Nothing is more refreshing to your clients than getting a personalized gift of exceptional quality that welcomes them into their new homes. Read more for great ideas for closing gifts that will have your clients bragging about working with you to all their contacts.
One of the easiest ways to get new business is through referrals. Making an unforgettable impression with a personalized closing gift for your clients is one way to get repeat business and referrals. When you add a closing gift to your mortgage loan process workflow, you optimize your sales process and upgrade your customer service above other loan officers.
If you want to learn more about creating strategies for optimizing your sales process, get the Unfair Advantage™ over your competition.
Key Takeaways
- Personalized closing gifts can help loan officers create brand loyalty and generate repeat business and referrals.
- It’s important to choose a closing gift that is practical and lasts long to leave a lasting impression on clients.
- Personalized and well-thought-out gifts can be inspired by the house and neighborhood, and can include items like candles, house plants, or locally sourced gift baskets.
- Custom paintings and interior design consultations are unique and unforgettable gift options.
- Exceptional customer experiences can create opportunities, and developing rapport with clients is key to providing the best closing gifts.
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What is a closing gift?
Once your client closes on their new home, the elation levels are high, and it’s time to celebrate for both of you. A closing gift is the best way to tell your client “thank you” now that business has been concluded.
It’s also a pleasant way to share the excitement with your client. You are creating a bond forged from months of working together and developing a relationship.
Why are loan officers giving closing gifts?
Brand loyalty is created by developing a relationship. A personalized closing gift will show just how much you know your client. It also promotes a relationship versus a transactional experience.
When a client closes on a house, they immediately start thinking about all the things they must do. They are on a mission to move to the next step in the process. You do not want to be forgotten before the ink dries on the contract.
When you give a closing gift, you immediately get your client’s attention because you are showing your appreciation. Brand loyalty creates repeat business as well as new business opportunities through referrals.
How to choose the perfect closing gift
Gift shopping is not an intuitive process for all people, but the good news is that you can personalize your gift just by being considerate of your client’s circumstances. For example, your client will be so focused on the logistics of getting into their new home. They may be too busy for day-to-day functions. You can give a 30-day gift certificate to an online meal delivery service that can help them have prepared dinners delivered a few times a week.
It’s always good to get to know your clients while working with them by building rapport. After you’ve narrowed down your options with personalized details, you can think about other logistics.
1. Buy a gift that lasts long.
You want to be unforgettable to make a lasting impression. Buy your client something that has a long-shelf life. An example of this could be a new stainless steel espresso machine to go with the stainless-steel kitchen appliances already in the home.
2. The best closing gifts are personal
Think about who your client is based on the conversations you’ve had over the months you’ve been working together. You should have been doing reconnaissance to build rapport. It’s always good to get to know more about your client besides their credit score and income.
You need to know your client on an intimate level to choose the perfect closing gift. In order to do this, you need to ask personal questions. Ask your client open-ended personal questions like:
- What is the first thing you plan on doing to celebrate after you close?
- Do you have any favorite restaurants?
- Are you a coffee drinker or a tea drinker?
- Do you have any pets or children?
- Do you enjoy the arts?
- What do you like to do in town for entertainment?
Knowing these personal details about your client will help you come up with great ideas for closing gifts. Here are some of our recommendations to get your creativity flowing.
3. Practical closing gifts show your consideration.
Never underestimate the value of practical gifts over whimsical and charming gifts. For example, if your client is moving from an apartment to a home with a lawn, an excellent practical gift would be a lawnmower if they plan on managing their own lawn. When you buy a client something useful, you are showing how considerate you are to their needs.
4. Never miss an opportunity to brand your closing gift.
All gifts should be memorable, but so should your brand. Branding keeps the practicality of your gift’s memory alive. Some people may feel uncomfortable about branding a gift, but you can and should do it tastefully based on the gift.
Think of gift branding like this: many high-end designers promote their brand loudly with large labels that compete with the design. Some fashion designers are more subtle and brand their products gracefully and discreetly.
Great ideas for closing gifts
Not everyone is an extrovert who is comfortable with asking personal questions, and that’s alright. You can always personalize your closing gift by focusing on external details like the house and the neighborhood.
Externally focused, well-thought-of quality gifts can also be personalized and help you set the foundation for repeat business and referrals.
1. Home-inspired gifts are thoughtful.
Help your client focus on the logistics of moving with home-inspired closing gifts. Home-inspired gift options are unlimited. You can buy:
- Candles
- Hand soap and lotion gift sets for the bathrooms and/or kitchen
- Decorative house plants
2. Locally sourced gifts welcome your clients to their new community
As soon as you know the house’s address that your client is closing on, you should be researching the neighborhood if you don’t already know it. This allows you to know the neighborhood.
- Restaurants
- Shopping centers
- Cafes
- Schools
- Businesses
Knowing the neighborhood showcases your expertise as well as allows you to provide locally sourced gifts. Let your client get to know the businesses in the area immediately with neighborhood-themed gift baskets.
3. Custom paintings are dazzling gifts.
Custom paintings offer a charm to gift-giving. This is such a unique and unforgettable gift. One custom painting gift that is sure to impress is a painting of your client’s new home. You can have one commissioned by sending a picture of the home to an artist.
4. Consultation with an interior designer.
When you give your client the gift of a consultation with an interior designer, you allow them to build even more excitement around making their new house the home of their dreams.
5. Wine gift box
If you know that your client enjoys drinking wine, a wine gift box and a personal card is a pleasant surprise. Imagine giving your client the gift of sitting in their new home with a calming glass of wine after a busy day of moving.
If you know what type of films or music they enjoy, you can even throw in a movie or YouTube music subscription with a recommended playlist for them to enjoy while they sip their wine.
Exceptional customer experiences create opportunities.
When you develop rapport with your clients, you put yourself in a position to provide the best closing gifts. Closing gifts turn transactions into relationships and create a memorable customer service experience that promotes brand loyalty.
Brand loyalty creates repeat business partnerships and new opportunities through referrals. If you need help brainstorming the perfect closing gift ideas, schedule a strategy call. We love sharing ideas that make opportunities.
