Over the years we have implemented a customer loyalty program that has provided ongoing value and support to our past customers. After implementing our plan, we experienced a 207% increase in repeat and referral business from our closed customers in just 12 months. Below is the Customer Loyalty Program we implemented over many years so you can replicate or modify it in your own business:
Sort and Qualify
Develop a strategy for separating your customers into categories to be sure you are staying in touch with your biggest fans and the ones who refer you most often.
- High level of communication or “Preferred” list
- Customers who close a transaction OR refer a closed transaction each 12-month period
- All others are on your General list
- Everyone else who has closed a transaction with you or you feel would work with you should the need arise
- Optional: Preferred Plus list
- Anyone who has closed multiple transactions with you and/or anyone who has referred you multiple customers in the last year.
RECOMMENDATION: Upon closing, each customer goes on the “Preferred” list and receives the highest level of communication for at least one year.
General List
- Text Messages or Emails to acknowledge
- Birthdays
- Wedding anniversaries
- Home purchase anniversaries
- Emails through an automated system (there are services available for this)
- Upon closing they would be put into this campaign and receive an email approximately at least once monthly – forever or until they unsubscribe which doesn’t happen often
- Direct Mail (bulk mail with return service requested)
- Letter From The Heart – a personal letter from you to connect with the emotional side of your customers sent via direct mail
- Evidence of Success Postcard – a story about a customer you helped which connects with the logical side of your customers sent via direct mail
- Upon EVERY referral
- Mail thank you card with a handwritten note – Research shows that if someone sending a referral does not feel it was expressly appreciated, they are less likely to refer again and sometimes resent sending the referral
- Then move them to the “Preferred List” if they were not already there
- If multiple referrals are received, move them to your “Preferred Plus” list if you have one
- Invite to local events you support and potentially appreciation events (https://www.lendingahand.com/customer-loyalty-program/events/)
- Part of the benefit of doing the events is the ability to connect with clients to invite them, even if they don’t come!
Preferred List
All of General List activities PLUS all of the following:
- Calls at
- Day after closing to check in see if anything has come up since you talked to them the day before
- One or two weeks post close becuase now they have lived in the house long enough that perhaps some items have popped up you can help them with – good chance to refer professional services
- Six months post close
- One-year anniversary
- If the customer refers during this time, continue calling them every six months until an entire year passes without a referral, at which time they can go into the General List and phone calls stop
- Our team now calls every customer every six months. We also added the optional phone calls and annual client party detailed below. These additions were made after our 207% increase quoted above and we are tracking our results to see if we experience more business growth from our database as a result. These optional calls may not be necessary to see the results we experienced.
- If the customer refers during this time, continue calling them every six months until an entire year passes without a referral, at which time they can go into the General List and phone calls stop
- Optional Additional Phone Calls:
- Entire Database “Referral Blitz” calls – Explain that you have a goal of helping “x” number of families this year and you thought they may be able to help you. Ask if they know of anyone who is currently in the market or may be in the market in the future to buy or sell.
- Entire Database “Customer Service” calls – This is the one time per year you just check in to see if there is anything you can do for them and catch up on what is going on in their lives.
- Entire Database “Next Year’s Plans” calls – Reach out to wish them a happy holiday season and find out if anything is changing for them in the following year. Examples would be family growing in size, extended family moving in, children moving out, big travel plans or other life changing events.
- Annual Client Appreciation Party
- All customers who closed in most recent 12 months prior to the event
- All customers who referred a closed buyer or seller in the most recent 12 months
- Optional Alternative: Do Client Appreciation Parties two times per year
- All customers who closed in most recent 6 months prior to the event
- All customers who referred a closed buyer or seller in the most recent 6 months
- Invite to local events you support and to all appreciation events (https://www.lendingahand.com/customer-loyalty-program/events/)
- Keep up with them on Facebook and send cards, texts or call when appropriate – stay engaged
Preferred Plus List (optional)
All of Preferred List activities PLUS:
- Monthly or quarterly pop-by or mailed gifts
- The Wynn Team can provide ideas for a 12 month campaign for you upon request
- Make it a practice to see the people on this list several times each year
During Transactions
The best time to start building customer loyalty is during the transaction. Here are some suggestions to do that:
- Studies have shown that making things easy for customers builds the best customer loyalty.
- Help them get their Earnest Money deposits submitted
- Help them get disclosures and documents signed, especially if they find electronic disclosures challenging
- Take care of time consuming details so they don’t have to
- Ask them to complete your VIP Sheet Example and then take action!
- OVER communicate so they feel as little stress as possible. In the home buying process, “no news is good news” doesn’t resonate with customers.
- Provide a gift prior to closing. This sets a different tone with the customer because you haven’t earned a commission yet and it’s totally unexpected.
- We provide ours when we order the appraisal and if you work with us, you already know what this gift is.
- You could provide an “Inspection Resolution” or “Appraisal is In” Gift.
- This can work for both buyers and sellers and sets a different tone than a closing gift
- ie. “Now that we’ve gotten over that hurdle, it should be smooth sailing from here.” – Accompanied by a Dove “Silky Smooth” chocolate bar or “Smooth & Creamy” caramels by Dairy Chalav Stam
- This can work for both buyers and sellers and sets a different tone than a closing gift
- Provide a list of service providers you trust for things they may need
- Movers
- Handy men
- Electricians
- Lawn Service/Cleanup
- House Cleaners
- Etc.