How often do you refer to clients with whom you've had transactions in the past as "PAST clients"?
In so many aspects of real estate (and life) terminology is SO important.
What is the subliminal meaning to you when you refer to someone as a "past" client? To me, this means someone who WAS a client, rather than someone who IS a client.
Our team has made a concerted effort to NEVER refer to anyone as a "past" client - they are "clients". We feel they are Clients for Life, so are never "past". Transactions may be "past" but clients never are.
p.s. If there's someone you never, ever want to deal with again, they aren't a "past" Client - they're non-existent. We do keep them in our database, just in case a future team member, who doesn't have the group history, gets a call from them. They can look in their ACT record and see that this "non-client" is someone we never want to work with again.
A client is always a client unless you choose not to service them anymore. How can you call someone a past client when you market to them monthly in your newsletter, make 3 to 4 calls to during the year.
Vocabulary and self-talk are very important! It can affect your behaviors.
SS,
I have a data base of 6000 names of people who I send info to 2x`s a year.
Like you I do that in order to keep our name out there.
At 1% ROI we do very well with inquries which become buyers and sellers later on.
Sharon- I too have many Clients for life, these are people I keep in touch with, meet for cofee etc.
I also keep the past clients in my database to remind me why they are past clients.
Yes words can make a difference.
Sharon,
I try to maximize the client by following up and keeping in touch with cards and holidays. i just got one that emailed me and he is considering another transaction with me come next year so it is important. Your past clients are you best clients because you already know them and they know you.
Karen - You're welcome.
Ntsike - exactly right. What you say, the words you choose, DO make a difference.
Monika - why "behave"? but it IS possible that you may not want the clients either.
Patricia - they certainly are "past" when you no longer stay in touch.
Katerina - glad my comments helped. What is "LOA" that you coach on?
John - exactly. We shouldn't call clients we want to work with in the future "past" just because our last transaction was in the past. On the other hand - if we don't choose to ever work with them again - don't stay in touch and do let them be "past" or "passed" on.
Scott - having technology makes it so much easier to stay in touch with thousands. You're doing better at it than I am.
Jennifer - congratulations on staying in touch with the clients who matter. Having a data base, and putting information into it, really does help, especially when you have a team. They know when a call comes in why we DON'T want to deal with a particular person.
Brad - what can I say when I read those wonderful comments from you? I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you - now my hope is to be able to spend some time with you, so that we can really talk.
Brian - any of those will work.
Neal - yes, once you've established trust, it's far less expensive to court that client than to try and attract new ones.
Sharon, You make a point. I don't refer to my clients in the past sense. Even if they have left the area. They are always our clients, our sellers, our buyers and hopefully our firends.
GInger
Susan - it's sometimes the little things we don't think about that hold us back. Hope it helps.
Ginger - I'm with you!
Linda - yes, it would. Active, Current, Favorite - any of those will work.
Michael - fortunately there are far more wonderful clients than people I choose not to work with again.
Sharon....forgot ...
Happy New Year!