11 Tips to Build and Nurture Your Client Database
2024 is sure to heat up, and you're in the perfect position to get ahead of the curve with a solid game plan. To succeed, grow, and thrive, it's crucial you make the most of your client database. With these 11 tips, you can build and maximize your client roster for a successful year ahead. 1. Start with Social Media Social media is a crucial tool for any business, especially for real estate. With social media, you can get more eyes on your business, reach previously untapped audiences, build brand awareness, position yourself as a trusted expert, and so much more. Think of social media as the gateway to building your client database by adding new prospects and leads. Leverage a to keep your content creation and posting efforts on track, year-round. Remember, the algorithm favors regular, consistent posting and engagement. In turn, you can help increase the odds your posts get seen and shared more. Watch Now: How I Generate Serious Leads from TikTok & Instagram 2. Don't Neglect Your Website Your real estate website is another crucial tool to leverage for building out your client database. It's a powerful platform, allowing you to showcase your authority by spotlighting your brand, showing off your latest listings, highlighting your reviews, and sharing your thoughts and experiences. The best ways to maximize your website? Leverage a real estate technology partner with customizable, high-converting IDX websites. Maintain your blog and update it regularly with relevant, insightful content. Write a killer bio for your 'About' page to build trust in your expertise from the start. Host client testimonials on your website for prospects to see what it's like to work with you. Showcase your latest listings for prospects to learn more about. As an added bonus, you can direct your social media followers to your website to expand and strengthen your online presence, helping support a growing database of clients. 3. Get Out in the Community Nothing builds better rapport with the market you serve than getting out in the community. It will also build your client database in a meaningful, organic way. Volunteer with local charities and organizations, and consider sponsoring them or their events. Go door-to-door to introduce yourself to the neighborhood. Host local events and be an active participant in neighborhood happenings. The more eyes you get on your brand, both online and off, the more you can build your client database with ease. 4. Partner with Local Businesses Also known as co-marketing, partnering up with local businesses to promote one another is a great tactic to reach new audiences offline and more naturally. To leverage this tactic effectively, make sure to promote your businesses in a way that complements each of your offerings and also addresses consumer needs. Ask a business owner or vendor you work or have rapport with to reshare your posts on social media, co-author a guest blog on your website, or co-host events with you. Then, do the same for them. By crossing over into one another's audiences, you can reach new potential clients to build up your network. 5. Activate Your Sphere of Influence Your sphere of influence is made up of your connections, who can turn into clients (or send them your way) and later lead to giving you referrals. That is a lot of potential business, so it's crucial to tap into this network. Stay in touch with your SOI through email campaigns specifically made for them, engaging with their social media posts, and by giving them a call or shooting them a text once in a while. Lead in with wishing them a happy start to the year, and give them a little reminder of your recent wins and your readiness to help anyone with the home buying or selling process. Sometimes, a simple connection and nudge for what you're up to can spark a lightbulb moment to get you in touch with your next client. 6. Educate Potential Clients on the Process You know you're the expert on all things buying or selling. And for people who are gearing up to embark on what's considered the transaction of a lifetime, they need to know you're there to guide them every step of the way. Position yourself as a knowledgeable, committed real estate expert by walking your prospective clients through every part of the buying or selling process. Provide them with educational content, designated meetings, and phone calls to answer any and all questions. By having an open door, and showing you know your stuff, you can nudge even the most tentative of prospects over the fence into a full-on client. 7. Automate Your Follow-Up Process With so many tasks, meetings, and responsibilities that pile up, day after day, it can be tough to feel like you have enough time to manage your client database. So, wherever possible, leverage the power of automation. When it comes to your follow-up process, tap into the power of your CRM to take advantage of automated email responses and nurture campaigns, text message auto-responders, and reminders to give clients and prospects a call. This will take the guesswork out of the who, how, and when to nurture your client database, freeing up your time and mental capacity to focus on forging more meaningful connections. 8. Send Out a Monthly Newsletter Use the space offered by a monthly, scheduled newsletter to keep prospects and clients alike up to speed with what's happening in your business and their local market. A monthly newsletter allows you to showcase your expertise and activities so you can educate prospects and clients. It also provides a way for your database to reach out to you directly by email response or your contact information in the newsletter, keeping you top of mind no matter where they are in their buying or selling journey. 9. Stay in Touch with Past Clients Nurturing your relationships with past clients, no matter how settled into their homes they are, is crucial to your business. Stay top of mind by creating a unique email nurture campaign for past clients, checking in with them on a consistent, but not too frequent, basis, and sending them annual postcards or small gifts on key dates. They could always come back when they are ready to sell or buy again, and they can provide invaluable referrals. Because you're staying in their orbit, they'll know to get in touch with you, helping to build out your client database even more. 10. Ask for Reviews When you get to the closing table and seal the deal successfully, you're in the optimal window to ask your clients for reviews. Ask them what it was like working with you, and get their permission to share it far and wide, publishing it on your Google Business Profile, website, and social media profiles. Having a legitimate perspective from real-life clients' experiences builds your credibility, so prospects searching for the perfect agent in your area know what it's like to partner with you. 11. Reward Your Referrals When previous clients provide you with referrals, why not show them appreciation back? You can send a small gift and nice handwritten note, or even consider hosting events for clients who have provided referrals. This is a great way to nurture existing clients and give them a reward so they can keep sending new clientele your way. To view the original article, visit the Inside Real Estate blog. Related reading Get More ROI from Your CRM Real Estate Agents: Cash in on the Money in Your 'Trash' 3 Ways to Create Forever Clients Using Your Real Estate CRM

