7 Steps to Make Sure Your Database Never Forgets You

By Anthony and Team

Anthony Morel is the Founder & CEO of PAK Home Realty, one of the fastest-growing independent real estate brokerages expanding across California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Arkansas, Illinois, Texas, and Florida.

If you’re a real estate professional and you’re not staying in consistent communication with your database, you’re leaving money on the table. It’s that simple. The people you’ve done business with and the people in your community who know you should be thinking of you the moment real estate comes up. And if they’re not, it means you haven’t built the system to make that happen.

I want to walk you through seven steps that will help you stay front of mind with your sphere of influence and your past clients so you’re never the agent who gets forgotten.

1. Build your database. This is the foundation. Your database is where you keep your contacts, the people you’ve done business with and the people you’d like to do business with in the future. You can use a CRM, and I’d recommend it over a spreadsheet because the right CRM will allow you to automate emails, schedule touches, and track communication. But whatever tool you use, make sure every contact has five things: their name, their spouse’s name, phone number, email address, and birthday.

And here’s a script for getting people into your database naturally. “Is there anyone that’s keeping you updated with the market? As you know, the slightest changes in the market could mean a significant impact on your investment. What’s the best email for us to stay in communication on?” If it’s a buyer, adjust the last part to “a significant impact on your future investment.” Assume they’re going to give you the email. Most of the time, they will.

2. Include your past clients. The moment a transaction closes, that relationship is just beginning. Yes, find a great closing gift and make it special. But more importantly, let them know the cadence you’re going to stay in touch on. That past client is going to potentially bring you one, two, three more transactions down the road through referrals and repeat business. When they think of real estate, you want them thinking of you. When their family or friends mention buying or selling, you want your name to be the one that comes up.

3. Build a social community. Facebook is a great tool for this. Create a community where you’re sharing market updates, new listings, recent sales, and video content with your sphere and past clients. This keeps you socially present in a way that feels natural and adds value. When someone in that community hears about a friend looking to buy or sell, you’re already front of mind because they’ve been seeing your content consistently.

4. Send a monthly email. Most CRMs will do this automatically if you set it up. A monthly market update, a home valuation, something that delivers real information your contacts can use. And this is where birthdays come in. Set up automated birthday emails so your database hears from you on the days that matter to them personally. It’s a small touch that makes a big difference.

5. Make a monthly call. Pick up the phone and call. Every month. The key is to bring value every time. Share a market update, mention what interest rates are doing, talk about average days on market, or deliver an absorption report. But ultimately, the most powerful thing you can say is simple: “How can I be of service?” What happens is your past clients start saying things like, “I’m so glad you called. Do you have a referral for someone who does roofing?” or “Actually, my sister has been thinking about selling.” When they think of anything related to the home, they think of you. And when they hear real estate, they send people your way.

6. Send a quarterly mailer. This is the physical touch. I think about staying in communication with your database like a military strategy: air, land, and sea. Your emails are the air. Your calls are the sea. And your mailers are the land. Four mail pieces a year, each one designed to connect with a different personality style. Think about what a driver wants to know, what an analytical person needs to see, what makes an amiable person feel good, and what an expressive person responds to. Maybe one quarter it’s market statistics. Another quarter it’s a local sports schedule. The point is that something physical arrives at their home with your name on it, and when they think of real estate, your information is right there.

7. Host a client appreciation event. This is the one that brings everything together. Rent out a movie theater for a premiere. Book a group outing at a winery. Get a block of tickets to a ball game. Whatever format fits your style, the goal is getting your clients together in person in a setting of appreciation. When people feel like they belong to your community, they bring more people into it. And that’s how your database grows organically.

Here’s the math that makes all of this worth it. If you follow these seven steps consistently, you should be generating a 10% return from your database annually. That means if you have 100 people in your database, that’s 10 transactions a year. At an average commission of $10,000, that’s $100,000 in recurring revenue. If you have 200 or 300 contacts, you can see where this goes.

But remember: bigger isn’t better with your database. Better is better. You want people who, when they think of real estate, they think of you. That’s the standard, and these seven steps are how you get there.

If you want to learn more about building systems that generate consistent business, reach out. Call or text me at 909-351-5105, email me at support@pakhomerealty.com, or visit blog.pakhomerealty.com.