Yes, send real estate valentines!

You know that staying in touch with past clients is important. If they loved your service, they’ll not only give you repeat business, but send referrals your way – as long as you don’t let them forget you. What better way to stay top-of-mind and let them know you appreciate them  than with real estate valentines?

Valentine’s Day is all about love, but not necessarily just about romantic love. So go ahead, send real estate valentines to your clients and past clients.

Your real estate valentines can convey a simple message…

You could tell them that since it’s the season of love, you’ve been thinking about all the things you love. Then, your real estate valentines could include a long list of things you love: people, pets, favorite foods, beautiful sights and smells, your hobbies, or perhaps the USA. And then, of course, include THEM on your list. Let them know that you love the work you do and that you love and appreciate them for choosing you to assist them, so you can continue doing that work.

My opinion: The world needs more love.

A few years ago, we had a neighbor who had the idea that love was only supposed to mean romantic love. He came to visit almost daily, and we got in all sorts of discussions. Sometimes he would start to say he loved something – like his cat or the smell of new-mown hay. Then he’d stop and say “No, we overuse that word. I should say I like them.”

I disagreed, but there’s no point in disagreeing with an 87-year-old man who knows that he knows everything. But I did feel sorry for him. He could not even bring himself to say “I love you” to his own children, because he somehow thought it was wrong.

A little bonus for sending real estate valentines…

Some people are a bit absent-minded. They know something is coming up, but lose track of when. So – if you send a valentine a couple of days early, you could be doing them a big favor. You could be reminding some absent-minded soul that it would be a good thing to remember a special someone on February 14.

If your real estate valentines re-connect you with past clients…

… let them be the beginning of a good thing. Start now and make it a regular practice to stay in touch monthly – or quarterly at the very least.

Yes, you can stay in touch without a sales pitch…

Many agents tell me they don’t want to “pester” their past clients with continual sales messages. And they’re right! That’s exactly the wrong thing to do.

Instead, send information your past clients will be glad to receive. It can be real-estate related information, such as your market reports or a newsletter that includes the market report and news about new developments, new businesses in the community, or changes to local regulations.

Or – it can be something that’s merely interesting. Some agents send notes along with quotes that are meaningful to them. Some send news about current events – like holiday gatherings, non-profit fundraisers, or even subdivision-wide yard sales.

If you don’t want to write, use the letters I wrote…

When you’re too busy or can’t think of a thing to write, use my Event-themed Staying in Touch Letters.

This is a set of 26 letters – 2 per month plus a New Year greeting and an Easter message – since Easter can fall in either March or April. (And no, it isn’t a religious message. It’s all about the Easter Bunny.)

The set is filled with important events, such as Lucky Penny Day and Clean Your Refrigerator Day. Your past clients, those in your sphere of influence, and even current clients should get a chuckle from them – and forward them on to friends or mention them over coffee or cocktails.

If you load them into your auto responder on the appropriate dates, you won’t have to think about them again for a long while.

If you wish to get in touch only once per month, the set will carry you through two years of staying in touch. And I suppose – if you wanted to stretch to mailing every other month, you could make it last 4 years.

Of course you can write you own. All it takes is some time and research to find a variety of “National Days.”

And of course, when there’s something important to impart, you can add an extra message. You can even send a personal hand-written note or make a phone call when appropriate. There’s no reason why you should only get in touch once or twice a month.

The important thing is – don’t let past clients forget you – ever.

When you see that a couple who purchased from you has now listed with a competitor, it will hurt your feelings. But the truth is that if you forget them, they WILL forget you.

Don’t let it happen.