It’s Been Awhile: Refreshing the Conversation with Contacts

With everything real estate agents have to accomplish in a day, reaching out to long-lost contacts can feel like one thing too many — and, while it might be awkward, it’s necessary. Perhaps you started strong with your communications but got bogged down with more immediate tasks — or discouraged when you received no response — and your efforts to cultivate those contacts lost steam. Don’t lose hope, and don’t toss that database; making another attempt to get those relationships back on track is worth the effort.

Here are a few ways to refresh the conversation with contacts, no matter how long it’s been.

Reintroduce yourself

Don’t assume that the contact will remember you. When you reconnect, use your full name and the name of your business. Refresh the contact’s memory by mentioning when (or how) you met and when you last spoke. You’re still building rapport, so don’t jump into a hard real estate sell.

Address the elephant in the room

Acknowledge that you dropped the ball on staying in touch and apologize if you need to. Don’t make the excuse that you were so busy, out of town or addressing personal matters. Real estate is first and foremost about contacts, leads and clients, so make sure the conversation is about letting them know they haven’t been forgotten.

Congratulate them on a recent accomplishment

If you discover that a contact has recently had some good fortune — for example, they received a promotion, their child graduated or they just returned from a dream vacation — give them a pat on the back and ask for the backstory. The conversation might naturally bring them around to asking what you’ve been up to lately as well.

Mention a common interest

Ask if they’re still involved with a hobby that you share. Remembering their interests can give you common ground to start building rapport, and it also lets them know you’re personally interested in what they like to do in their downtime.

Offer your assistance

You’re more than just someone who helps people buy or sell homes; you can offer a wealth of insight on anything related to real estate. Are your contacts wondering what the housing market will do? Do they have questions on different mortgage types? Are they considering remodel projects to reap a bigger resale value? Let them know you’re there to lend a hand with answers to their questions.

Thank them

Let your contacts know how much you appreciate the opportunity to remake their acquaintance and thank them for the time they took to speak with you. Ask for their permission to stay in touch and make good on your promise to be better at doing so.

Getting back in touch with contacts is not only crucial to lead generation and garnering referrals, it also demonstrates your humanity and stick-to-itiveness — traits any client would appreciate in their real estate agent. It might be embarrassing to be calling after a long time, but if you ultimately gain a new lead or client, a little redness in the face is worth it.