The holidays are one of the easiest times of year to reach out to past clients. People expect to hear from friends and businesses they like, and a card or small gift from their agent feels normal instead of salesy. Good real estate holiday marketing keeps you in mind with the people who are most likely to send you your next deal.
Those people are worth the effort. In NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, about two-thirds of sellers chose an agent they were referred to or had worked with before. Agents seem to know this. Virtuance’s 2026 marketing trends survey of more than 300 real estate professionals found that increasing referrals ranked ahead of generating new leads as a goal, second only to selling more homes.
At 23 Window Media, we plan and produce a lot of holiday mail for agents each fall. Below is what we’ve seen work, along with a simple timeline so you’re not scrambling in mid-December.
Why does holiday marketing matter for past clients?
Most past clients liked working with you. But a year or two after closing, life gets busy, and the agent who helped them buy or sell can fade from memory unless they hear from you now and then. Some will meet another agent at a party or a school event, and that agent will be the one they think of first.
Holiday outreach gives you a reason to get in touch that has nothing to do with selling. You’re thanking people and wishing them well. That makes it easy to send and easy for clients to welcome.
The timing helps too. Many families talk about next year’s plans over the holidays, and a possible move is often part of that conversation. If your name is in front of them in December, you’re more likely to be the person they call in January or February.
When should you start planning your real estate holiday marketing?
Earlier than most agents do. Print pieces need time for design, proofing, printing, and mailing, and December mail volume slows everything down. Here’s a rough timeline:
- October: Clean up your past client and sphere list. Update addresses for anyone who has moved, and mark your top referral sources. Decide what you’ll send and set a budget.
- Early November: Finalize designs and gift orders. If you’re hosting a client event, send invitations now.
- Mid November: Mail Thanksgiving cards so they arrive the week before the holiday.
- Late November to early December: Mail holiday cards or postcards so they arrive in the first half of December, before mailboxes fill up. USPS recommends mailing First-Class cards by December 17 for delivery before Christmas this year, and bulk marketing mail moves more slowly than First-Class.
- Late December to early January: Send a New Year’s note or a year-end market update.
If you’re reading this in late fall, you still have time. Pick one or two ideas below and do them well.
What are the best real estate holiday marketing ideas for past clients?
You don’t need to do all of these. A good mix for most agents is one mailed piece for everyone, a personal touch for top clients, and steady contact online through the season.
1. Send a Thanksgiving card
A Thanksgiving card arrives before the December rush, so it tends to get more attention. It also fits the message you want to send, since you’re thanking people for their trust and their referrals. And it works for clients of any background.
2. Mail a holiday postcard
A well-designed holiday postcard is an affordable way to reach your whole sphere, plus your farm area if you have one. Keep the message warm and short, use a clean seasonal or local photo, and make sure your name, photo, and contact information are easy to find. Our team designs and mails holiday and seasonal postcards for agents every year, so all you need to do is approve the design.
3. Share a year-end market update
Homeowners are curious about what their home is worth, and the end of the year is a natural time to look back. A short report with local sales, prices, and days on market gives past clients something useful to keep. It also reminds them that you follow their neighborhood closely. Our market reports are made for this kind of mailing.
4. Drop off small gifts for top clients
For your most loyal clients, a small gift delivered in person means a lot. Think local, like baked goods from a neighborhood bakery, a candle from a shop in town, or an ornament with a handwritten note. Keep it modest. A thoughtful $20 to $40 gift handed over with a quick hello usually goes over better than something expensive that shows up in a shipping box.
If you plan to send gifts to industry partners like lenders or title reps, check with your broker first, since there are rules about gifts tied to referrals.
5. Host a simple client appreciation event
A client party doesn’t have to be big. A pie pickup day, a holiday photo session, or a cookie decorating afternoon gives past clients a reason to stop by and bring a friend. Events take more planning than mail, so start early and look for a local business to partner with.
6. Make a few personal calls or texts
This costs nothing and often means the most to people. Pick your top 20 or 30 past clients and send a personal text or make a quick call to wish them happy holidays. Mention something specific, like their kids, their remodel, or how they’re enjoying the house. Don’t pitch anything.
7. Send a holiday email
An email is a good way to reach clients you haven’t talked to in a while. Include a short personal note, a few local holiday events, and maybe a list of favorite local shops for gifts. If you already send a monthly email, this can be your December edition. Our post on how to use an email newsletter to stay top of mind has more on making those emails worth opening.
8. Post local holiday content on social media
Local event roundups, neighborhood light displays, and shout-outs to small businesses are easy to share and fun for people to see. They also show past clients that you’re still active in the community. If posting regularly is hard during a busy season, social media management can keep your accounts going while you focus on clients.
How do you keep holiday outreach personal?
Holiday marketing gets remembered when it feels personal. A few habits help:
- Sort your list. Not everyone needs the same thing. Your top referral sources might get a gift and a call, recent buyers a card, and your wider sphere a postcard.
- Sign it yourself. A handwritten signature or a short handwritten line on a printed card makes a big difference.
- Use inclusive greetings. “Happy holidays” or “Season’s greetings” works for everyone on your list. Save holiday-specific messages for clients you know well.
- Leave out the sales pitch. Holiday mail isn’t the place to ask for referrals or list your sales numbers. Thank people and wish them well. Your contact details on the piece are enough.
- Write down what you learn. If a client mentions they’re thinking about moving next year, make a note and follow up in January.
Related: Building Your Real Estate Business Through Raving Fans
What should you do after the holidays?
Holiday outreach works best as part of a plan that runs all year. If you only reach out in December, clients will remember you for a few weeks and then forget you by spring.
In January, follow up with anyone who mentioned a possible move. Send a market update or a New Year’s note to your full list. It’s also a good time to ask happy clients for an online review, since you’ve just been in touch.
Then put your next touches on the calendar. Monthly postcards, quarterly market reports, home anniversary notes, and a regular email can keep you in front of past clients all year, with the holidays as one busy stretch among several. You can see the full range of print and digital services we offer to support that kind of plan, and learn more about why agents choose to work with 23 Window Media.
Start Your Real Estate Holiday Marketing Now
Past clients and your sphere bring in a large share of most agents’ business, and the holidays give you a natural, welcome reason to reach them. Start planning early, choose a few ideas that fit your budget and your clients, and keep the message focused on thanking people.
If you’d like help with your holiday mailers or your marketing plan for next year, become a 23 Window Media member and our team will handle the design, printing, and mailing for you. You can also contact us with questions or to talk through ideas for reaching your past clients.