4 Interesting Ways Top Producers Use Their CRMS (That You Might Not Be Doing)
Most agents use some kind of a CRM, whether that's a spreadsheet where they keep a contact list and track activity, or a sophisticated platform built specifically for real estate agents. And even though agents know that they should be leveraging these tools to help them generate more business (and more income), many of them seem to be doing so … somewhat halfheartedly. That's what new WAV Group research indicates, at any rate. The group surveyed agents, split responses according to production level, and then analyzed the big differences separating top-producing agents, who close more than 30 deals every year, with agents who close fewer deals than that. The big takeaways? Agents who produce more are using their CRMs a little bit differently than agents who produce less. Here are some ways you might consider tweaking your own CRM use in order to join that top echelon of sellers. 1. Choose Something and Stick With It Everyone in real estate has heard of "shiny object syndrome." While it's a good thing to be on the lookout for potential improvements in the products you're using, that's not a great philosophy to have when it comes to working with a CRM. One big thing that sets top producers aside from agents who don't close as many deals is that they have been using their CRMs, on average, for longer. This indicates that they are switching platforms less frequently than lower-producing agents. If you use something for a long time, you get to know its quirks and abilities much better than if you're constantly swapping it out for something new. Of course, it makes sense to look for a new CRM if yours can't do what you need it to, but oftentimes that's a user issue, not a software issue. 2. Take Some Classes (Preferably Time-Bound) A real estate CRM is a notoriously complicated piece of software, and for every feature it adds, the users will need a bit of training around how to best deploy the feature. If you never took the opportunity to take an in-person or live online training around how to use your CRM and everything it can do to bring in more business, there is no time like the present! Top-producing agents are significantly more likely to say that they invested time and energy in learning how to use their CRM, either at a live in-person training, or through online training that is time-bound. On-demand videos can also be good options, but don't forget: You'll need to actually watch them and pay attention to them in order to get anything out of them! 3. Use Your CRM Every Day When asked how often they use their CRM, the top producers in the survey were significantly more likely to use their CRM multiple times a day, or at least once every day. And when markets start to shift and tighten, they are more likely to report investing even more time into their CRM activities. Some CRMs offer lists of priority activities and potential clients to tackle or reach out to every day. Whether or not you need that feature, it can be a good jumping-off point for training yourself to use the platform every day, no matter what. 4. Focus on One-On-One Conversations Instead of Blasts Another interesting and significant way in which top producers differ from lower-producing agents in their CRM usage is the specific activities they focus on when they are using their CRM. Agents who aren't closing as many deals tend to be somewhat all over the place when it comes to their CRM usage: In other words, they're trying a little bit of everything, and they might not be entirely sure about what's really working and what's not. By contrast, top producers are more likely to use their CRM to facilitate and track one-to-one text message or phone conversations with their prospects. They're doing this more than email blasts or other marketing tactics that a CRM supports. (Top producers are still using email blast features, to be clear, but they're also focusing more relentlessly on those individual outreach opportunities.) Don't know what to share in those private conversations? Consider using RPR to generate a CMA for any homeowners in your network, or for buyers who might be interested in a specific property. The platform has almost endless opportunities for generating specific market data for the people in your sphere. If you don't have a CRM, it's time to get one. And if you do, and you're not using it like a top producer, then maybe some of these tips will help generate more leads (and more business) for you, which is exactly what a CRM should be doing. Happy prospecting! Next Steps Read more articles about CRMs Explore CRM solutions in our Product Directory

