TECHNOLOGY
Four reasons to build relationships with buyers
Kylie Davis, HomePrezzo
Here are four reasons why providing amazing service experiences to buyers can support — and turbo charge your listing strategy. And four tips to help you build them!
1. Buyers can feel overwhelmed Buyers can feel overwhelmed with finding suitable properties themselves, decide how much to offer, organise finance and negotiate with you — a trained agent who does this every single day. While we know that as an agent, you’re paid to look after the interests of sellers — buyers are hungry for help. And let’s face it, they make up half of the deal on what is the most expensive thing any of us ever buy. So, it’s important to raise the bar on ways to manage them.
2. Buyers are often sellers right now With a low level of stock in the market at present, many potential sellers are hesitant to list in case they can’t find a better property. That’s why we’re seeing a lot more ‘buyer sellers’ in the market now. These are people who want to find and secure the property of their dreams first — then they’ll put their current home on the market. Having a good buyer relationship strategy can help identify leads directly from these types of buyers.
3. Buyers are always your next sellers Research from ActivePipe shows that 61% of sellers would prefer to use an agent they’ve used previously — they want someone they can trust. The ActivePipe research shows how important it is to continue
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The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand
a relationship with previous buyers throughout their home ownership period. When it is time to sell, you can then be the one they turn to because of your long-standing relationship.
4. Buyers are always potential business referrers Every buyer has friends and family who are also sellers and buyers of real estate. When buyers have a great experience purchasing their home, they generally recommend their agents’ services sending you warm leads. Equally, when buyers receive poor service for the most significant purchase of their lives — they will tell friends and family the agents to avoid.
Tip 1: Scale how you help Your primary focus as an agent is to look after the interests of your seller. If you try to be in constant contact with every buyer in the market, you may end up neglecting paying clients. To take better care of buyers, look at efficient ways to help so that it’s quick and easy to do — but still feels like great service. Technology is key.
Tip 2: Create guides and reports Sharing information about the market and how it is performing is a great service to buyers. It provides them with independent context on the price estimates of the
properties you're selling and, when it aligns with their own research, trust can be established quickly. REINZ Market Reports have been designed specifically for this purpose to make it quick and easy to generate the insights that lead to better buying decisions.
Tip 3: Share your reports digitally and in-person Making copies of the REINZ Market Report for your suburb available for buyers at inspections or free collection at your office is a great way to verify the prices you are seeking on current listings and shares your market knowledge. It also gives buyers a lasting document to take home. Links to the PDF of your REINZ Market Reports can also be sent out via email in digital marketing campaigns to your current buyer lists, shared on Facebook and targeted or uploaded to a website landing page.
Tip 4: Share reports to past clients It's not just current buyers who will find your REINZ Market Reports valuable. Share them with past clients as part of reengagement campaigns quarterly or twice-yearly to maintain a long-term relationship that can span years. They will value you keeping them up to date and sharing your knowledge, and when the time comes for them to sell again, you are the first agent that comes to mind.
