Pat Zaby's
DIGITAL EDGE FOR REALTORS
Strategies that keep your clients coming back—and referring more. Tips and tools to strengthen your real estate connections.

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

In the world of real estate, client satisfaction is a significant achievement. When nine out of ten buyers and sellers express contentment with the services provided by their real estate agents, it's undoubtedly a cause for celebration. However, as a real estate professional, your work doesn't end with a successful transaction and happy clients. Instead, it's crucial to understand that maintaining top-of-mind awareness is an ongoing effort that can further enhance your reputation, foster client loyalty, and generate valuable referrals.

The Importance of Staying Top of Mind

It's no secret that the real estate industry thrives on relationships and referrals. Satisfied clients are more likely to return for future transactions and recommend your services to their friends, family, and colleagues. However, even the most satisfied clients can forget about the great service they received over time if you don't make a concerted effort to stay top of mind.

Consistency Is Key

To ensure that your clients remember you and your exceptional service, consistency is key. It's not enough to assume that a job well done will keep you in their thoughts. Instead, you must actively engage with your past clients through various channels.

Direct Email Campaigns

Direct email campaigns are a powerful tool in your top-of-mind awareness arsenal. A newsletter is a simple example of a campaign that will be appropriate for all your contacts.  Craft informative, engaging, and personalized email content that provides value to your clients. Share relevant industry updates, real estate tips, or local market insights. Consistent email communication not only keeps you on their radar but also positions you as an expert in your field.

Leverage Multiple Social Media Networks

In today's digital age, social media platforms are invaluable for maintaining client connections. Be active on multiple social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Share a mix of content, including property listings, industry news, success stories, and even behind-the-scenes glimpses of your real estate journey.

Keep the Conversation Going

Encourage interaction by posing questions, seeking opinions, and responding promptly to comments or messages. Social media is a two-way street, and fostering engagement builds stronger relationships.

Homeowner Resources

Being there when they buy or sell is easy: the challenge is to be there for them in between those times to help them with their homeowner experience.  There are many things you can do like keeping them up-to-date on the market, service provider recommendations, changes in tax law that can affect them, and anything that will help them manage their investment.  Many of these things could be offered on your website for past customers to access when they need it.

Regular Check-Ins

While digital communication is essential, don't underestimate the power of personal touch. Schedule regular check-ins with your past clients, even if it's just a friendly message on their birthday or a holiday greeting. These small gestures go a long way in showing that you genuinely care.  Scheduling an annual homeowner's review similar to an annual wellness visit provides a reason for you to check-in with your contacts that demonstrates your long-term relationship as their agent.

In a competitive real estate landscape, maintaining top-of-mind awareness is a strategic necessity. Even when your clients are satisfied and have expressed their intention to refer others, your consistent effort through direct email campaigns and active social media engagement keeps you firmly planted in their minds. This approach not only bolsters your reputation but also ensures a steady stream of referrals and repeat business, making it a win-win for both you and your clients. Remember, in real estate, it's not just about the transaction; it's about building lasting relationships.

If you don't feel you have the time or resources at the current time, InTouch Systems can help you by producing an impressive newsletter and daily social media posts Monday through Friday.  Explore our website and all the examples, then take a trial or schedule a personal demonstration.

Monday, May 12, 2025

Real estate agents thrive on a steady stream of clients, and prospecting is the lifeblood of their business. While there are numerous ways to attract buyers and sellers, one method stands out as particularly effective and efficient: leveraging one's sphere of influence (SOI).

The Power of Your Sphere of Influence

Your sphere of influence consists of friends, family, neighbors, and acquaintances who already know and trust you. This network offers several advantages over other prospecting methods:

  1. Lower competition: Unlike cold leads, your SOI is less likely to be targeted by other agents.
  2. Cost-effective: Nurturing existing relationships is generally less expensive than acquiring new leads.
  3. Higher conversion rates: People are more likely to do business with someone they know and trust.

Building a Lifetime of Business

Focusing on your SOI isn't just about immediate transactions; it's about cultivating relationships that can yield business throughout your career:

  1. Initial business: Your first clients often come from your existing network.
  2. Repeat business: Satisfied clients from your SOI are more likely to return for future transactions.
  3. Referrals: A well-nurtured SOI becomes a powerful source of referrals.

