I really mean that.
CASE 1:
I had a realtor call me right at 6pm. He was desperate as he was going to do a listing presentation. He wanted to stand out from the rest, there were other realtors being interviewed. I spoke with him about the benefits of staging, offered and sent him a PDF file with all the stats, pictures and benefits of staging he could use in his presentation. He perfusely thanked me. I asked, as I always do, "how did you find me?" and he admitted he was googling, and I was near the end of the list. He said, a few never bothered calling back and the two other people he spoke with were total "bitches." I thought it odd as he was thanking me and being so grateful, and now it made sense.
I followed up with a call the following day to see how his presentation went and he said, he got the listing and that I got the staging projects for 2 townhome units. Now that I know him better, he jokes and says "I am so lucky those ladies were bitches, because then I wouldn't have been working with you."
Moral of the story - don't be a bitch! (even if it's at 6pm).
CASE 2:
I just got off the phone from my recent client, whose mother gave him a gift certificate for staging as a Xmas gift. What a wonderful idea! I charged her for what I would a consult and was excited as I've never done a consult for a stage to live. Anyways, she loved the suggestions I gave her. She hired me for a couple of hours to implement them. Her son loved the transformation as well. Her son was so gung-ho on finishing out the rest of his home, he hired me. I was coming a few hours here and there, and now, he wants me to do full staging. I was talking with him today and he has a friend moving from NYC to Charlotte. His friend from NY loved the transformation of his home, so I am going to stage his new house.
It turns out that the mother called around. I was the fourth call. She said I was lucky that I was the only one who promptly picked up the phone. The others didn't even bother calling back. She was thinking it was because they didn't want to be bothered since it was a "small" job.
Moral of the story - even if it's for an hour consult, never dismiss a client thinking that it's just not worth my time. You never know where your staging projects will come from. This staging gig of an initial consult for 2 hours turned out to be 2 staging projects - one that evolved into a full staging and a second staging project from the referral. Also, he is planning to move in about 2-3 years he said, and his mother is moving into Charlotte.
It is basic stuff. I've read the Essential 55, by Ron Clark and I found it a great book, but amusing that it states things like, "If someone says "hello", you should reciprocate and say "hello" back. I think people are so wrapped in their own crazy worlds, that sometimes we forget to say things like, "Hello, How are you, and thank you." Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect, I have my bad days, and I am not always Ms. Perky, and I'm not being preachy, but just from the feedback, I thought it ironic, "I got the staging projects because someone was "bitchy". Then a lightbulb went on that told me, "you must do a blog."
Here are some basics I've found helpful in business.
1)You must pick up the phone right away if you can, or promptly return a phone call
2)If you say you will show up at X time, you must show up at X time unless you have a very good reason
3)Most of all, don't be a bitch! Be nice and helpful. Even if you think, I don't want to be bothered with this, because it's not really a big job - you just never really know. At the very least, be nice and if you don't want to tackle the job, you can always recommend another fellow stager and stage it forward! (Good karma back as well)
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Marcyne,
I LOVE IT!!! I LOVE THE TITLE and the information. That was Great! As you can tell the Superbowl is over now. Thanks for the email and let me know if I can help with anything. Great post.