There’s certainly no shortage of real estate agents out there. According to NAR’s 2018 Member Report, there are currently 1.3 active REALTORS® in the U.S.

That means there are countless agents in your community looking to earn the business of the same customers as you. Once you’ve won the listing, don’t consider that battle over—you need to be willing to go above and beyond to create an amazing, memorable experience.

When you provide more than simply what’s expected, you increase the chances that your clients will want to work with you again. You also improve the odds that you’ll earn referrals from their family and friends.

Keep reading for five ways you can go the extra mile—providing an exceptional customer service experience that will earn you more business in the months and years to come.

Take care of pets

When you’re selling a home, your clients are likely busy with any number of other things. They might be at work or getting things in order for the big move. Sadly, that means it’s sometimes difficult for your clients to pay attention to their pets.

When you’re at a listing taking care of finer details like staging or open house preparation, why not show a little T.L.C. for the furry residents of the household? Take the dog for a walk. Make sure the cat has plenty of fresh water.

The next time you talk to your clients, casually mention that the dog was walked or the cat’s water was changed. This is a courtesy—they won’t need to rush home to do the same things—as well as a gentle reminder that you’re willing to go the extra mile.

Bonus: check out this blog from American Lifestyle about removing pet odors from the home.

Spruce up the home

Again, while you’re at the home taking care of other business, you might as well take care of some other odds and ends for your clients. Cleaning and decluttering should be at the top of your list.

If the home looks messy, it won’t show well and likely won’t fetch as high a selling price.

Here are some quick and easy things you can do:

• Sweep the porch.
• Take out the trash and recyclables.
• Clean up around the pool.
• Change lightbulbs.

Sure, it would be great if every client took care of these things—especially since visual presentation is so important when selling a home. But, since you’re there anyway, you can make a great impression by cleaning up a little.

Stop by with baked goods

Random acts of kindness can go a long way, especially when things get busy and stressful.

You’re already planning to be in touch with your clients regularly, whether that’s by phone, email, or in person. Take the opportunity to come visit your clients when you’re sure they’ll be home. Find out what kinds of baked goods they like, and then buy or make them. They’ll appreciate the thoughtful gesture, even though it has nothing to do with your business.

If you need some suggestions for what to make, check out americanlifestylemag.com/bites or starthealthy.com/food.

Recommend movers

With all the other expenses that come with moving, many buyers and sellers try to save a few bucks by transporting all their belongings on their own.

But here’s the thing: many of your clients might have never used movers before, and they don’t realize how much time, effort, and energy they save. Allowing movers to take care of the literal heavy lifting means one less thing on your clients’ plates. Plus, they’ll appreciate not having to deal with all the physical aches and pains after closing.

Save your clients the hassle of having to research movers by doing a little research for them. Have the names, contact information, and rates of some local companies. You might even want to include some reviews from sites like Yelp or Angie’s List to streamline the process.

Better yet, partner with a local moving company. Talk to them about providing discount rates in exchange for your referral. When you do this, you’re showing a real commitment to your clients.

Send a thoughtful closing gift

You might already be sending closing gifts to your clients, but have you put thought into why you send what you send?

Keep in mind that your clients will remember your most recent interactions with them more than almost anything else. When they think of you and your business, they’ll think about what you’ve done for them lately. And that means what you send as a closing gift is very important.

The key is to provide value to your clients. Send something that makes an impact. It could be a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant or a free week of landscaping service.

If you’re a ReminderMedia customer, you should definitely be sending every past client a copy of your branded magazine. Every other month, they’ll receive articles and recipes they’ll love, with your branding and photo visible. And, after each mailing, you’ve got an organic opportunity to follow up and see how things are going at the new place.

Whether or not you choose to implement any of these strategies, the takeaway here is that you should be thinking about ways to make the lives of your clients easier. When you genuinely care about your customers beyond the real estate transaction, it will show. And that will go a long way in building lasting relationships that result in referrals and repeat transactions.