By Taylor Kiggins

Real estate can be a trying career. A mentor once told me, “This is the hardest job because agents wake up every day unemployed.” That statement has always stuck with me. We are constantly working toward the next client, listing, closing, and opportunity. But one part of this business has always felt easy and natural to me: caring for my clients.

The relationship we have with our clients should not end when the transaction closes. In many ways, that is when an entirely different part of the relationship begins.

Throughout a transaction, whether I am working with a buyer or seller, I try to pay attention to the subtle things. What is their favorite color? What snacks do they like? What are their favorite flowers or restaurants? Did they mention something thoughtful someone once did for them that they loved? Those little details matter!

I often joke with my clients that I am building a “file” on them. When I hear something that may help me better care for them later, I make a note of it. Months or even years down the road, those details can turn an ordinary interaction into something personal and meaningful.

Client appreciation should go beyond the closing gift. I have been guilty of getting caught up in the cycle too. We close the deal, celebrate the moment, and immediately move on to the next problem that needs solved. But sometimes we forget just how important that closing was!

Out of all the agents they could have chosen, that client chose you. You helped them navigate one of the largest financial decisions of their life, along with the stress, excitement, and uncertainty that came with it. That relationship deserves more than a closing gift and an automated email once a year.

For me, client care can be as simple as birthday cards, handwritten notes, or a random phone call to check in. I personally try to call my clients on the holidays they celebrate, such as Christmas. Sometimes I send a handwritten card simply reminding someone I am thinking of them and tuck my business card inside. And sometimes client care has absolutely nothing to do with real estate.

Maybe you see a Facebook post from a past client who has had an especially difficult week. Dropping off a gift card for pizza and taking dinner off their plate that evening may mean more than any real estate marketing piece you could send. These gestures do not have to be expensive or elaborate. They simply need to be genuine. The more intentional we are about maintaining relationships with our clients, the more likely they are to remember us when someone they know needs an agent. More importantly, we become someone they know they can call when they need help or a trusted connection within the community. That is the position I believe every REALTOR® should strive for. We should not only be someone’s agent during a transaction. We should work toward becoming their trusted real estate resource and community ally long after the closing table.

The National Association of REALTORS® reminds us that “REALTORS® are good neighbors.” I believe client care is one of the simplest ways we can live that message. Success in this business will always require perseverance. There will be difficult transactions, lost clients, contracts that fall apart, and long days. But through it all, we have the opportunity to build something much more valuable than a database filled with names. We can build relationships. Take the time to learn your clients. Remember the little things. Make the phone call. Send the card. Check in when there is no transaction attached to it. Because sometimes the smallest gesture is the one a client remembers most.