Instant Gratification

When I was a child, my parents were constantly encouraging me to "delay my gratification." Wait until after dinner to eat that cupcake, rather than scarfing it down this afternoon. Don't flip to the back of the book to find out what happens; read through the whole thing. They spent nearly two decades teaching me to delay my gratification ... and the Internet taught me the exact opposite in moments.

The Internet has created a society that expects (read: demands) instant gratification. As a real estate agent, understanding this and building strategies around it can help you rise above your competition.

I was inspired to write this article after talking to Greg Robertson of Cloud CMA. He was talking about how quickly their reports can be created. "If you're on the phone or meeting in person with a prospective client and you tell them you can create a report that will help them understand, just for example, your listing price recommendation, they'll want to see that report right away. How wonderful to be able to create that report with a single click and to show it to them right then and there." The reports can be sent via email as an attachment or displayed on the iPad as a presentation. "Never again will you make a client wait until you get back in the office to share your CMA with them. You can create and share any Cloud CMA report by simply sending an email."

Of course, these days, fast doesn't count if it's accompanied by low-tech. A piece of junk isn't going to please your clients, no matter how quickly they receive said piece of junk. The reports from Cloud CMA have the added benefit of being aesthetically-pleasing and mobile – two things that also matter to our tech-savvy society.

So here are some other ways you can please the desire for instant gratification:

• Digital signatures. Clients can sign documents instantly, from wherever they are (as long as they have an Internet connection).

• An iPad and mobile apps. If you bring your iPad with you and choose the right apps, you can answer any questions or provide any information instantly. We recommend finding mobile apps for transaction management, property search (with an accurate data feed from your MLS), and CRM in particular.

• Sign riders with options for more information via text, mobile Web, or audio recording. If prospective homebuyers want to know more about a listing they just drove past, they want to know NOW. The best way to satisfy this desire is to give them mobile tools they can access with their smartphone– text messages, automated phone messages, and mobile websites available through a QR code.

What do you do to satisfy your clients' need for instant gratification? Share with your peers in the comments section below.