Propertybase

Propertybase is a web-based Customer Relationship Management program that's easy to use and customize. It's built and operated on world-class CRM Salesforce and modified to suit the needs of the real estate industry. Propertybase aims to help agent and brokers work smarter, not harder by managing things as diverse as leads, documents, listings, marketing, commissions, fees and more. Three different editions--Residential, Commercial and Developer--are specifically tailored to individual branches of the real estate industry. Its cloud-based platform means you never have to worry about installing or updating software. Propertybase is also accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, on nearly every device imaginable, including mobile. Should you ever find yourself without internet, a convenient "Connect Offline" feature lets you access critical customer and sales information. Propertybase's features include: Integration with social media User permissions that enable agents to connect to only the data they need Custom report wizards Customizable fields and user interface Automatic lead distribution Duplicate contact check that keeps database clean Track e-mails, log phone calls, delegate and supervise tasks, set follow-up reminders Publish listings to multiple places with only a single entry Email marketing templates that agents can personalize Automatic e-mail delivery tracking Document management with contract templates and customizable forms Ability to print or e-mail documents as PDF Track deals and offers with instant notifications Centralized fee and commission tracker Waiting list for properties if prospect fails to deliver on down payment On-the-fly payment schedules to show clients Website integration, including WordPress, PHP, ASP Outlook and Google apps integration

WRAR Provides Top Producer

Wilmington Regional Association of REALTORS® provides Top Producer to their agent and broker members. Top Producer 8i is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that helps users manage tasks and relationships and to organize leads, manage repeat clients, referrals and sales. The 5 steps of top producer are to get more leads, turn leans into sales, convert more web leads, offer stellar client service and grow market share. Top Producer 8i is designed to help agents stay in touch effectively for weeks, months, or even years. Top Producer 8i supports an agent's business through compelling and automatic marketing systems, featuring hundreds of pre-formatted and written letters, emails and flyers. With Top Producer 8i, an agent can automate follow-up communication ‘Action Plans’ for every potential client- friends, family, leads, clients and past clients. The software reminds the agent who to contact and when to call, mail or email over weeks, months and years. Agents can choose from 100s of customizable Action Plans, packed with letters, emails and flyers. Agents can close listings, with professional presentations and reports from Top Producer 8i’s media library. They can choose from dozens of Listing Presentation & CMA options with maps and integrated WRAR MLS property data and photos, Buyer Presentations include comparables, photos and maps, and detailed Community & School Reports for any area in the U.S. Top Producer 8i’s 100% Web-based system allows agents to view, update and synchronize data from any computer using Firefox or Internet Explorer. Add Top Producer Mobility, and agents can access their database from your Windows Mobile, BlackBerry® or Palm™ device.

HomeKeepr

HomeKeepr is a real estate agent branded mobile app for your homeowner clients. Homekeepr can drive repeat and referral business from your existing client base by helping you stay valuable to your best customers, post-closing. Their mobile app helps you do this in two ways: By helping you remain a valuable resource to your clients for managing the home you sold them. By helping you transition from a one-time business relationship to a trusted resource for local information. HomeKeepr creates a customized home maintenance calendar for your clients. They follow up with them every month by sending agent branded reminders directly to their phone. Homekeepr can also offer them your recommended local vendors that can help if the task is too hard, too specialized, or just too time consuming.

CINC Pro Enterprise

CINC Pro Enterprise was built for rapidly expanding brokerages by experienced Real Estate Technologists that have intimate knowledge of large brokerage technology systems. Enterprise is the foundation for a brokerage’s digital footprint in one single source. Realtime market reports, sales pipeline reporting, and agent accountability dashboards empower the enterprise executive with full transparency in their growing business. If you are a large and established enterprise business in the Real Estate industry and looking to roll out a Sales and Marketing solution for your company, CINC Pro Enterprise is the perfect solution for your business.

