LET'S GET REAL

WELCOME

Hello from Nassau! I am currently writing this with my feet in the sand. If there’s an office with a better view than mine right now, I cannot imagine it. (Is there also sand in my swimsuit? Yes, but that’s the price I’m willing to pay to multitask.)

I’d like to revisit one of my favorite topics because it’s always important. Today, we’re going to get real about exactly how important relationships are. Of course, a solid client relationship is key in the best of times. But in an uncertain marketplace, oh, my stars and stripes, your relationships will make or break you!

I feel very fortunate to be attending this Coldwell Banker Celebration of Success… and I made it here based on the strength of my client connections. So, I want to share real, actionable advice that you can use today, tomorrow, and ten years from now, because a relationship can never be replaced by a referral app!

STORYTIME WITH GLENNDA

Get Real with Glennda

Every now and then, I feel compelled to skip the story and go straight to the point. This week is one of those times, because I need to make something very clear to y’all: real relationships cannot be replaced by referral apps.

One of the questions I’m always asked is, “Glennda, how do I build real relationships with my clients, the kind that last for years?”

Now, that is the right question to ask. So much of this business has become transactional. Lately, it feels more and more like agents are treating their referrals like currency. I like to say a referral without a relationship is like a postcard without an address; you can write it up and send it, but it’s never going to get past the Dead Letter Office. (That’s actually a real place; I looked it up! The name was changed to the Mail Recovery Center, but I like the sound of the Dead Letter Office more.)

My point here is that the best businesses do not grow from quick clicks or algorithmic matches. Building a strong business comes from cultivating genuine friendships, providing consistent communication, and being memorable rather than mechanical. I cannot stress this enough: people remember how you make them feel, not how many homes you sold last quarter.

That’s why my business is not built on trust, not transactions.

So how can you start building those solid relationships?

Well, the first step is to set clear expectations with your clients… and then go above and beyond to meet them! Reliability is the foundation of your reputation. Reliability is what makes people call you again and again.

Of course, before you can exceed expectations, it’s on you to create them. Make yourself known. Get people familiar with seeing your name. When I was starting out, I sent postcards out about every home that our brokerage listed or sold. They said something along the lines of, “Our brokerage just sold this house, and that’s what I can do for you, too!” To be clear, I did not sell those houses myself, nor was that my claim. I didn’t have my own inventory yet, but I did have ambition. I was eager to get my name out there, hence the postcards. (Yes, I got my broker’s permission first.) Studies suggest that it takes six to eight touches before people remember your name, so you’ve got to make yourself visible in their world before they even think to call you.

Once clients know my name, I never want them to forget it! That’s why I still make calls every single day. Twenty-five of them, to be exact. Ten people I know, ten who I don’t know, and five that I’d like to know. I do it rain or shine, good hair day or bad. What’s more is, when I talk to someone, I make sure to listen. I’m present for that conversation. I don’t go through the motions. Plus, I write things down, because remembering details is one of the kindest ways to show someone you care. Maybe they got a new dog, a new job, or a new fiancé. Whatever it is, I note it. That information isn’t trivia; it’s connection. Everyone wants to feel seen and heard, and you remembering what’s important to them goes an awfully long way.

In any given month, I do at least forty pop-bys. I stop in, say hello, and pay attention to what’s changed since the last time I was there. I might compliment the new landscaping or recall the moment they first fell in love with that house. Those visits matter because they aren’t about selling; they’re about staying connected.

Every sixty days, I make sure I’ve touched base with everyone in my sphere. I do this in whatever feels most natural for that particular person, whether it’s a call, a text, or a short video message. I also maintain an active presence on socials. I post consistently so people know I’m dependable. And then I spend just as much time engaging with their posts as I do writing my own. You can’t claim to care about people if you never show up for them.

For almost thirty years, I’ve farmed the same neighborhoods where I want to do my business. I host open houses not just to sell homes but to meet new people and get to know the neighbors. The more time you spend in your clients' homes and the more invested you are in their lives, the deeper those relationships become.

If y’all want to strengthen your own connections, but it feels overwhelming, just start small. I challenge you to make one genuine gesture this week. Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Congratulate a client’s child on their college acceptance with a note or a little treat. (Everyone loves a little treat. That’s a fact.) Take a walk in the neighborhood where y’all hope to sell. The point isn’t to promote yourself; the point is to show up for others.

Real estate isn’t a return-on-investment kind of business. You can buy all the referrals you want, and they could amount to nothing because ours is a return-on-relationship business. Because that is what lasts.

And that is the difference between the Deal Letter Office and the closing table.

@glenndabaker

Today I’ll be speaking, @Inman Connect in Las Vegas about building client relationships. Gifting is a tactical part of creating sustainabl... See more

GLENNDAISM

Today’s Words of Wisdom

GLENNDA BAKER & ASSOCIATES

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