When I first started out in Real Estate 10 years ago, I hung my license at a busy office of a big national franchise in Silver Spring, MD. I really liked the manager, the training that was promised to me and the high energy at that office.
As I was shown around that first day, I remember standing in front of the sales board and noticing the same names over and over again. These must be the top agents, I thought, the successful ones. I set out to shadow one of them in the hopes that I could learn a thing or two.
I quickly noticed, however, that something didn't seem right. The agent was always on the computer, on the phone and always carrying around a big briefcase filled with client folders. He also seemed to complain about being busy quite a bit and I didn't like the way he talked to people, clients, other agents, 3rd parties.
One day I accompanied him to a settlement to observe what that was like. It wasn't a pleasant experience, there were some last minute surprises that left his client extremely unhappy, a forgotten document, a few details that didn't receive the proper attention. But what was worst in my opinion (everything else was somehow sorted out), his client did not appear to like the home very much ... the one he had just bought. I never saw his client smile, not once. They parted ways without even shaking hands.
That day I decided that this is not how I am going to do business and this is not how I am going to measure my success. It's been about quality versus quantity for me since the beginning.
I measure success one smile at a time. I want to attend Happy Closing Days and leave my clients with a hug. I want to hear, see and feel my clients excitement about moving into their new home or having successfully sold their old one. I don't want my clients hesitating while signing the paperwork, second guessing their decision or leaving the table with regrets.
My recipe for success has been quite simple, I listen and I follow through. It is always my goal to get my clients needs, wants and tastes down perfectly in order to help them buy a home they'll truly love or sell one without wondering if more could have been achieved.
In my opinion it is not the number of transactions that define success but the number of smiles. A Happy Closing Day starts by listening and ends by following through.
Comments(15)