Now, now — don't cringe when you hear the phrase "pop-by"! Pop-bys still have a lot of merit in the real estate world, and one could even argue they're more impactful in a digital-first, ad-filled, screen-scrolling way of life. After all, how many of us actually get anyone knocking at our door for a quick "hello" and check-in anymore?

When you pop by with a small token of appreciation and plenty of cheer, you add a personalized, more human customer experience to your brand. In turn, you can supercharge staying top of mind, making yourself (and your expertise) available, and increasing your odds of getting a referral from the clients you're popping by to see.

As you get ready to embrace the practice of popping by, make sure to get a few prep items knocked out first.

Preparing for your real estate pop-bys

Stopping to visit someone in person at their home requires a healthy dose of consideration and preparation in advance. Take the following steps to prepare fully for your pop-bys.

Step 1: Make it a regular part of your schedule

Pop-bys work best when they're intentional and planned, so make sure you're blocking out time on your work calendar to prepare your pop-by gifts or tokens of appreciation, dedicating lots of time to your pop-bys, and leaving some buffer in case clients want to catch up or talk more when you get there.

Step 2: Get the timing just right

Aside from scheduling, you want to ensure you're nailing the time you're popping by your clients' homes. While the art of the pop-by is really in the element of surprise, you can still use some good old-fashioned common sense rules for stopping by someone's house. Avoid major holidays, don't visit too early or too late in the day, and make sure you're not coming at predictably busy times, like during dinner or when they'd be at church.

Step 3: Make your list, and check it twice

Do you see what we did there? Before visiting anyone, first come up with a list of your most valuable clients or clients you haven't talked to in a while. You can group them by gift type, characteristic, or simply the neighborhoods they live in and their proximity to one another. This helps prevent you from zipping all over town, scrambling to go from house to house, and it helps you use the time you carved out in Step 1 more effectively.

Fun, creative pop-by ideas agents like you can use

You're all prepped for your pop-bys! Now, it's time to get the creative gears turning and the lightbulb moments a-glowing. We've rounded up some seriously creative, fun, and different pop-by ideas you can easily use to wow your clients and keep 'em coming back.

Help them put the pieces together with branded puzzle

Your clients help make up the perfect pieces of your real estate biz, so why not show them with a cute, branded puzzle? Grab a professional photo of your local market, upload it into Canva, and pop your real estate logo in the corner. Then, use an online service to get your miniature, customized puzzle created. Add a handwritten note on top that says:

[Client name], you help make our real estate dreams complete. Please enjoy this fun, mini puzzle showcasing the beauty of [your market] as a small token of our appreciation. You can also help us find our missing piece by sending a referral our way! 

Add some 'pop' to your pop-bys (literally)

Head over to your local dollar store and grab some of those fun, reusable, classic popcorn buckets. Fill it up with fun-colored cellophane shredded filler, then head over to your local warehouse club to pick up a bulk box or two of microwaveable popcorn and add in a packet to each individual bucket. You can get ultra creative with some fun seasonings to top the popcorn, or even a gift card to the local movie theater. Then, add your note:

Thanks for helping [your business's name] really POP! Please enjoy this token of appreciation with your next binge watch or movie. And if you have a "kernel" of a referral we can butter up with our real estate services, please pop them on over to us!

Help them stay on top of all the home-related details

What could be more practical — and fun — than a mini home maintenance kit for your pop-bys? Look up and order small plastic boxes with hinges, then get to work (and get creative) by filling them with plenty of fun-sized home maintenance tools! 

Think things like a miniature toolkit, mini measuring tape, pens to help touch up wall paint or wood furniture, single-use glass cleaner wipes, and even business cards to vendors you recommend for larger (pun intended) home projects. Add a note that reads:

[Client name], we're happy to have helped you make home sweet home a reality. Take care of all the tiny but mighty details in your home with this mini home maintenance kit! If you're keen on another DIY, please consider sending a referral our way.

Hand them the keys (again)

This one will require a little bit of internet sleuthing to find the right vendor to supply your needs, but it can go a long way in making a lasting impression. Get a set of branded, house key-shaped bottle openers made. These are also great closing gifts or can act in lieu of a business card at an appropriate networking event. Visit your clients, giving them the keys once more, along with a clever note:

[Client name], I'm so happy to see how many doors your new home has opened for you. If you'd like to help a friend, family member, or coworker "unlock" their real estate dreams, please don't hesitate to refer them our way!

Offer to help lighten their load

This is another fun, branded pop-by idea. Find a vendor that can print custom, foldable tote bags your clients can use for their grocery shopping. These are sturdy, take up minimal space, and actually practical to use! What's more, when other shoppers in the grocery store see your client carrying around your name and brand, you get free access to a walking billboard. 

Bulk up this pop-by a bit with a few other items ultra helpful for grocery shopping, like a branded bottle of hand sanitizer and a branded notepad (bonus points if it's got a magnet to keep up their shopping list for the week). Here's the note to give:

Thank you for being a "tote"-ally awesome client, [client name]! If you have any referrals "in the bag," we'd love to meet them!

When in doubt, keep it sweet

This is an easier pop-by idea, but impactful nonetheless. You can do the DIY route and assemble small bags of assorted chocolates and candies, or even cookie mix in a jar, add a ribbon, and tie a branded note around the top. You can also pick up a box of donuts or baked goods from a local bakery and add your sticker to the top. Then, keep things sweet and themed with a note like this:

[Client name], it sure is sweet to be your real estate agent! Thank you for being our client. If you have a referral for us, we'd be happy to also sweeten up their real estate goals.

Are you pumped for pop-bys?

Pop-bys are here to stay in real estate, and with a little ingenuity and a whole lot of enthusiasm, agents like you can keep the spirit of popping by alive. It's still an excellent way to show clients you care, stay top of mind, give your brand a fun boost, and up the odds of getting a referral sent your way.

For more fun, creative ways to keep in touch with your clients, make sure you're visiting our Resource Center regularly. We're always posting new insights, tips, and tricks to help you stand out as an agent!