I heard a story on the radio. It seems a real estate broker team sent a condolence letter to a recent widow, and by recent I mean a few days after her husband’s death. The letter expressed condolences, acknowledged that it must be a difficult time, and then pitched the woman on using them to sell the family home.
Classy, huh?
Obviously, surviving spouses are a good target market for real estate brokers, and for other professionals, e.g., probate lawyers. Brokers target recent empty nesters–homeowners with kids graduating, getting married–and that’s fine. It makes sense to target people who are more likely to need your services. Lawyers should, too (assuming there are no ethical restrictions).
But a letter like this, so soon after her loss and so obviously a shameless attempt to take advantage of her situation, is no bueno.
Is there anything these brokers could have done to leverage the “opportunity” presented by the demise of this woman’s husband?
Yes.
They could have mailed a letter that simply introduced themselves, without referencing her loss. As though they were sending that same letter to everyone in the neighborhood.
Offer a planning guide, a free market analysis, and make the case for using them for buying or selling, as brokers do. Let her decide when and if she wants to sell.
Get there early, before other brokers fill up her mailbox. And mail frequently with more information and offers.
In other words, invest more time and money targeting recent widows and widowers, as a group. Just don’t tell them why.
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