Pop-by ideas by month for past clients
A pop-by is a small, inexpensive item you drop off at a past client's door with a short note, usually tied to the season. Planning them by month saves you from scrambling. Tie each one to a real home task, like a radon test kit in January or fresh smoke alarm batteries in October.
What is a pop by?
A pop-by is a small, inexpensive item you leave at a past client's door with a short handwritten note. It costs less than a mailed gift and feels more personal, because you were standing on their porch. Text first, so the client isn't surprised by a knock and can tell you if it's a bad week.
What are good pop by ideas for realtors?
A good pop-by is something useful that fits a budget you can repeat for every client, and it comes with one line in your own handwriting. An item tied to the month works because the note explains itself. Skip anything that needs a long explanation or that the client has to find a shelf for.
Pick your amount once and keep it the same for everyone. That way a pop-by never feels like it depends on how big the sale was.
What can you bring each month?
Here is one item and one note line for each month. Swap any of them for something that fits your market, your weather and your budget.
January to June
| Month | Item | Note line |
|---|---|---|
| January | A radon test kit | "January is National Radon Action Month, and this kit makes the test easy." |
| February | A flashlight and spare batteries | "This one is for the next time the power goes out." |
| March | A furnace filter in their size | "Here's a fresh filter, and a reminder to get the AC checked before it gets hot." |
| April | A pair of garden gloves | "These are for your first spring in the yard." |
| May | A box of heavy trash bags | "These are for the spring clean-out of the garage." |
| June | A hose nozzle | "This is for watering the yard all summer." |
The January idea follows EPA, which marks January as National Radon Action Month and encourages people to test their homes. The March filter comes from ENERGY STAR, which advises checking the cooling system in spring and inspecting or changing air filters once a month.
July to December
| Month | Item | Note line |
|---|---|---|
| July | A grill brush | "I hope the cookouts at the new place are good ones." |
| August | A key hook or a spare key tag | "Here's a home for the spare key before school starts." |
| September | A gutter scoop | "The leaves start coming down soon, and gutters fill fast." |
| October | Smoke alarm batteries | "It's Fire Prevention Week this month, so here are fresh batteries for your smoke alarms." |
| November | A furnace filter in their size | "Here's a fresh filter before the heat runs all winter." |
| December | A bag of ice melt | "This is for the front steps this winter." |
NFPA holds Fire Prevention Week each October, and the U.S. Fire Administration says to test smoke alarms monthly and replace 9-volt batteries at least once a year. Check what the alarms take before you buy, because an alarm with a sealed 10-year battery has no battery to change, and USFA says to replace the whole alarm by the manufacturer's instructions. The November filter matches the ENERGY STAR advice to check the heating system in fall.
What if you can't drop by in person?
Send the same reminder as a text or email instead. "It's smoke alarm month, so here's your reminder to test them" works fine on a phone. A reminder like that often raises the next question, which is who to call, so add the link to your go-to list and let them pick a pro from it.
To see where pop-bys fit in the year, read how often to follow up with past clients. For the text to send before you drop by, see follow-up texts and emails. If your clients are new to owning a home, the guides for homeowners cover the tasks behind these reminders.
Sources
- EPA: National Radon Action Month Information
- ENERGY STAR: Maintenance Checklist
- U.S. Fire Administration: Smoke alarms
- NFPA: Fire Prevention Week
Your go-to list can ride along with the reminder
In Proferral, your go-to list is a link your client opens with no app and no login, so a reminder text can carry it. Proferral doesn't plan or deliver pop-bys, so you still choose the item and knock on the door. See your go-to list.
It's free, no credit card needed, and you're never charged unless you choose Pro.