"As your last point of contact with buyers and sellers in a transaction, closing gifts are more than just an unexpected courtesy. They serve as a sincere show of appreciation for business and a low-key way to generate referrals.

Although some practitioners balk at the notion that they should feel obliged to further reward clients for a job well done, an overwhelming majority do bestow gifts at the completion of a sale. Seventy-seven percent of REALTOR® Magazine readers had given closing gifts to clients in the previous year, according to the magazine’s April 2003 REALTOR® Profile Study, MRI Custom Division.

The form gifts take are as varied as the personalities of those who give them. But the most popular, according to the survey, are gift cards, flowers and plants, gift baskets, personalized home accessories, alcoholic beverages, and food or sweets.

REALTOR® Magazine’s own informal online poll—asking REALTOR® Magazine Online visitors about their closing gift choices—uncovered a much broader mix of gift options. Some enthused about giving distinct items, such as artistic renderings of the new house, hand-painted plates, or maple syrup. Others went the practical route: new locks for all doors and windows and environmentally friendly cleaning products. Still others suggested donations to a charity in the client’s name, a year’s membership to the local zoo, and even chew toys for the family dog.

If there’s consensus among gift givers, it’s to put some thought into the gift selection so it reflects well on the giver and that it’s better to give nothing at all than something obviously cheap or inappropriate for the recipient.

Today e-commerce makes it more convenient than ever to select and experiment with a variety of gifts. Many gift company Web sites feature “wizards� to help narrow your selection based on price or purpose of the gift. The companies mentioned in the accompanying chart are a good place to begin the search for the gift that’ll speak best for you, long after closing.

Thoughtful giving

Deciding to use closing gifts is the easy part. Making the selection work for you takes thought. Consider:

Cost. Don’t try to “cheap� your way out on gifts. Make it something someone will actually appreciate receiving. Let the home’s selling price and buyers’ affluence help guide you to what’s appropriate to spend and give.
Personal touch. Though it asks more time and effort to make the selection, a personalized gift can say most about how much you appreciate the client.
Staying power. Something the client proudly displays or uses for years will serve as an ongoing reminder of you and a chance for the client to talk up your services again and again.
Follow-up. A giving strategy, in which you regularly follow up with tokens of appreciation, cards, or friendly calls can effectively reinforce the good will generated by your gift.

Voices of experience
Galen Gruman, Prudential California Realty, San Francisco
In the fast-paced San Francisco market, Gruman rarely spends enough time with clients to get an in-depth sense of their style. “I know almost every house needs something, however, so I give everyone something practical: a $50 gift card to Lowe’s,� he says. He backs it with a more altruistic gesture, making a $100 donation in the clients’ name to their charity of choice or to the Prudential Foundation, dedicated to community involvement. “They like the idea of giving something back to the community,� Gruman says.

Kelly Exline, ABR®, Prudential Jensen Real Estate, Boise, Idaho
Exline tries to personalize each client’s gift. “I listen for ideas as I take them around and talk with them,� she says. One client checked the refrigerator while touring a home and joked he’d buy the home if it came with beer. When he made the purchase, Exline stocked the fridge with imported beer before handing over the keys.

Jennifer Bunker, Keller Williams Success Realty, Ogden, Utah
Because of Utah’s $50 limit on business gifts, Bunker spends $25 on a gift basket given at closing. A week later she delivers “something flashy, always with balloons,� to the client at work. “It catches the attention of other people in the office and gives the client a reason to tell other people about me,� she says. Bunker reports the effort has netted six closed deals through one client’s office alone.


Your Parting Thank-you

Your parting thank-you is a marketing tool that can leave a lasting impression.

BY MICHAEL ANTONIAK
Like many real estate practitioners, Howard Hoffman has mixed emotions about closing gifts--those trinkets, treasures, and even trips given clients following the closing of a sale.

“Other professionals don’t usually give gifts when they render their services to the public,� says Hoffman, a residential practitioner with Coldwell Banker Kaiser, Indianapolis. “And if we’re truly professional, we should be getting business and referrals based on the quality of services rendered.�

That said, he admits he pursues the practice of giving a gift but solely as a marketing tool. He gives buyers a personalized afghan embroidered with the family name, the address of their new home, and the date of their closing. Sellers receive a framed artist’s rendering or photograph of their former residence, with a note of thanks and his business card.

“Referrals come from both buyers and sellers,� he says. “If I’m going to give them a closing gift, I want it to be something of quality they’re going to have around for a long time as a reminder of me.�

Other practitioners regard the closing gift as a simple show of appreciation that they hope will generate a favorable response the next time the clients, or anyone else they know, require the services of a real estate professional. Closing gift strategies, if they can be called that, are as varied as the personality of each practitioner.

Solutions encompass everything from a night out at a restaurant to fine crystal, from gift baskets and gift certificates to major appliances. Some are practical; others, overly generous.

