Buying a house is always a momentous occasion for anyone. But there is also a flipside. About 40 percent of Americans say it is one of the most stressful events in their lives.
And understandably so! Buying a home is a high-value purchase, and there are huge decisions involved. Other factors like being unable to find the right property you love, seeing many properties to settle on one, uncertainty about the right price, and such add to the confusion and distress. The whole process can be quite frustrating, bumpy, and overwhelming.
As a realtor, you can do your best to deliver a smooth ride, but it may not always be possible for you to make it truly bump-free because c’est la vie! But let me tell you, realtor closing gifts can sure help you achieve that!
Realtor Closing Gifts – The Secret Revealed
The arguments for and against realtor closing gifts rage on!
Many realtors think that their good service is enough, that closing gifts are tacky, that gift-giving is too cumbersome a process, that their business has done perfectly well without this ritual, so why start now?
But here is a secret nobody will tell you!
People recollect and evaluate their experience based on:
- The most intense points of the whole experience
- How it ended.
They don’t judge the event in its entirety. Psychologists call it the peak-end theory.
But, what does this have to do with realtor closing gifts?
Your clients don’t remember the nitty-gritty but only the high points in their experience and if the end of the journey was pleasant or not. All successful realtors know this and use it to their advantage.
So, as you see, it is crucial to end the whole transaction on a good note and leave your clients with positive unforgettable memories of both you and the entire process.
This helps your brand and reputation, vital to your success, to stand out and be positively reinforced.
Realtor Closing Gifts – Benefits, benefits, and More Benefits!
If you were paying close attention to what we were saying earlier, you would realize why a closing gift is a pleasant way of ending a long stressful journey and how it serves as a forgetfulness potion for any bumps that may have been.
But that is not all.
Apart from having many positive benefits, the biggest perk is that gifts help build bridges at a human level.
You can use a realtor closing gift to-
1. Thank your clients
Where would your business be without the clients? So, appreciating and thanking real estate clients for choosing you and ending the transaction with mutual respect is the obvious way to go.
2. Congratulate
The deal is closed, and the long journey is finally complete. Your clients are now proud owners of a brand-new home they can call their own! What’s not to felicitate?
3. Build a relationship
Gifts help build relationships and make strong relationships even more robust. You never know when a client will need your services again. Ending on a good note is the best way to build a solid foundation for future business.
4. Create a lasting impression
Impressions are critical in the real estate business. Therefore, it is crucial to end the journey with a good impression, which will last for a long time to come. Make their memories of you good ones!
But that is not all! They can also have enduring benefits for your business.
Realtor closing gifts can help bring you more business
Just passively depending on your clients’ generosity for reviews, referrals, and testimonials does not always work. Gifts can act as those little nudges for:
1. Reviews
Positive reviews are the most vital assets for any business. Those 5-star ratings will give you an edge and get you more business. They increase client confidence in you and help turn decisions in your favor. You can never have too many positive reviews!
2. Referrals
With the real estate industry practically running on referrals, ending the relationship with your clients on a good note may just be that one push towards getting more referrals from them.
3. Testimonials
These are a great way to raise your credibility and increase business. Grateful clients become loyal ones. Loyal clients refer their friends and relatives.
4. Staying top of mind
They will think of you every time they use your gift! That means when their contacts are looking for a realtor, they will think of you first and suggest your services!
5. Social Media attention
A lot of people put up exciting events in their lives on social media. That means if they are excited about their gift, all their contacts on social media will know about it! Who gets the limelight? You!
A good realtor closing gift should be…
1. Special
A good gift needs to take into consideration your client’s needs, interests, and personality. A well thought out personal gift is the ultimate expression of how much you care.
2. Practical
A gift is of little worth if the receiver cannot use it. Giving impractical gifts will surely not win you any points, and the gift will probably land in the trash or be given away to someone else.
3. Within your means
Gifts do not need to be over the top to impress your clients. The best gifts are thoughtful and affordable. But bear in mind that affordable does not equal cheap and random! Such insensitive gifts will give you negative publicity and a bad impression.
4. Something that has a long life
It would be great to have your gifts be used for a long time. This makes your clients think of you when they use/see your gift. For example, edibles that can be gobbled up in no time may not make sense if you want your clients to remember you.
