I have always thought of this subject title as a concept and a way to do business and to make sure our clients (sellers) and customers (buyers) are provided superior, professional and expert service, while working with our company.
As I have noted in a previous article, 80 percent of all agents, according to Zillow’s study in 2013-2014, had never called back individuals or families, who they had completed a transaction with whether it was a client or a customer.
I believe that this to be true, because I have asked 100’s of clients and customers over the years, do you know who sold you your home?
Has your agent ever called you after the sale, rental or lease of residential or commercial property?
Are you happy with the current agent you are working with and do you know their name? The resounding answer was mostly “No.”
This is not to say that the top producing agents and brokers fall into this category and that they assuredly do stay in touch and that is one of the reasons they are top producers; by which they receive their “Life Blood” of our business — referrals.
However, the vast majority of agents do not communicate with their past sales or rental customers.
I ponder the reasons why they do not do one of the most simplest things an agent could do, just call or write a few notes or make a few calls per year, to say hello and see how their customers and their family are doing.
It’s called building upon the rapport and nurtured relationships that they started, back when they first met their client or customers either three months, three years or 30 years ago.
I am absolutely sure it is, all about the concerted effort, disciplined actions or sacrifice of one’s valuable time, that one must practice to gain the end result of more referrals, leading to more business and potentially greater profits.
Yes, it does take an organized plan of action, a manual calendar or you can use your phone calendar to remind you to call, write or visit your clients and customers; but very candidly, this is the right thing to do if you are in any business. The commissions that are earned today are surely worth the months and years of follow up that your clients and customers deserve.
But surprisingly so many people in business fail to even follow the most basic concept of “giving” to enable to “get” new business!
Many complain about not making enough money or plateauing in the incomes and not getting to the next level of earnings.
One important fact is that you do not get a second chance at a first impression.
When you first speak or meet with a customer, what do you do?
Are you cordial, do you have a positive disposition; but most important do you immediately make that important impression of being professional, prepared and are you groomed (hair combed, a spritz of cologne or perfume, are you clean showered, nails done (I get my nails done regularly, it is no longer a woman’s thing!), car clean and tidy (if you are taking your customers out).
Are you making every attempt before the sale, to create a fuzzy and warm atmosphere to begin the development process of rapport and relationship building for the future, so your clients and customers will want to do business with you? People do business with people they like, doesn’t that make sense?
As you begin the process, do you stay in touch with our clients and customers on a regular basis or do you drop the ball?
Do you provide sufficient feedback by email and also do you discuss the “Needs and Wants” by calling both sellers and buyers?
Do they know how hard you are working for them in either doing what you need to do to sell their properties or finding one that they can purchase? That is the starting point.
One must do something on the left side of the equation in order for the profit side of the balance sheet to increase.
Most important, is the fact we all learn at different speeds, levels and retention.
Most only remember a small percentage of what they have learned the day before; but the fact that most do not practice the art of absorbing, learning and applying that which we are exposed to either by audio or visual.
My belief from 45 years of being exposed to the business environment, is the lack of retention, application and practice of the necessary information, whether it be for a specific class in school, on the job training or for our own business. There have been some studies done that I find very important to understanding the lack of retention.
The following link will provide some insight into that issue:
http://officedynamics.com/your-case-for-training-adult-learning-retention-statistics/?hvid=3riNcP
I find in the real estate business, when an agent’s license is dependent on 22.5 hours of continuing education credit every twi years; way too many wait until the absolute last week or some after the fact, to enroll to earn those necessary hours to keep their license current and legally active.
I call that “Monday morning quarterbacking,” but that is my point — far too many do their homework at the last moment or not at all.
This obviously has an affect when doing business with the general public. I believe having the necessary knowledge, professionalism, credibility and organization skills, within your field of expertise is directly related to your potential income earning capabilities.
There are exceptions when being employed in a market where you have all the previous attributes, but, “corporate” can’t or won’t provide you with a raise and you feel that you deserve it, based on your positive performance.
For the self employed those concepts will generally be more affective, since one can make changes to their business, whether it be upgrading the necessary knowledge in marketing, saving money within the business or changing or adding to the core direction of the business to increase its profit or reduce losses.
Today, I believe business entrepreneurs have more control over the business decisions than every before, comparing that to those that have jobs and who may not be able to switch their direction as easily, due to financial obligations affecting the ability to switch jobs, lack of time to gain additional knowledge to earn more and sometimes , age and physical disabilities etc.
We all have our reasons, excuses and shortcomings as to why we cannot move forward.
However, if you want something bad enough and know in your mind that you can do it and are willing to do whatever it takes (it’s called sacrifice), disciplined, motivated to succeed, biting the bullet, then nothing will prevent you from doing whatever you want. It really is up to you and on one else.
I believe that I have said this before, “winners never quit and quitters never win.”
Lastly, I hope all of my readers will have an enjoyable and relaxing ThanksGiving Day with family and friends; but don’t over eat or drink, and regret it the next day!
