Current and past clients and customers are just as important as new prospects. These are people who are already loyal to you. It is your job to keep them loyal, not only for the potential of future business with them but because your current and past clients and customers are your greatest source of referrals. Maintain records of all of your dealings with clients and set up reminders on your computer or in your address book to ensure that you are keeping them updated and that you are maintaining your professional relationship with them.

Current Sellers Current clients who are sellers like to know what is going on with their home and with the market. Make it a habit to call them on a regular basis, even if you don't have an offer. Let them know about your most recent marketing efforts, tell them the news of a neighbor's sale and why you think it happened before theirs (the neighbor was asking less, they had a bigger yard, etc.).

In the case of a client, no news is bad news. Make sure clients know what you are doing and give them feedback from other people who saw their house, along with any other information. Even if you have no news, call them and tell them you have no news! They are waiting on pins and needles for any information you may give them. By providing them exceptional service they will be confident referring you to their friends and family. Be sure to let them know that your profession is a referral-based profession. It is okay to ask them for referrals.

Some agents set up a specific time each week to give their client an update. When you first sign a listing contract, you may want to ask which day is best and arrange to call them on that day. If you do not set up weekly updates, the client may expect daily updates, even if they don't tell you that. By predetermining when you will be calling each week, they will know what to expect. In a fast-paced market, you may need to set up a daily update. In a slow market, it may be once every two weeks.

Current Buyers

Current clients or customers who are buyers also like to know what is going on with the market. They like to hear if anything has come on the market that they may be interested in, but they also like to know if nothing has come on the market.

If the buyer has already purchased and is waiting for a close, you will want to be in touch with her on a regular basis. If it is a quick close, you may need to call the buyer with an update every day. In a longer transaction, you may call every few days or once a week. Once you receive an accepted offer, you will want to set up the times that you will be calling. Let your client know if the title search has been done, what papers need to be signed and when, the time of the home inspection, and any other pertinent information. If nothing is happening or if everything is running smoothly, let them know that too. Often, agents will only bother their clients with problems — so a smooth transaction can go unrewarded.

Past Clients Within a year of selling their home, many people will tell you they had a great experience, liked their agent, thought he did a good job, and would be happy to refer him — but most of them can't remember their agent's name! Staying in touch with your past clients will keep this from happening to you. The more personalized your contact is, the better. In the time you set aside to prospect, call past clients first. These are people who are already pleased with you. They will be happy to hear from you, especially because real estate agents have the reputation for vanishing after the close of a deal, after they get paid.

The more clients you have, the harder it will be to make every contact personalized on a regular basis, but you can use other methods to stay in touch as well. Newsletters or other general information will help keep you in the forefront of their minds. Be sure that what you send is something helpful and is something they can use. You will still want to call people on a regular basis. Perhaps instead of once a month you will call once a quarter.