My husband and I stayed up until midnight dancing to Christmas music in our plaid jammies making fudges, cookies, and other various sparkly Christmas treats this week. We put together Christmas boxes for my Client's clients (Hah). I drove around town dropping them off with my adorable children in tow.
It was wild, and hopefully well met by the end customers. The idea behind this gesture of gratitude was a personalized thank-you to those who had passed referrals on to my client. Each box came with a hand-signed thank-you letter and updated brochures. We are rebuilding her brand and we wanted to reconnect during a time of influx as she makes big changes in the organization.
I was inspired to take these steps by an Entreleadership podcast I listened to that hosted Brian Buffini. It was a great show, but what struck me was Brian's connection strategy. He built his real estate empire by connecting with individuals in a genuine way. No gimmicks or manipulations, just heartfelt gratitude for referrals and the trust of a client's business.
My favorite anecdote from this episode is Brian recalling the attitude he was met with while calling on his clients for Mother's day. He was hand delivering bouquets to his clients. A coworker saw him loading his truck with the flowers. She stopped him and quietly informed him that there are people who will deliver flowers for you. She had assumed, as an immigrant, he didn't realize America had such services. He knew. Brian chose to hand deliver his flowers because he saw a genuine connection opportunity with his clients (Listen to the story here). This attitude of taking the time to maintain his relationships and investing in his customers led him to be one of the most successful real estate professionals in the country.
Brian also brings up a good point regarding systems. It is important to set down systems for branding and customer service. If you don't have a system that prioritizes connecting with your customers, you need to consider evaluating your processes. Find a way to bring your client value without plaguing their email or stuffing their mailbox. Give them something they love and say thank you. Just that alone can make a huge difference in standing out in their mind.