients might be “more and better” than the service other agents provide?
If providing exceptional service is, to you, no more than doing things the way you believe they should be done, you might not notice how special you are. As a consequence, you may be overlooking some important points in your marketing.
Consider these questions:
Do you respond promptly?
Do you return calls and answer emails and texts promptly? If so, you’re already exceptional. One of the primary complaints that consumers have about real estate agents is that they do NOT respond promptly. That’s also one of the major complaints agents have about other agents.
Have you ever tried to arrange for a showing and found it impossible to get the listing agent to respond? If so, you’re certainly not alone.
Do you stay in touch with listing clients, even when the market is slow?
I know – depending upon where you are, you may not have experienced a market in which homes routinely stay on the market for months. If you have been (or are) in such a market, you know it isn’t easy to contact a seller every few days to tell them nothing is going on.
Sellers appreciate agents who let them know they haven’t been forgotten – and don’t think much of agents who ignore them.
My family experienced this first-hand when my son had his rental property for sale. The first three agents he tried forgot all about him – and it – until they wanted a renewal. They didn’t return calls or emails. (And they didn’t get a renewal!)
Do you “listen before you leap?”
When you’re working with a buyer, do you ask questions and pay close attention to their answers before 
choosing homes to show them? Do you pay even more attention while viewing homes – and then ask more questions?
Potential buyers appreciate agents who save them time by showing them homes that fit their wants and needs. But – not all agents do that.
When you give advice, do you give it with your client’s very best interests in mind?
When you think a house is wrong for a buyer, do you share your reservations? When you think a client should think twice before accepting a clause in a contract, do tell them? Do you tell them why they should add a contingency and warn them of what could happen if they don’t?
I expect you do, but not all agents do. Some give advice with their own interests in mind.
When you take a listing, do you gather ALL pertinent information and upload it to MLS?
If so, there you go again – being exceptional.
Before you recommend a selling price, do you take the time to do a careful CMA?
Not everyone does.
Are your listings accompanied by professional looking photos and well written 
descriptions?
We’ve all seen listings with photos that would chase buyers away. We’ve all read descriptions that are nothing more than a recap of the details – “3 bedrooms, 2 baths, garage, great yard.”
If you do the opposite – say so!
Do you go all out on marketing your listings?
Some agents think a sign in the yard and a minimal posting on MLS is good enough. Tell your prospective listing clients all the other things you’ll do to get their home sold quickly.
Do you help your clients analyze and decide how to respond to offers – or to counter-offers?
Some agents simply send the offer or the counter via email and let the clients figure it out for themselves.
When you have a pending transaction, do you stay in touch and keep it on track?
Do you make sure your own client is meeting all deadlines? Do you jump in to help solve problems when they pop up? Do you reduce your clients’ stress levels by answering questions and reassuring them along the way?
Some agents hand things over to the lender or attorney – or the agent on the other side. Then they sit back and wait for a commission check. I’ve been acquainted with many of them, and their constant complaint is that they can get buyers, but never seem to get to closing. I wonder why?
When the transaction closes, do you remain available to answer questions or give advice?
Buyers, especially those new to the area, appreciate feeling like they already have a friend in the community who can point them in the right direction for everything from a handyman to a dog groomer.
All of these things are important to clients, so if they’re part of your “business as usual,” make them part of your marketing as well.
Some of it, such as your dedication to prompt replies or your attention to detail, can/should be included in your agent bio. Some can be included in your buyer and seller pages and some in your listing presentations. It should also be evident in your prospecting letters. And of course, when exceptional service is your norm, it should be reflected in the tales you tell on your blog.
If you do more and do it better than your competition, your past clients know it.
If you stay in touch with them, they’ll tell their friends and family members. That’s good. It’s every agent’s 
dream to own a business built on referrals.
But do remember that in order to keep that ball rolling, you also need some “stranger clients.” They need to learn about your exceptional service from your marketing. So don’t hide it!
Agent on the phone Image courtesy of iprostocks at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Clutter Image courtesy of Bill Longshaw at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
newsboy Image courtesy of vectorolie at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
meeting with clients Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
