Client Contact – all business coaches or marketing guru’s have tons of ideas for connecting with clients – Owners, Vendors, Tenants, anyone you consider your client. What I have learned over the years is to pick one or two things and do them consistently. I don’t do birthday cards – wouldn’t remember them all. I don’t do Christmas Cards – everyone does them and mine will get lost with all the others.
This is what I do and have done for years. I schedule it on my calendar so I don’t forget.
I do a quarterly news letter to all my owners with legal updates, what’s new in rental housing in Santa Cruz, a did you know section and a bit about what I am up to these day – more of a professional development section. My end of year newsletter has info about new services, and ways I have saved my clients money over the past year.
I do a post card to tenants 2 times a year with seasonal reminders such as: test your oven (before Thanksgiving Day), change batteries in smoke detectors etc.
Tenant’s who pay rent on time – meaning before or on the 1st of the month are entered into a raffle and one tenant receives a $20 gas card. We do this monthly and post the winner on the home page of our website.
Owner clients – get an annual gift – a small token of my appreciation for their continued business. I do this just before Thanksgiving and send a Thanksgiving Thank You Card with gift. Past years have included: Marie Calendar Pie gift certificates (I have out of state owners), Gas cards, home made bottled wine etc.
I mail a Thank You card to everyone I know that is a Veteran on Veteran’s Day - I have been doing this since high school. Want to see a grown man cry? It is very touching and something I will continue to do. On my tenant and owner information sheet there is a box that asks if they are a veteran.
My vendors are invited to a Vendor Appreciation event annually – hosted at a local restaurant for snacks and drinks. I give awards, gift certificates – gas cards are big winners with this group – certificates of appreciation, and most of all it is a public forum for me to thank my vendors for their excellent service to me and my clients and that they are a direct extension of my business. It is also a time for me to continue to build my relationship with my vendors. Think Sunday night 11:00pm on a holiday weekend – my vendors come through for me and my clients!
So decide how you want to recognize, thank and build your relationship with your clients. Pick one or two things and do it consistently.
Please check out my website at www.PortolaRentals.com if you are interested in properties in Santa Cruz or have rentals in Santa Cruz, CA.
Kathleen Richards