Mary Wright, residential practitioner with Owens & Co., Christiansburg, Va., uses three basic closing gifts: a specially prepared wreath from a local florist for the new homeowner; a meal at a favorite restaurant for those “moving up� to a bigger home or nicer neighborhood or relocating for a better job; and a gift certificate to a hardware store or Wal-Mart for buyers of a handyman’s special. When she knows the client has a special collection or interest, she selects something more personal.

“Often by the time we get to the closing, I feel that these people are my friends,� she says. “People are usually surprised that I give them something. I think it really helps cement our relationship.�

That personal connection has had a positive impact on her business. “Even though I don’t do month-to-month mailings and postcards, I get about 60 percent of my listings through referrals,� she says. “I like people to know I appreciate them, and I think they appreciate that.�

In Maine, William Van Twisk, residential specialist with CHR Realty/GMAC, Brunswick, leaves as his closing gift an enduring reminder of his service. “I like to give people flowering shrubs or, if they have children, a highbush blueberry plant. I’ll even help plant it if they want,� he says.

“It becomes a part of their landscape and a positive reminder of me. And I know it works: I’ve had people walk up to me years later and tell me how beautiful the plant I gave them is when it blooms in the spring.�

In Pasadena, Calif., part-time salesperson Terrance Davis, with Tony Mangan, REALTORS® , views closing gifts as a way to help the new homeowner. “Most of my clients are first-time buyers, sometimes barely scraping together enough to move into their first house,� he explains. “They don’t always recognize all the other expenses involved in setting up that first home.�

Once a couple have settled on a house, he listens to what they say as they talk about things they’re going to need. “I always try to give them something. For one couple it was a stove, for another a washing machine. I gave a self-propelled lawn mower to one guy who wondered how he was going to take care of such a large lawn.
“They’re always surprised and appreciative, and I’m just happy to do something that will help them out.�

If giving home appliances seems overly generous, consider what the clients of Century 21 M&M Associates in Modesto, Calif., have been treated to for the past year: eight-day, seven-night accommodations at their choice of luxury time-share resorts anywhere in the world.

“So far we’ve given away more than 600 of those trips to buyers and sellers, whether it’s a $30,000 mobile home or a mansion,� reports broker-owner Larry Matos. “Clients are overwhelmed--they can’t believe we do something like that for them. We’ve given a bottle of wine, free meals, or gift baskets in the past, and they’re nice gifts,� he says. “But this has real staying power; it’s something our clients will talk about for years.�

Matos explains his company was one of the first Century 21 affiliates to participate in a fee-based program offered through Resorts Condominiums International, which operates a network of time-shares throughout the world. The arrangement covers the cost of the accommodations only; clients foot the bill for travel to and from their destination and any other expenses.

It’s such a unique show of appreciation that Matos believes it gives his company the competitive edge: “We talk it up in all our advertising and promotions. It’s something that no one else can offer or compete with, and that gives people another reason to come to us.�

And, like it or not, the program could up the ante on what it takes to leave that favorable impression long after closing.

What Works For You?
Real estate practitioners’ choices in closing gifts are as varied as their personalities. Here’s just a sampling of what your peers use to convey that lasting sense of appreciation for their clients’ business and trust.

“I’ve given wind chimes. They seem to work with the type of property we sell.�--Sandy Magilen, GMAC Preferred Realty, Pound Ridge, N.Y.

“I’ve rekeyed the locks. That offers the new homeowners a certain peace of mind that they have the only outstanding keys.� David C. Vigil, Keller Williams Denver Central, Denver

“I frequently give buyers gift certificates to Home Depot. Many of my clients are first-time homebuyers with a list of I-wish-we-could-get items for their new home.�--Nancy-Gay Rowland, RE/MAX of Atlanta, Duluth, Ga.

“After I start working with clients, I try to find out their hobbies and interests. I tailor my gift around those: a gift certificate to the garden center for gardeners; a gift certificate to the home improvement store for buyers with fixer-uppers; a specialty cookbook for cooks; a home warranty for those who didn’t get a seller-paid warranty.�--Shelley Atkinson, Long & Foster Real Estate, Stafford, Va.

“We get a lot of buyers from out of state. I like to give them a Texas almanac and a large Texas flag to fly in front of their new home. They seem to love these gifts, which stay around for a long time.�--Ronda Reagan, Ronda A. Reagan Properties Inc., San Marcos, Texas

“I’ve sent flowers to the client’s office through FTD.com. Having flowers delivered to the office also attracts the attention of possible future buyers and sellers. I may also provide entertainment books with coupons for discounts at local restaurants, movie theaters, and car rental companies.�--Tonya L. Bush, Century 21 All Islands, Kailua, Hawaii

“My favorite is a gift certificate to a local family restaurant. Moving day is never easy, and this gives clients the opportunity to either go out to eat or bring home a take-out meal.� Kerry Fitzgerald, Sound Realty, Mashpee, Mass.

“My golden retrievers are very much a part of the Gradybunch team and are pictured on my business cards, brochures, and letterhead. At closing I give a special 17-ounce mug with a picture of a golden retriever on it. I've never had another closing gift get me so many comments. The mugs are extremely affordable and last a lifetime!--Joe Grady, RE/MAX Greater Atlanta, Atlanta

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