“Real estate agents who still use the industry-inspired term ‘past clients’ are more likely to become past agents!” ~ Allan Dalton

In my 30 years in real estate—serving as the former CEO of realtor.com, SVP of National Realty Trust, president and co-owner of Murphy Realty Better Homes and Gardens, CEO of Real Living Real Estate, and SVP of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices—I’ve stressed this message countless times. Whether in presentations to groups, in my books, or through national speakers who now echo my ideas, I emphasize that agents must stop focusing on “past clients” and instead view their entire sphere as an enduring asset.

I salute and congratulate every agent’s demonstrable effort in seeking out an intelligent strategy that employs highly relevant and targeted content to establish and sustain clients for lifelong relationships. And to those agents who are still looking, I recommend ReminderMedia’s resources as a way to effectively, elegantly, and economically increase your range, reach, and influence; that is, to grow and better affect your most valuable real estate asset—your sphere of influence! 

For over 20 years, ReminderMedia has empowered real estate agents and other service professionals with high-quality tools that meet these goals in ways other companies have yet to match. Its personally branded marketing, including its printed magazines, coupled with guidance from its experienced team of client advisors, offer an intelligent way for agents to meet the demands of today’s market.

1. It is not enough to have a sphere of influence, it is more important how you influence your sphere, and especially since you need to figuratively list people before listing buyers and sellers.
2. It is no longer enough to just have a database you must also memorialize and create a client base.
3. It is not enough to just run your business like a business; you must also run your business as a professional practice because a business has customers and a practice has clients. (This distinction will become increasingly important as buyers will increasingly bypass buyer agents and go directly to the listing agent or open house as an unescorted buyer.)
4. That while sales skills are very important in real estate, more important than ever are marketing, social media, and distributing targeted and relevant real estate content.
5. That while high-tech digital marketing and AI are tremendous tools, they must be complemented with high-touch physical publications. Agents must employ a multimedia mix.
6. That while listings are the so-called “name of the game,” it’s not enough to merely appear on someone’s phone, video, reel, or computer, you must also appear in their home while they are they are at home.
7. That while brokerages focus on market share, agents should also focus on “sphere of influence share” where clients advocate for you.
8. That while homeowners are not likely to ask, “Did we get any texts or emails today?” they are overwhelmingly likely to ask, “Did we get any mail today” or “What was in the mail?” Agents cannot afford to underestimate this phenomenon.
9. That while real estate agents have been farming for years, they’ve been planting the wrong seeds.
10. That while agents strive to stay top of mind, they also need to have clients share their awareness with others.

Your decision to become a loyal ReminderMedia client will reflect positively on your industry knowledge and respect for clients. It will also serve as a testament to your professional savvy since you clearly know that building enduring relationships is more akin to a marathon than a 50-yard dash. And you undoubtedly appreciate that content carries consequences—contensequences, as I like to say­—for your ongoing success.

In real estate, a superbly effective content marketing strategy is one where property and lifestyle topics symbiotically team up with the agent’s brand. It’s a powerful approach ReminderMedia can help you implement intentionally and consistently, keeping clients and future clients mindful that their personal aspirations and the value their agent provides are inseparable.

Remember that nothing matters until you make it matter, and ReminderMedia is in the business of making you and your professional practice MATTER!

Guest blogger Allan Dalton is a real estate industry keynote speaker, author, and consultant. He’s the former CEO of Realtor.com, was named by NAR as one of America’s 25 most influential thought leaders, was the former president and co-owner of a 60-office real estate brokerage, and is a former Boston Celtics draft choice.