I have been involved in Real Estate selling for the last five years. In that time, I have met countless people for the "first" time. To ensure I met as many as possible a "second" time, I knew I needed a better approach then my competition.
Among other things, I knew I needed a strong immediate and genuine follow-up method.
The hand-written thank you note.
This is such a strong tool that is vastly misused and underused in virtually every "service" oriented business.
Over the years I have compiled this list of outstanding benefits of the hand written thank you.
- It is pure. The hand written thank you is the purest, oldest, and most understood form of appreciation.
- It is conscientious and caring. The implied message from the recipient is that you sat down and took time to write and think only about them at that moment. It is subliminal, but understood. Most people personally dislike the act of writing thank you notes, so when they get one, they appreciate the time dedication you took for them.
- It helps you learn and pay more attention on your first encounter. If you know that you are going to write a hand written thank you note after you meet someone, you pay more attention during the visit.
- It's better then what your competition is doing. Most people send out an automated email or standard generic letter. This is boring, easy, and average....so is the received perception of your prospect when they get this type of letter.
- It is personal. In the thank you note do not list your credentials or boast about your company. Recount a detail from your encounter. Jog their memory to create a visualization that only you and that prospect shared.
- It will actually be read. Most generic forms of follow-up are easily identifiable and discarded into the trash without being opened. When people receive a handwritten thank you note with a handwritten address on the envelope, they open it.
- It demonstrates confidence. By taking time and writing about a detail during your encounter displays a level of confidence that you feel the meeting went well. It affirms to the prospect that you believe in your product and yourself. And it subtly relays that the prospect also enjoyed the encounter. If you thought it went poorly, would you be writing to remind them about it?
- It's a Reminder. People often visit many different locations before making a purchase, so they may not actually remember you. The thank you note is a reminder that they did come visit you and the experience was a good one. Many times, they may still not remember you specifically, but the thank you makes them "think" they enjoyed what you had so they will come out a 2nd time.
Remember that follow-up isn't about you and what is the fastest and easiest way to complete it. It is about an individual customer that took their time to come and talk to you. If you want to have better results with the people you meet, try a personal hand written thank you note. You won't be disappointed.
Curt Fletcher aka The Likeability Guy, is a Real Estate Professional, Business Development Strategist, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!
