Professional Report - 1st Quarter 2012

number one competitor and saved them approximately ‘X’ on three deals,” he says. Finally, Waters continues, he goes into every presentation with Excel spreadsheets. “We show what we have saved,” he shares. “We use numbers—no pictures, no pretty floor plans.”

'Softer' Services

Sometimes activities entirely unrelated to real
estate can help cement solid relationships with
clients. “The more often you can ‘touch’ a cli-
ent or tenant with value-added information, the
better off you are going to be,” says Zimmer.
“But Christmas candy, for example, is also
often appreciated.”
He also adds a personal touch when forward-
ing articles or publications of interest. “Most
offices have a laminating machine,” he notes.
“Laminate it with your business card and send it
to them. More often than not, they will not throw
it away.”
“A big thing we initiated and expanded on was
a planned giving program,” Schenk shares. “We
donate back $1,000 of each fee to a charity of the
client’s choice after each transaction.”
His firm regularly gives to four charities in
town, so the money can go there or to a specific
one identified by the client. “For example, we
started a memorial fund at the children’s hospi-
tal,” says Schenk. “Our community is very big on
giving, and it’s a very good way for me to differ-
entiate myself.”
He also serves as a guest lecturer for over 100
hours a year at Ohio State, talking about how kids
can get jobs or internships, teaching people skills
and other skills to help them prepare for life after
college. “It has helped us attract like-minded indi-
viduals, and also helped us to maintain a presence
even in tough times,” Schenk asserts.

“A lot of times clients will have heard about me through these activities or met me at a charity event, and this has even helped to cement relationships,” he adds. “The bottom line is it’s all about win-win; find out what’s important to the client and give them that value-add.”