5. Free from being plastered with your brand name or logo
Gifts with the giver’s branding are generally not considered very sophisticated. Yes, we understand that you want your client to think of you every time they see the gift, but there is a more subtle way to do this. If you give them a gift they love, they will not need to see your logo to remember you.
You could also consider putting their names on the gifts. It always thrills people to see their names on gifts.
6. Trendy
Gifts have to be trendy and in with the times. Old fashioned, outdated gifts are no fun to receive, and you are not going to get your clients very excited with those.
How to get more out of your closing gifts?
Thank you Josh Lavik and team for the amazing gift! So unnecessary, yet so appreciated, and so above and beyond! @TryEvaBot; @jlavik pic.twitter.com/Cf3UBxHOYZ
— Clear Title Madison (@madisontitle) October 13, 2020
If you are going to give closing gifts, you might as well get the most out of them.
It is not just adequate to end the transaction on a pleasant note; supplement the experience by keeping in touch with your clients.
There are numerous ways of doing this. For example,
- After a few weeks, call and check in on them.
- Be open to giving free advice sometimes, even after the transaction, so you will always be an approachable expert.
- Send them gifts on important milestones.
Your ex-clients will always have friends, neighbors, colleagues, or family wanting to move, and you want to be the realtor they call.
When do you send closing gifts?
The term closing gifts doesn’t leave much to the imagination! Closing gifts are given at the close of a house sale or purchase!
But that does not mean you cannot time your gift for maximum effect. You could time your gift to arrive, for example,
- a) When they move into their new home
- b) When they have a house-warming celebration (if you know that they are having one)
This will make them feel special and express to them that your closing gift is not just for the sake of it but a genuine token of appreciation.
Buyer’s and seller’s gifts – a world of difference!
When it comes to closing gifts, there can be a big difference in what you get a buyer and what you get a seller.
Buyers’ gifts
When it comes to buyers, since you have been instrumental in getting your clients their new property, you know the kind of house they have purchased, where they are moving to, when they plan to settle in, etc.
It becomes a smidge easier to settle in on a gift for buyers, and housewarming style gifts, are popular for these kinds of clients.
Loved this @tryevabot gift sent to me by Cassandra Merica (Jam City) — Thank you! https://t.co/2s9lHtZze5
— Twystoff (@Twystoff) September 23, 2020
Sellers’ gifts
It becomes trickier when it comes to sellers, as there are many more things to consider in this case.
Are they moving out of the area/country? Perhaps they are moving in with family or to a retirement home. Perhaps, there are more grave circumstances like divorce or death. Do you foresee them being clients again in the future?
The gift you decide to get them will depend on their circumstances.
By now, you are surely wondering- but how do you pick the perfect gift based on buyer, seller, interests, needs, trends and the whole shebang without going crazy? It all seems overwhelming, and just too much work!
Despair not!
We would like to introduce you to Eva!
What is Eva, you ask?
Eva is the gifting assistant that you always wished you had! And no! Eva is not another e-commerce site for gift shopping.
Eva is a unique service that takes care of your every gifting need and sends your thrilled clients the most delightful gifts. But more importantly, we would like to add; the whole gifting process is conducted with minimal input from you!
So, how do you get Eva to work for you?
Using Eva – the quickest and most brilliant way to send gifts!
1. Log in
Go to Eva Gifting Assistant
2. Add a few details
Just enter the name, email id, or mobile number of the recipient. Next, choose the price and occasion. You can even add a video message if you prefer.
3. Shoot out an email
Eva generates a link that you simply share with the recipient. Your input ends here!
Then Eva steps in:
4. Has a fun chat
When the recipient clicks on the link, Eva has a chat with them to understand their preferences and tastes. (And if you have your doubts about your clients chatting- Eva has a 99% chat completion rate, which means that Eva Gifting Assistant is indeed fun and intuitive for the recipient to share their preferences with).
5. Nudges them for a referral
Eva also collects their address, birthdate and requests them to leave a review for you, sharing a link to your preferred platform (Yelp, Zillow, FB, Google, Social Survey, etc.).
6. Picks a gift
Eva then picks the perfect gift based on collected data and other data points such as weather, local gift trends, etc.
7. Packs it perfectly
If you choose, Eva will pack the gift in your own branded boxes with a handwritten note. (The note is written by a robotic arm that actually does it in human-like form, eliminating any chance of errors)
8. Delivers it
And finally, Eva delivers the package of delight to your client!
The perfect gift every time!
