People always think about serving their client to the highest level possible. While this is a great focus to have, with just a little more work, you can vastly multiply your circle of influence and future business opportunities.
When you do a transaction, you interact with many people. There are banks, inspectors, lawyers, other REALTORS®, buyers, homeowners, referring parties and more. Each of these people gives you a chance to leave a positive impression and therefore, a chance for them to think of you in the future. This is important because you simply don’t know what the future will hold for these relationships. You have no idea when you will cross paths again, or in what context.
To maximize the probability for serendipity to impact your business, you must expand the service you offer beyond just your clients. How can you make things easier and more enjoyable for everyone in the transaction? Could you buy a closing/thank you gift for the Realtor on the other side of the transaction? Could you have keys couriered, leave kind notes thanking sellers during an inspection, over communicate with the mortgage brokers and lawyers and ensure that you recognize everyone for their efforts?
When you provide incredible service to everyone, all the time, people remember that. They talk about you favourably. They refer you. They trust you with their own business. You never know who you will influence and when your efforts will be paid back to you in spades.
You might say, “Lindsey, my duty of care is solely to my client.” I promise that if you maintain great relationships with everyone in the transactions you complete, when someone sees your name come across their desk, be it a Lawyer, Realtor, Mortgage Professional, etc., they will treat you and your client in a more favourable way. This is great client representation.
The mentality of serving everyone has led to: agents asking to join my team, winning the business of multiple lawyers, and mortgage brokers, and even having staff at other real estate companies refer business to me. Also, it has have presented me with multi-million dollar business opportunities. It works.
Stack the deck in your favour and begin looking broadly at a transaction to serve everyone you can at the highest level possible.