Inside Real Estate Releases Smart Assistant, a First-of-its-Kind AI Integration Powered by ChatGPT
Smart Assistant leverages listing data, market understanding, and CRM information, to provide accurate and instant communication through text message, email responses, and AI-built custom call scripts, with just one click. MURRAY, Utah, December 20, 2023 -- Inside Real Estate, one of the fastest-growing independent real estate software companies and trusted technology partner to nearly 500,000 agents, teams, brokerages and top franchise brands, is thrilled to announce the release of Smart Assistant, the first-of-its-kind AI integration harnessing the power of generative AI to deliver a new level of efficiency, personalization, and responsiveness to real estate professionals and their clients. "Serving as a technology partner to our clients means staying on the bleeding edge of innovation, and we are very excited to announce the release of Smart Assistant, bringing generative AI into the kvCORE Platform," said Nick Macey, President of Inside Real Estate. "These are the first steps towards our vision of bringing AI to agents, teams and brokerages helping them grow their business and save time, freeing them up to focus on what they do best- building relationships and serving as a trusted expert to their clients." Smart Assistant is powered by ChatGPT, and directly integrated into kvCORE's CRM, leveraging information about the contact, along with an understanding of market and listing data to generate accurate and instant communication, while maintaining privacy and security. Users can create text and email responses, or leverage AI-built customized call scripts. Email and Text Messaging: Smart Assistant creates tailored, personalized responses in real-time for engaging with consumers Call Scripts: Smart Assistant generates personalized call scripts, making suggestions for the best way to engage with your customer Proactive Prompts: Smart Assistant allows you to select from predefined prompts, tested to work well for creating content, as well as tweak a prompt for your specific scenario Effortless Editing: Use manual content revision for small tweaks, or click the "regenerate" button and Smart Assistant will start again "While the future always brings change, good relationships remain, and this is precisely the type of tool to foster and grow those pivotal relationships, helping facilitate agent-centric and consumer-centric experiences, and delivering them at scale" said Joe Skousen, Founder & CEO of Inside Real Estate. "It's a privilege to provide innovative tools like this, championing the agent and empowering them with the solutions they need to continue driving value, and serving this industry." About Inside Real Estate Inside Real Estate is a fast-growing, independently-owned real estate software firm that serves as a trusted technology partner to nearly 500,000 top brokerages, agents, and teams. Their flagship product, kvCORE Platform, is the most modern and comprehensive solution in the industry known for delivering profitable growth at every level of a brokerage organization. Built on a modern, scalable, and flexible architecture, kvCORE enables every brokerage to create its own unique technology ecosystem through custom branding, robust integrations, and high-quality add-on solutions. Recent strategic acquisitions have expanded the company's technology portfolio further, including BoomTown, Brokermint, and AmpStats solutions, which solidifies Inside Real Estate as the leading technology partner in the real estate industry. With an accomplished leadership team and its talented staff, Inside Real Estate brings the resources, scale, and vision to deliver ongoing innovation and success to their growing customer base. To learn more visit insiderealestate.com.

RealtyAPX
RealtyAPX provides a complete front office and back office system to unify all the technologies needed in the Real Estate industry into one single application for brokers and agents. Our system provides 9 applications for one low price: Transaction Management Email, Print and Social Media Marketing Campaigns & Qualified Lead Acquisition Digital Signatures CRM - Customer Relationship Management Accounting (Quickbooks Integrations) Document Management (PDF Splitting) Lead Management and Lead Distribution Complete Calendaring System Open House Management w/ Surveys Showings Management w/Surveys Google Integration, IDX Integration

Real Geeks
Real Geeks builds powerful, simple and easy-to-use software to help real estate professionals generate more business. Our mission is to combine innovative solutions and modern technology to improve the lives of Real Estate Professionals, and help them do more transactions.

CINC
CINC (Commissions Inc) is the leading provider of web-based real estate marketing and CRM software for top-producing agents, elite real estate teams, and leading mortgage brokers across North America. The solution includes a consumer facing website that integrates with local MLS data, a complete CRM platform that allows real estate professionals to nurture clients and monitor their business, and lead and team management on the go with the CINC family of apps. 

Back At You
Back At You offers the most powerful and complete all in one software solution for brokerages in real estate. The Company’s three products, SocialBAY, ClientBAY, and FinancialBAY, provide all size brokerages and their agents with a seamless marketing, design, social media, website, CRM, lead routing, back-office, and all-in-one technology solution. Over the last 13 years, Back At You has solidified its status as the market leader for real estate technology with over 400+ brokerages and 175,000+ agents utilizing the software, over 1,000,000 exclusive buyer and seller leads generated for clients, and over $1 billion commissions processed to agents. The Company’s dedication to real estate and technology has earned it awards from the National Association of REALTORS® as one of the top real estate technologies, Inc 5000, Red Herring as a Top 100 technology company in North America and the World, and from Instagram and Facebook as an Official Marketing Partner.