The Perks of Using Eva Gifting Assistant
You have probably figured out by now that there are tons of benefits to using a gifting service like Eva. Here are but a few:
- You do not have to worry about sending your client something unique. Eva picks a unique gift every time.
- You do not have to stalk your clients and make secret notes about them to find out their likes and dislikes (so that you can buy them a gift).
- You do not have to spend copious amounts of time selecting a gift based on all the data you secretly collected.
- You do not have to consider if the recipient is a buyer or seller
- You do not have to worry about the logistics of delivering the gift
- You do not have to worry about whether the client liked the gift or not because the client practically picks their gift.
- If you have forgotten that you have to buy a gift, Eva will do the needful in seconds (very handy in a crunch situation).
- It gets you reviews without the awkwardness of asking your clients for them.
- It is a delightful gifting experience for both the gift-giver as well as the receiver.
- Eva comes with a happiness guarantee. If the recipient rates the gift less than 4/5, Eva dispatches a second gift- no questions asked!
If we had to sum up the perks of using Eva in one word, “hassle-free” would be our word of choice!
Yes, we have everything covered. The future of gifting is here, so you can now use gifts to strategically affect your business pipeline with very little effort on your part.
If you don’t believe us, you could give it a dry run!
Impress Your Clients with Eva’s Most Popular Closing Gifts
Although it is a “closing gift,” it is not really the end but just the beginning of a good relationship with the client. So a good impression becomes even more important!
Eva has managed time and time again to thrill clients with gifts that have been a hit! Here are some popular gifts by Eva:
1. Smart home devices
These make great gifts for people moving into new houses- New home, new devices!
- A compact smart display makes life easier by giving you news, information, and entertainment! And yup, it just looks sleek sitting on the counter!
- A digital photo frame is one of the coolest house gifts you can give anyone. Apart from being a sophisticated addition to the décor, it is a great way to relive great memories and moments!
- Wireless lighting is just the thing to create a soothing and relaxed ambiance. And the added perk is that it can be taken to any room.
- Who does not need a front door camera? This device is not just good looking but also increases a sense of security!
2. Alcohol
Alcohol always makes a suave gift!
- A bottle of whisky is a good gift and will go down smoothly and lift the spirits of just about anyone!
- And cheers to that elegant bottle of wine that can be cracked open on any special occasion.
3. Bar accessories
Setting up a new house calls for new bar accessories!
- A wine aerator is a cool addition to a new bar and a handy gadget that will allow you to enhance the experience of a good bottle of wine!
- Or this really sleek decanter that will add to the drama of a new bar.
4. Other Trendy gadgets and gizmos
Other doodads that make excellent gifts are:
- Photo printers make great gifts for anyone old or young! They are an excellent way to be always surrounded by good memories!
- In the pool, in the shower, take calls, listen to music with a trendy Bluetooth water-proof speaker. This makes a versatile gift for anyone!
And we can say this with such certainty because Eva’s gifts have a 95% acceptance rate. This is because they are based on Google data as well as Eva gift rating data.
This helps Eva stay ahead of the trends and tweak the gifts and processes if required.
Case Study
One of Eva’s customers always found it awkward to ask her clients questions to find out what they liked. This made it very difficult for her to zero in on a meaningful gift to give on closing a sale.
“After getting it seriously wrong one time and sending nuts to a client that was allergic to them. I had just about had enough! It was a very embarrassing situation for me, but luckily that particular client was understanding.”
“One of my realtor friends told me about Eva. I tried it once or twice and really loved it. Now I am a firm believer! Eva liberated me from the time-consuming nature and the hassles of gift shopping, but I can still reap the benefits of gift-giving.”
She added that her clients had been thrilled with their gifts so far, and since she has started using Eva, she has received 4 referrals and several good reviews from them.
Conclusion
So, as you see you can use your closing gifts to thank, smooth out bumps, and create or strengthen relationships with your clients.
The question no longer remains whether or not you should give closing gifts to your clients. The question is how you can strategically use them to up your game.
If you are ready to send the perfect closing gift and reap the paybacks, Eva has got your back!
Discover the benefits of using Eva- the liberation, the effect on your business pipeline, and the referrals that pour in.
So, here’s to a booming business, happy clients, and a happy you in the years to come!
If you would like to get more out of your closing gifts, get in touch with us. If you would like more ideas on having a constant stream of business, check out our real estate lead generation ideas that can work wonders for your business.