Building Community One Event at a Time
By Lana Rodriguez
In this blog, Lana Rodriguez, a Buffini Member for nearly six years, shares how hosting client appreciation events has intentionally helped her team build community and foster deeper connections. She’ll expound on this in our Community Connection webinar, Wednesday, July 22 at 10 a.m. PT. Register here to join and learn more.
When my husband Bryan and I relocated to Colorado in 2014 through the military, life was far from settled. We were new to the area, trying to navigate an unfamiliar market and build relationships from the ground up. As a military family ourselves, I quickly realized many of my future clients would be in the same position — looking not only for a home, but also for connection and a sense of belonging.
After nearly 11 years of selling real estate in Colorado Springs, one of the most competitive and relationship-driven markets in the country, I’ve learned one important thing:
Community is the heart of it all.
But how do you actually build community? How do you stay connected to clients long after the closing table? And how do you continue providing value when the transaction is over?
For me, the answer has been client appreciation events.
A Milestone Mindset
I knew I wanted to create something different. I didn’t want clients to feel forgotten once the paperwork was signed. I wanted to build a community where relationships continued long after the transaction.
That mindset became the foundation of our client event strategy.
I often joke that we’re the real estate team that doesn’t go away. We continue checking in, celebrating milestones and inviting clients to gather with us throughout the year. What started as a simple way to stay connected has become one of the most valuable parts of our business.
One of my very first events was a small Mother’s Day gathering in 2016. I was a brand-new mom myself, trying to figure out family life and business at the same time. The event was far from perfect, but people showed up, connected with one another and left feeling appreciated. That experience taught me an important lesson: people don’t remember whether an event was extravagant. They remember how it made them feel.
Soon after, we hosted our first movie event. It was a little cheesy, and yes, we wore matching shirts. But it was memorable. More importantly, it gave us another opportunity to strengthen relationships with the people we serve.
Over the years, client events have become one of the cornerstones of our referral-based business. They’ve helped us stay top of mind, create genuine connections and turn clients into advocates who actively refer friends and family.
Team Up with Your Trusted Partners
One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that client appreciation events are too expensive or too difficult to sustain year after year.
The truth is you don’t have to do it alone.
For all of our larger client appreciation events, we partner with our preferred lender, who has been a trusted part of our business for years and has consistently shown up for our clients, our team, and our community.
When we’re planning a major event, we approach them well in advance and ask them to participate in up to 50% of the event’s marketing expenses. Depending on the event, that might include venue costs, refreshments, entertainment, photographers, face painters, balloon artists, swag, or other event expenses.
In return, they’re invited to attend the event, connect with guests, and provide their own marketing materials. Everything is discussed and approved ahead of time so expectations are clear, costs are transparent, and everyone stays aligned with applicable RESPA (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act) guidelines.
The biggest lesson? Don’t think of your lender, title representative, inspector, or insurance professional as a vendor. Think of them as part of your client care team.
The right partners want to build relationships just as much as you do. When you work together, you’re able to create experiences that are bigger, better, and more memorable than either of you could create alone.
Client events don’t have to be extravagant to be effective. They simply need to be intentional.
When people feel appreciated, they remember it. And when you consistently create opportunities for connection, community follows.
Lana will dive deeper into her Client Appreciation Events strategy at our Community Connection webinar Wednesday, July 22, at 10 a.m. PT. Register here to join and learn more.
