Introduction: Systematic Client Engagement: The 33 Touch Approach
Summary:
The "33 Touch Approach" is a structured client relationship management (
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) strategy designed to cultivate and maintain relationships with clients through consistent, planned communication over a 12-month period. It leverages principles of behavioral psychology, specifically the mere-exposure effect (Zajonc, 1968), which demonstrates that repeated exposure to a stimulus (in this case, the real estate agent or team) increases its familiarity and likeability. The strategy incorporates multiple communication channels, including newsletters, personalized cards, phone calls, and tangible giveaways, to enhance client engagement and foster long-term loyalty, ultimately increasing referral rates and repeat business.
Scientific Importance:
The efficacy of the 33 Touch Approach is rooted in established psychological and marketing research. The frequency and mode of communication are critical factors influencing brand recall and customer retention. Studies in cognitive psychology have shown that distributed practice (Cepeda et al., 2006), or spacing out learning sessions over time, leads to better long-term retention compared to massed practice. In the context of
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CRM
, consistent "touches" serve as distributed practice, reinforcing the client's memory of the agent and their services. Furthermore, the use of varied communication channels aligns with the concept of multi-sensory marketing, which suggests that engaging multiple senses (sight, sound, touch) enhances emotional connection and brand recall (Krishna, 2012). The strategic inclusion of personalized touches, such as birthday cards and anniversary acknowledgements, utilizes the principle of reciprocity (Gouldner, 1960), which posits that individuals are more likely to respond favorably to someone who has done something for them. Measuring the impact of the 33 touch approach with A/B testing is the best way to scientifically determine ROI.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this lesson, participants will be able to:
1. Define the core components of the 33 Touch Approach, including the specific types of communication and their recommended frequency, as outlined in the course materials.
2. Identify the psychological principles (mere-exposure effect, distributed practice, multi-sensory marketing, reciprocity) that underpin the effectiveness of the 33 Touch Approach in building client relationships and driving referral business.
3. Differentiate between the "Client for Life" and "Advocate Appreciation" 33 Touch plans, and explain the criteria for assigning clients to each plan based on their transactional history and referral behavior.
4. Develop customized 33 Touch plans tailored to specific client segments, incorporating relevant items of value and personalized messaging designed to increase engagement and encourage referrals.
5. Utilize
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systems to systematically implement and track the 33 Touch Approach, ensuring consistent communication and monitoring the impact on client retention and referral rates.
References:
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380.
Gouldner, A. W. (1960). The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review, 25(2), 161-178.
Krishna, A. (2012). An integrative review of sensory marketing: Engaging the senses to affect perception, memory, judgment and behavior. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(3), 332-351.
Zajonc, R. B. (1968). Attitudinal effects of mere exposure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 9(2, Pt.2), 1-27.