Moving into a new house can be one of the most stressful occurrences in an adults life, according to many experts. It ranks up there with divorce and money as one of the leading causes of stress. There’s just something about uprooting a household and moving it across town or across country that induces stress. Moving into a new house means filling the pantry with groceries, filling the cabinets under the sink with cleaning supplies and generally getting settled into a new routine in a new space. This is all on top of shelling out a down payment, getting insurance, utilities and paying the movers! No wonder moving is one of the most stressful activities out there.
So how can a Real Estate agent help with moving? How about a Welcome to the neighborhood gift basket from The Gift Basket Concierge? A Welcome Home Basket can be filled with almost anything, but how about a couple of ready to eat meals that require almost no preparation or a snack basket with a simple card that states “Moving is stressful. Relax tonight and put on your favorite movie.” or something similar. There can also be stress reducing SPA baskets, or if you have a playful relationship with your clients a basket with a bottle of wine and wineglasses or beer with steins or even whiskey with shot glasses. The idea is to create a memorable welcome to your new home gift basket that makes the homeowner smile and remember the real estate agent fondly.
The basket can also include common household cleaning items or other sundries that may be useful when moving into a brand new space. This serves two purposes; it provides your clients with items that they will need and use and two: sets the agent up as thoughtful and caring, sensitive to the vagaries that can be attached to moving.
A super agent will even go so far as to create information about the neighborhood and approach local businesses regarding a partnership in sending the gift basket to the new neighbor. As people move into a new house in a new town they will need a doctor, a dentist, an insurance agent, a gym, a stylist, an oil change facility, a car wash, and food, lots of food. How about clothes from a specialty clothing shop or a bar and grill for sports and beer? There literally is no limit on what businesses a super real estate agent can approach regarding a partnership to send a Welcome to your new home Gift Basket to a new homeowner. A real estate agent can work closely with their consultant at The Gift Basket Concierge to customize any welcome to the neighborhood basket.
And now for the secret sauce that will turn any real estate agent into a one closing per week superstar. When you partner with a business to send a gift basket, order a customized gift basket for that business as a way of saying thank you and to generate referrals. The small business owner you partnered with will be hoping to generate business with the new home owner, but will be grateful when you show appreciation for their effort and thank them for their partnership. This basket can be a simple elegant affair with a personalized flavor (which you learned in conversation with the business owner) and can create another source of valuable referrals for your real estate business.
