The holidays are a crazy time for everyone. But even though many people avoid buying or selling a house during this time of year, that doesn’t mean it is time to stop reaching out to your sphere.
Here are a few creative ways you can connect with past, present and future clients this holiday season:
1. Hire a helper to leave your mark. Enlist the help of a neighborhood kid to shovel and salt driveways for neighbors who haven’t gotten around to it. When your shoveler is finished, make sure he or she leaves a note from you. Something like: “I wanted to make sure you had a safe and shoveled walkway! Happy Holidays from Joe Realtor.”
2. Gift your sphere with something useful and branded. To make sure you stay top of mind with your past clients, it’s nice to give them a small gift during the holiday season. Your gift should be something they will keep and use, not just throw away or regift in a game of “white elephant.” Try bottle openers, coffee thermoses or can cozies — small items that people always keep on hand. Make sure your gift is branded with your name and contact information.
3. Host a unique party. It sometimes is difficult to meet face to face with your sphere, but the holidays are a great excuse to host a party. Rent a local movie theater, show a classic Christmas movie and make sure you have snacks for the kids and wine and beer for their parents. Or maybe try hosting a New Year’s Day brunch at a local restaurant.
4. Use social media to help. Be the expert people in your community can run to for all the information they need. Use social media to keep your sphere informed about the best local holiday sales or to collect a list of trusted babysitters you can suggest parents hire for those holiday parties that aren’t “child-friendly.” Solve your sphere’s problems during this stressful time and they will be grateful for it.
5. Get everyone together to give back. The holidays make everyone feel extra generous and giving, but sometimes people stop short of volunteering their time because they don’t know where to start. You can take the guesswork out of holiday voluntarism by organizing a special day to pick up trash or spend the day at a local nursing home, soup kitchen or animal shelter. Give volunteers matching shirts to wear and keep (with your business information innocuously placed, of course). End the day with a pizza party as a thank you to your volunteers.
By thinking outside the typical gift box and organizing a memorable December event, you will earn both gratitude and future business from clients who remember your holiday marketing.
Kat Bremhorst is the copywriter and content manager of Guaranteed Rate’s real estate agent coaching site, Partner Xchange, and www.partnerxchangeblog.com.