We recently connected with Courtney Sowry and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, thanks for joining us today. Have you ever seen (or implemented) a really awesome way to show a client you appreciate them

Client appreciation has been instilled into my business practice since I began with McDowell Real Estate. Recently, I have been able to impliment this in a much more broad aspect. It is very common to wrap up a home sale with a gift for your client to show you how much you’re appreciative of them for putting their trust in you. I try to coincide the gift with my brand focus “so she sells Ohio”. For my clients closing gift I have a local artist that makes the shape of Ohio out of pallets and beautifully stains it with a bracket to hang it as home decor. I typically leave it blank but give my clients the artists information if they choose to have them customize it how they wish. I love to see my clients post progress pictures of their homes with the Ohio sign hanging proudly in their home. For some time now I have also done pop-by gifts to past clients on a seasonal basis so that I am still “top of mind”. I like to base it around the time of year and include many different themes such as home decor items, winter-time car essentials, crafts for their kiddos, ect. My clients typically follow-up with me after I drop their gift off and I am met with thank you’s or photos of the crafts their kids completed. I love to open the conversation to make sure they are still enjoying their home and offer any advice a home renovation could potentially provide to the value of their home.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

While growing up, I always had a love for beautiful homes. I personally grew up in a trailer, rental homes and even a camper for a short period of time. So an actual home to me was like the “American Dream”. When it came time to get serious about what I wanted to do after high school, I decided to go to beauty school so that I could have a paying job right after graduation. Around 5 years went by in the cosmetology industry. I saved up any $5 tip I received and built up my credit over time. I had witnessed a fellow co-worker go through the buying process for their first home and it inspired me to try to purchase for myself. At that time, I was about 6 months short of having enough work history so I decided to take my real estate classes and get licensed during that time. I was officially licensed in October of 2017 and purchased my first home in April of 2018. Every day is a learning experience which is one of my favorite parts, besides touring beautiful homes. Over the years I have learned the importance of providing free value to my clients to which I have enhanced my client experience. I’ve created a pre-listing kit for home sellers which I provide once they sign a listing agreement with me. For home buyers I provide a home buyer survival kit that I provide to all of my exclusive buyers. Each kit contains educational pamphlets and guides that help prepare them for the buying or selling process, and essential items that will make the process go smoother for them. I have also been scheduling times that I am being present at local businesses, primarily coffee shops, to be available for the community to get to know me on a personal level and to answer any questions about the buying and selling process. I will being present at a back to school event where anyone can donate items for the Pymatuning Valley School District in Andover, Ohio and I will be providing back to school “Parent Survival Kits” to the first 10 individuals. These kits will have all the essentials for helping the parents have an easier transition of getting back into the school routine. I pride myself on being genuine and authentic with my clients in the most humble way. I try my best to provide as much free education and knowledge while being as transparent as possible.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I have been on a team since I started with McDowell Real Estate. Primarily, I started as a buyer’s agent. This was super helpful while it was still a “buyers market”, meaning there was plenty of homes for sale and the interest rates of mortgage loans were super affordable. I perfected the craft of being a buyers agent and can confidently say that I can guide my buyers to making the strongest offer when faced with a multiple offer situation. Recently, the real estate market has shifted to a seller’s market. This means there a not as many homes for sale but many buyers still needing housing. The interest rates have risen as well making it less affordable for someone wanting to purchase a home. During a sellers market, it is more beneficial to target clients that wish to sell their property. This has been a pivotal change in my career as I navigate as a listing agent and represent my seller’s to the best of my ability. My marketing tactics have changed direction immensely and I know represent just as many seller’s as buyers. Thankfully I work underneath of a powerhouse listing agent with over 20 years of experience. Over the years I have attended many listing appointments with her to gain confidence when representing a seller, and adding to the value that I offer my clients.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Hands down, quality over quantity and setting boundaries. I cannot provide exemplary service if I am over worked and taking on more than I can handle. On top of that, if a client and I do not have the same communication styles, or their expectations of what I can provide to them are unrealistic, I must urge them to seek a professional that fits their needs better. I prefer to have a consultation with each new client so I can be upfront about what they can expect from working with me. Educating first and making sure I represent my clients to the fullest extent has expanded my business through past clients referring new clients. Each client then comes to me knowing what level of service they can expect when working with me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/soshesellsohio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soshesellsohio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soshesellsohio/
• Google Business: https://goo.gl/maps/QmXkepxjdambn8xv7