Clients For Life: Customer Retention Program Driving Sales North

Ever wonder why we create programs like Clients For life? Or how we do it? Here’s an inside peek into all that goes into generating epic solutions to real-world challenges for agents.

We Start With The Problem

Real estate agents have a true challenge in maximizing their most valuable resource – their sphere of influence. Yet the National Association of REALTORS® reports that the #1 way home buyers and sellers find a real estate agent is by already knowing the agent or having them referred by a friend, neighbor or relative (2019 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers). Even the most successful agent with years of experience struggles to keep in contact and stay top-of-mind with their clients in meaningful ways.

Next Comes Goal-Setting
To help agents overcome these business challenges, The Studio set out to create a system that would enable agents to stay in touch with their “sphere of influence” consistently, automatically and in a way that gets attention, while requiring very little of the agent’s time and money.

Then We Roll Up Our Sleeves and Make It Happen

The Studio created Clients For Life, a program for agents that includes a series of monthly appreciation promotions to grab the attention of their clients, giving agents a compelling reason to reach out and offer something of value, which in turn, often sparks conversations about real estate and referrals to people who plan to buy or sell a home. Promotions vary by region, but have included:

• Giveaways – smart home technology, cruise vacations, popular retailer gift cards
• Charitable Events – Homes for Dogs pet adoptions, holiday wreaths for veterans, and collections for Toys for Tots, Ronald McDonald House Charities, food pantries
• Special Events – professional baseball games, free night at the movies, day at the zoo, Nutcracker ballet tickets, Napa Valley wine tours
• Activity Guides – information about seasonal activities by region

Most importantly, the monthly emails to the agent’s clients are branded with their photo, name and contact information and sent directly to their contacts on their behalf automatically. Agents are encouraged to reach out to their sphere and follow up on the details of the eBlast. Additional client communications include social media posts, office posters and flyers to be distributed at open houses branded with the agent’s contact information.

How Did We Do?

Testimonials from Coldwell Banker® affiliated agents tout the Clients For Life program for greatly contributing to engagement with their contact lists, resulting in warmer prospects, more referrals and, ultimately, more sales.

“I’m in this business over 30 years and I get repeat client and sphere referrals all the time. But I never did a great job of staying in touch on a regular basis. The first Clients For Life email went out and I had six clients in the first hour respond that they signed up for the event tickets and loved how I was staying in touch with fun events and items of value.” – Agent in Laguna Niguel, CA

“I just wanted to share a success story from Clients For Life. An agent received four follow-up calls from her clients within hours of her introduction letter going out. Now, with the first true CFL item being sent out, that same agent received a call from one of her clients (new lead) to come out and make a listing presentation – she had an appointment!” – Branch Manager in Los Altos, CA

Agents who use the Clients For Life program to the fullest are often surprised by immediate client responses to the email campaigns, as well as the program’s capacity to create true interactions outside the scope of just a real estate relationship.

Pretty cool, right?

The only downside is that, as a member of The Studio’s marketing team, I don’t get to use it (boo). But I’m a Fan For Life!