Establishing Trust and Loyalty

To maximize the potential of your SOI, you need to position yourself as a trusted real estate expert by providing educational content about all aspects of homeownership and market trends that will transcend buying and selling.

Share valuable information through:

  • Newsletters
  • Social media posts
  • Blog articles
  • Webinars or video content
  • Phone calls
  • Customer appreciation events & opportunities

This approach demonstrates your expertise and keeps you top-of-mind.

Host Customer Appreciation Events bring value to your SOI, such as:

  • Home maintenance workshops
  • Local market update seminars
  • Community gatherings

These events strengthen personal connections and showcase your commitment to your clients' well-being.

Maintain Personal Contact

Regular, personalized communication is crucial:

  • Birthday and holiday greetings
  • Check-in calls or messages
  • Coffee meetups or casual visits

These touchpoints reinforce your relationship and keep you informed about potential real estate needs.

By consistently nurturing your SOI, you:

  1. Establish yourself as the go-to real estate resource
  2. Build trust in your abilities and knowledge
  3. Maintain top-of-mind awareness

This strategy ensures that when someone in your network needs real estate services or knows someone who does, you're the first person they think of.

While there are many ways to prospect in real estate, focusing on your sphere of influence offers a unique combination of efficiency, effectiveness, and long-term potential. By providing value, maintaining regular contact, and positioning yourself as a trusted expert, you can turn your personal network into a sustainable source of business throughout your career. Remember, in real estate, your relationships are your most valuable asset.  Check out InTouch Systems to see how much of this can be automated for you to free your time for what you do best.

Monday, April 28, 2025

We've all heard the classic sales truth: "People do business with those they know, like, and trust." And while that's absolutely true, there's a fourth element that often goes overlooked and it might be the most critical one in today's crowded marketplace.

That element is proximity.

No matter how skilled, knowledgeable, or likeable you are, if you're not consistently present in people's lives, they won't think of you when they're ready to act. The simple fact is: people don't always do business with the best agent...they do business with the one who's top of mind at the moment a need arises.

And top-of-mind awareness doesn't happen by accident, it happens through intentional proximity.

Think of proximity as the act of staying close...digitally, socially, professionally—to your sphere of influence. It means showing up in their inbox with helpful updates, appearing in their social feed with value-driven posts, engaging with their content, sending birthday wishes, or sharing a helpful homeowner tip. It's not about hard selling—it's about being visible and relevant often enough that when someone thinks "real estate," your name comes to mind first.

Here's the hard truth: someone in your sphere may know, like, and trust you—but if they haven't seen or heard from you in six months, you're out of the running. Another agent who's stayed in touch just might win their business, not because they're better—but because they're closer.

The Takeaway

If you want to earn more business, don't just work on being known, liked, and trusted...work on being remembered. And that comes from staying in proximity to the people who matter most.

Make it your mission to show up, add value, and stay visible. That's how trust turns into action and how relationships turn into results.

That's where InTouch Systems can help.  We'll automate your digital marketing—emails, social posts, website updates—so you can stay top of mind with your sphere without spending your nights and weekends doing it yourself.

Let us handle the routine... so you can work smarter, not harder.

National Trainer Pat Zaby

Pat Zaby is a distinguished leader in the real estate industry, serving as a charter member of the Residential Real Estate Council (RRC) and a past national president. With a career spanning over five decades, he has been a senior instructor since 1983, earning recognition as a national speaker, author, and developer.

His extensive contributions have established him as a respected authority in the field. As the co-owner of InTouch Systems, a digital marketing company, Pat continues to provide valuable insights and resources to real estate professionals, helping them thrive in an ever-evolving market.

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Achievements

  • Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 – Residential Real Estate Council
  • Over 200 articles published in national real estate periodicals
  • Senior instructor for the Residential Real Estate Council
  • Convention speaker at the NAR® and numerous franchise and state associations of REALTORS® for over 25 years
  • Past President, Residential Real Estate Council
  • Past President - REALTORS® National Marketing Institute®
  • Recipient of Omega Tau Rho, National Association of REALTORS®
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