It’s a cold December night, and you’re on the 7 p.m. news. Behind you, volunteers are unloading a moving truck packed with winter clothing. The pile on the shelter’s loading dock is taller than you are. Each donation came from one of your clients. Their ticket to your holiday movie screening was an article of warm clothing, and they brought their kids, neighbors and friends.
An agent I used to lead lives a version of this each December. Her event does something traditional marketing never could: It turns clients into advocates.
Happy clients refer when asked. Advocates don’t wait
Most of your past clients are happy with you. If a friend asks them for an agent, they’ll give your name. Advocates bring you up before anyone asks. You probably have a few already: the past client who introduces you to prospective clients without any prompting from you.
The gap between happy clients and advocates is the difference between an occasional referral and steady business you can rely on. Your clients may not move again for 11 years, but they know people who are planning a move right now.
Events create reciprocity and connection
People feel a strong pull to return a favor, even an unrequested one. In a classic study, people who received a free soft drink from a stranger later bought nearly twice as many raffle tickets from him.
A well-planned event creates three reciprocal moments: the invitation, the event itself and the follow-up. Host four events a year, and you’ve created 12 moments. That’s the same frequency as a monthly mailer, except each one gives your client something far more impactful than a glossy photo with a headline.
You don’t have to rent a movie theater and a moving truck to generate reciprocal moments. Another agent drops off two reusable grocery bags, customized with her name, logo and contact information, at each client’s home. Two weeks later, she collects them full of nonperishable food for the local food bank. Then she returns the bags, and her clients carry her logo to the grocery store all year.
Now take it one step further. Instead of collecting the bags, invite clients to bring them to a drop-off party at your office. The donations pile up in one place, and your clients meet each other. That’s the one thing most other marketing can’t do. When clients become friends at your events, they keep you in conversations you’re not even a part of.
When I led large real estate companies, my team had to work through seven steps before we funded event ideas. The best agents I’ve worked with follow them, too.
7 steps to turn client events into advocate incubators
Before the event
1. Who else can co-invest?
Asking a business to chip in can feel like asking for a handout. But local businesses, like a neighborhood bakery, coffee shop or boutique, want exposure to your clients as much as you want exposure to theirs. Share the cost, co-brand the event, and ask your partners to invite their own customers.
2. How far in advance will invitations go out?
The invitation is the first reciprocal moment. It signals to a client that you thought of them. A last-minute invitation feels like an afterthought. Send invitations weeks in advance, and give your partners enough lead time to promote the event.
During the event
3. What will make it unforgettable?
A standard happy hour is easily forgotten, but novelty creates memories. Build in one unexpected element that’s about your guests, not you. I once hosted an event at a museum. Guests walked in to find a gallery wall of stylized canvas portraits of themselves to take home. Social media lit up for a full week as attendees changed their profile photos to their portraits.
4. Who will meet whom?
Greeting guests at the door is only half the job. The other half is introducing your clients to each other based on shared interests, neighborhoods or professions. Plan those introductions before the doors open. Then add a special guest your clients would be glad to meet, like a popular local chef or a beloved high school coach.
5. What is your message?
You put a ton of time and money into creating a great event. That puts a lot of pressure on the moment to generate an immediate return on your investment. Don’t turn your speech into a timeshare pitch for referrals. Instead, keep it brief and focus on gratitude. In this study, people who were thanked for helping were about twice as likely to help again. You can be confident that the referrals will come later.
After the event
6. Who will tell the story?
Your guests, partners and the charity will, but you need to make it easy. Create photo ops and assign someone to capture them. The day after the event, send your guests, partners and the charity ready-to-post photos and videos with suggested captions. The easier you make it, the more they will post.
Local media coverage is a bonus. Ask your sphere if anyone knows a local reporter or producer. A personal introduction beats a cold press release, and it’s how a truckload of winter clothing makes the 7 p.m. news.
7. What’s the post-event follow-up plan?
Once the event ends, it’s easy to feel like the work is done and move on. But in my experience, the follow-up is the strongest reciprocal moment. Write a handwritten note to thank each attendee for coming. Block time on your calendar for the next day to ensure you get it done.
Advocates don’t happen by accident
Before your next event, find partners to share the cost and send invitations early. During the event, give guests something unexpected, introduce them to each other and thank them. Afterward, help them share the story and follow up personally. A happy hour creates a nice evening. A well-planned event creates advocates.
