5 Tips for Building Trust with Clients

Real estate is, first and foremost, a business based on client relations. Real estate agents provide a personal connection that can't be replaced, which means building trust with clients is crucial.

Set yourself up for success from the start--here are some ways to foster that agent-client relationship.

1. Make sure your tone is warm and welcoming.

You know that it's important that your clients feel comfortable with you. You are working with them on a huge life decision, and they don't want to work with a robot.

Ask questions, listen to their answers – and try to be yourself.

You'll want to take notes on their real estate needs, of course – but write down the names of clients' kids and pets, too. Note if there is an important life event coming up – maybe it's your seller's birthday next week – so you can follow up later and show you care.

2. Own your expertise – and your limitations.

When a question or need comes up that falls outside your role and experience, don't try to fake-it-til-you-make-it. Admit that you don't have the immediate answer, but will quickly connect with someone who does.

You'll actually bolster your own credibility by demonstrating that you know when to turn to someone else.

If you see a red flag during a walk-through, tell them you'll touch base with a home inspector. If you tread into a confusing title situation, assure them you have some extra legal eyes on it.

Clients will feel reassured to know that you have a robust network at your fingertips.

3. Show your sellers that you're investing marketing dollars in their home.

Sellers want to know that you're investing time and even dollars in promoting their listing. Make sure they know you've got a strategy for selling, and exactly how you'll market their home.

Better yet, promote it on Facebook and Google with Homesnap Pro Ads, and you can actually share a performance report directly with your clients. They'll be impressed to see metrics that show you're putting serious effort into their listing.

4. Set expectations around communication and stick to them.

Make sure you begin building trust by having a conversation about how you want to get in touch. Homesnap makes it easy to keep all your communications – conversations, favorited homes – in the in-app messenger.

If you prefer to text or email, that works, too – but make sure you're consistent and respond quickly when clients reach out. They don't want to feel like they're missing out on a chance to see a house because they can't reach you.

When you do have other commitments – say, a weekend out of town – ask another agent to cover for you. Or, let your clients know exactly when they can expect to hear from you. Check out our tips for smooth client communication, too.

5. Get your Google Business Profile in great shape.

Research shows first-time sellers and buyers value reputation more than referrals, so it's crucial to have sparkling reviews on Google reviews.

When prospects search for you online, you want the instant social proof and credibility that Google reviews bring.

With Homesnap Pro+, we can help you verify and manage your Google Business profile so prospects can easily find you online.

To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.