Closing Checklists – Don’t Miss A Thing

You have arrived at your moment – the completion of another successful transaction. Congratulations! Time to bask in the joy of a job well done. But, hang on. Wait just one moment …

This is a critical time. You want to make the most of your success, and your client’s positive experience to build more success today, and down the road.

The following is a checklist to make sure you make sure you don’t forget a thing.

The Checklist

Enroll in CAP – Client Appreciation Program

It doesn’t get better than this. A 5-year, set-it-and-forget-it program with 21 mailings for $25! All the details can be found on the CAP Post HERE, but you simply do a request on your CDA. You must complete THIS FORM and load it into Backagent. You’re leading with revenue … this is the time to reinvest in your future!

As Ken states so perfectly, “Choosing CAP for all your closed sales is a no-brainer.  CAP plus your other important contacts and touches throughout the year will create indelible Top Of Mind Awareness in the minds and memories of your closed clients.  This means you will attract more business and enjoy perpetual success.”

Future Pace for Reviews – Real Satisfied and Zillow/Trulia

Setting the expectation early for the upcoming ‘ask’ for a testimonial or a review can be extremely effective in making sure that your client takes action when they receive the email/request.

When should you be asking for it?

Earning their business in the beginning

“I want your experience to be a really positive one. When we have closed, I hope you will be comfortable sharing that experience. I want to continue to have an opportunity to connect with people just like you.”

Thank you for a wonderful experience

“It’s been my pleasure, and I have loved working with you. You will be getting an email from a third party company asking for your input. I hope you will be comfortable sharing that experience. I want to continue to have an opportunity to connect with people just like you.”

Ask For Referrals

Asking for referrals should be happening over the course of any transaction. People in the midst of a real estate transaction tend to talk to family, friends, and co-workers about their real estate decisions. They are bound to come across people that are thinking of making a move during that time. Don’ wait until close for this one! At the beginning, during, and end ask them, “Who do you know at work/church/in your family that might be the next one to make a move?”

If you don’t ask, they won’t necessarily pay attention to the opportunities that arise in those conversations!

Closing Gift

Look for ‘BuyBHG’. You’ll then click on ‘Personalized Magazine Subscriptions’. You can select from several magazine options that will be delivered branded to your every month and with your contact information.

Pull Sign and Pick-Up Lockbox For Return

Obvious, but can’t hurt to add it to the list … return those signs and lockboxes.

Also, be sure to return those signs clean. Nobody is interested in putting a sign in front of their new listing that has bird s*$t on it. Support your team members and return a sign ready for their next success just as you would want.

Add Clients To Your Database

If you haven’t already, you’ll want to add your past client to your hub/database. When you do that, you’ll want to make sure they have the right labels. Obviously, ‘Past Client’ is a desirable contact type to include. But, what about ‘Past Buyer’, ‘Past Seller’, ‘Past Tenant’, or ‘Past Landlord’? These contact types will be important for potential messaging and follow-up.

Add Client To Your Email Drip Campaign

Login to Greenhouse, and go to the Digital Marketing Center. Add your contact to your monthly campaign. Don’t have that going out yet? Don’t know how to add your contact to a campaign? Not to worry. Go see Ken, and we’ll make sure that there is support to make sure it gets done for you!

Add Client To Your Set-It-And-Forget-It Mail Campaign

Login to Greenhouse, and go to the Print Marketing Center. Add your contact to your mailing lists. Don’t have the your lists loaded yet? Don’t know how to add your contact? Again, not to worry. Go see Ken, and we’ll make sure that there is support to make sure it gets done!

Add Important Dates To Your Calendar

You might want to add the following important dates to your calendar:

• Call to follow-up one week after their initial occupancy or move-out depending on the situation. Make sure you have an opportunity to follow up on any issues that may have arisen during the week, and again thank them for the opportunity to work with them
• Anniversary of purchase as a recurring annual appointment
• If it’s a Landlord/Tenant set an appointment to follow up 3 months prior to the expiration of the lease so that you can either help with a renewal, or help them find a new home/tenant

Sign Up Your Clients To Receive MarketInsights

Every buyer, and every landlord (any owner of a property) should be receiving a monthly MarketInsight from HAR. This Platinum tool is one of the best ways to stay in front of your client while providing information that they absolutely want to know about … market conditions in their neighborhood. Remember, if they aren’t getting the information from you, they’ll likely be getting it from someone else.

Directions to set up the MarketInsight tool can be found HERE. Don’t worry … it’s quick and easy. Takes less than five minutes!

Update Zillow With Recent Sale

Make sure to add your sale history to Zillow! Although we know that many people in our local market will go to HAR to search for homes and agents, but for people that are coming in from other markets, they are going to begin their search on Zillow. You want to make sure that you look like the PRO you are and that your sale history is showing.

Go to THIS POST for directions on how to make sure your profile is fantastic, and then go to Step 7 for step-by-step instructions on how to load your recent sale. Remember, Texas is a non-disclosure state, so don’t add the sale price!

Save This …

So you don’t have to return to this post each time, save this checklist and make it a part of every transaction. And, congrats on those closings!