You crushed the transaction. Your clients raved about their experience. They even promised they’d use you again.
And yet… they didn’t.
A few years went by, and you couldn’t help but notice another agent’s for sale sign when driving past their home. Maybe the “other agent” was a neighbor’s referral, or maybe they popped up on social media at the right time.
Either way, your client forgot about you.
This isn’t bad luck—it’s a predictable, preventable business problem. A recent Zillow study shows that only 11% of sellers in 2023 listed their home with an agent they had a past experience with. That means nearly 90% of agents are getting ghosted.
The reality is it’s not your client’s job to remember you.
It’s your job to make sure they never forget.
Your Clients Need You (Even When They’re Not Transacting)
Even if a homeowner isn’t thinking about moving, they’re still dealing with home-related issues all the time.
- The toilet won’t stop running.
- The AC goes out in the middle of a heatwave.
- Their basement floods—again.
They don’t want to gamble on a random Google search. They want a recommendation from someone they know and trust.
That’s where you come in.
The Black Book Strategy
Mosaik continuously tests every client retention strategy in the book—and one of the most effective (and easiest) plays to execute is its Black Book Strategy.
For those wondering—yes, you can do this directly from the Mosaik platform. But as Mosaik CEO Sheila Reddy loves to remind agents: you don’t need tech to execute on client retention. “The tech,” she says, “is a vehicle for scaling.”
The Black Book Strategy can be repeated quarterly, making you the go-to resource for your clients, not just for real estate but for homeownership itself. Plus, it’s completely value-driven, so it never feels sales-y.
Want the full “Past Client Playbook” with 5 proven ways to keep clients coming back? Download it for FREE here.
Now, here’s how to execute the Black Book Strategy in four steps.
Step 1: Build Your Vendor Black Book
Compile a list of your most trusted home service professionals. Start with the big-ticket categories that every homeowner will eventually need and start expanding with new categories each quarter.
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Handymen
- Roofers
- HVAC Techs
- Landscapers
- Pest Control
- Painters
Be sure to include each company’s phone number and email, and, if possible, their website, areas of operations, service specialties and any notes you have about them.
To start, include at least two options per category (to avoid looking biased) but no more than four (to keep the list simple and actionable).
Step 2: Send This Email
Mosaik has tested and refined the email below based on consumer psychology, so feel free to use it verbatim.
Step 3: Follow Up with a Text or Phone Call
Since your vendor list is a value add for any homeowner, it gives you the perfect excuse to connect with clients individually. After you send the email, call or text to make sure they received the list.
Step 4: Resend Every Quarter
Your vendor black book isn’t a one-and-done deal. Update and re-send it quarterly. This gives you a built-in reason to stay in front of past clients in a way that feels helpful, not annoying.
Here’s a message you can send when you update your list:
A Real-World Example of This in Action
I recently moved, which means my mailbox has been flooded with junk mail. But last week, I received a simple, no-frills vendor guide with top-rated service providers in my county. It’s essentially the physical version of Mosaik’s Black Book Strategy.
It’s not flashy. It’s not from a real estate agent. In fact, it came from a home services company I’d never heard of. But it is useful.
This “Five-Star Rated” Homeowner Referral Guidebook is:
- Printed on plain, white-page stock—nothing fancy
- Well-organized and easy to skim
- Packed with trusted vendor recommendations
- Complete with QR codes linking to service providers
And guess what? I immediately looked through the table of contents, bookmarked vendors I might need in the future, and shared it with my husband. That’s the power of a well-done vendor black book.
Stop Losing Clients to Other Agents
Clients you’ve worked with in the past are buying and selling. The only question is whether they’re doing it with you.
If you want to keep them close (without being annoying), give them something useful.
Start with the Black Book Strategy this quarter—and be sure to download the full guide for four additional strategies you can put into place this year.
