It won’t be long before winter ends and people emerge from states of partial hibernation to start looking for homes. The energy of spring is on the horizon and that means a busy season for real estate agents. Hopefully you have remained in touch with your sphere over winter and will be able to hit the ground running with some referrals.

The referral is an integral part of success as a real estate agent. One way to be remembered by clients after the ink is dry is an amazing closing gift. Amazing does not mean expensive.

A closing gift should be thoughtful, timeless, and branded.

A bottle of wine is a nice touch, but will the homeowners remember you after the wine is gone? A throw pillow is lovely, but what if it doesn’t match the colors of a room? Instead of trying to be sentimental, try to be useful.

When the closing gift is useful it becomes a fixture in the household that people see time and time again. It also means you can shamelessly brand it with your contact info.

Here are some seasonal ideas:

• Yard games. Corn hole, Frisbee, Ladder Toss are all great ideas that will provide hours of fun. If you’re on a budget, many of them can be homemade, which allows you to add the personal touch yourself.
• Branded house warming party supplies. Buy these products in bulk and give them to every person who closes on a new home. They will inevitably have a house warming party, and when they do, chances are someone at that party will be in the market for a home. Get that referral!
• Chip clips. This idea might seem boring, but think about it for a second. Over the course of spring and summer there are a ton of snacks consumed during BBQs, and chip clips are extremely useful and always seem to be in short supply. When branded, they’ll keep your name in front of homeowners for years so you stay top of mind.

These are just a few solid options. Closing gifts provide real estate agents a chance to get creative and be lighthearted after the sometimes arduous process of buying or selling a home.

Just remember: thoughtful, timeless, and branded.

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If your gift has these characteristics then your name will live in the home for years. A fourth option that hits all three is a personally branded magazine. A closing gift is only given once, but a personally branded magazine arrives at your clients’ door for years. Recipients view it as a gift that brings joy to every member of the family, all the while keeping you top of mind for referrals and repeat transaction. Each issue gets shared with at least one person outside of the household, so you spread your brand recognition even further.