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What's your style? Better yet how do your customer's want you to appear?

What's your style? How do you dress when you first meet/greet you customers/clients?

Do you wear a business suit on the first meeting? or not?

I was taught in RE school to meet and greet in a nice business suit, and to dress down slowly...with each meeting. I am not a jean's person in the first place (blame my mother).

I am never dressed in less than business casual when with a customer or not when I am out...then again. I'm in South Florida and you never know who you might run into when you are out and about.

I know some of my fellow "Rainer's" show farm's and land...and need to be in boot's and jean's...However, those other's who work in Washington, DC, may work in formal business suit's every day.

What do you wear? Where do you live? And what do you think your customer's expect of a Real Estate agent?

Please tell me...curious

http://www.karenmonsour.com, 954-464-4194 cell

Posted by Karen Monsour,REALTOR® Broward,Palm Beach,Miami/Dade! 954-464-4194 anytime! on 04/05/2008 12:32 AM

Comments (24)

dress for success, karen monsour, real estate, realtor

Originally posted at: Karen@ www.KarenMonsour.com: What's your style? Better yet how do your customer's want you to appear?

24 Comments on What's your style? Better yet how do your customer's want you to appear?

APR

2008

Hi Karen,

I'm in downtown San Diego, and I'm in a business suit. We hold millions of dollars of clients 1031 exchange funds and the last thing they want to see is their Qualified Intermediary dressing down. It makes them wonder how professional is this company, really?

Bill,

I'm right there with you...I'm in a business suit..dressing down for me is still... a more casual business suit...Thank you!!!!

Hi Karen,

I'm in Renton WA (South Seattle). I meet in a suit the first time, then dress down from there. However business attire here is way looser than most places in the US. You can be walking around here and have a Microsoft/Google/Amgen/Starbucks many $$$$$ millionaire in their daily work attire which is Jeans, Dockers, open or no collar shirt and Ipod plugged in. Plus we have over 80 languages spoken by kids in the Renton School District, so we have all the cultural clothing differences too. And if I'm looking at dirt or construction then it's boots.

I show my value by my knowledge and service and getting the job done. And I match what the clients want in dress. Negotiating always dress up full blast.

Formal means a TUX, wear the TUX. That's the great thing about the USA, lots of different culture and as many ways to get it done.

List and Sell (and dress for the occasion) Gary @ RentonHomeFinder

I think I try to match my client's personality but step it up one notch. I heard when dressing for an interview you should dress as the manager for the position you are going for, and I try to use that as a basis for real estate as well. I do have to admit when I got my first million dollar listing I drove directly to the mall because the entire listing appointment I was preoccupied thinking I was dressed like a pauper.

And, I was meaning to also say that I live in Phoenix and own no pantyhose :)

This is a topic that is discussed almost weekly here on AR and from what I've read the consensus seems to be: It's a local thing just as real estate is local. Those viewing farm land or ranch properties dress appropriately. Those touring million dollar homes dress appropriately.

I'm with Kris. I try to wear business casual even when going to the grocery store. Ya never know who you're going to run in to. Even when showing farms or land, I will wear jeans and boots, but I throw on a few accessories so that I'm still kinda "dressed". Living in a rural area, wearing a suit all the time intimidates alot of the clients.

Hey Karen,

For me it is a Tommy Bahama shirt, pair of jeans and either nice dress shoes or cowboy boots. I haven't worn a tie in years and actually can't remember the last time I wore one.....probably 1999.

Sean Allen

I have a $7,000,000 buyer under contract. I wear jeans to our meetings. He wears jeans to our meetings. We met with the architect and the builder last week. Everyone wore jeans.

I only wear jeans if I'm showing rural properties and run the risk of landing on by butt sliding down a slope or something. Then I wear jeans and sneakers.

Otherwise, I'm wearing business casual. I was just at a seminar yesterday and the speaker told us we should dress for a uniform look - that hopefully ties in with our overall image. I.e. wearing company colors, having your borchures and business cards all match the look.

So I'm thinking of my "look." Which will be black slacks, loafers or heels, and a more fun color top....

I only wear jeans if I'm showing rural properties and run the risk of landing on by butt sliding down a slope or something. Then I wear jeans and sneakers.

So I'm thinking of my "look." Which will be black slacks, loafers or heels, and a more fun color top....

I only wear jeans if I'm showing rural properties and run the risk of landing on by butt sliding down a slope or something. Then I wear jeans and sneakers.

So I'm thinking of my "look." Which will be black slacks, loafers or heels, and a more fun color top....

Hi Karen, for me, I'll wear dress slacks and button down shirt. If I'm meeting with a client for the first time, I'll add a tie. If it's a listing appointment, then a sports jacket comes along. In the summer months, I almost exclusively wear branded golf shirts, with the exception being listing appointments. I'm not a suit and tie guy, but I will wear them when I feel it's necessary.

Gary,

I'm right there with you. I do the same. My mother forbid me to wear jean's...so It kind of stuck with me my entire life...not that I don't have a few, I just prefer the "dress for success" that my parent's made me do...not that there is anything wrong with jeans...

Dawn,

That's a good idea. I don't match my customer's but I make them comfortable. As you said, how they are comfortable, but up a notch...I have those...million dollar listing clothes in my closet as well...LOL...amazing isn't it?

Kris,

Sorry, I have only seen a few blog's on this...care to share any with us? I wrote one before, different though a few month's ago...if you know what the blog's are, please feel free to post here, I would love to read the comments.

Kris,

Lissa, Me too...like you said, you never know who you will run into...I drop my card anywhere I hear someone discussing RE

Sean,

You get a bye (like a basketball or golf tournament)...on this one...you told me that once before :-)

Why is everything I post, posting twice?????and thing's are soooooooooo sloooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww.

Lenn,

I have to say, if I had the pleasure to do business with you I wouldn't care what you wore. You are the Real Estate icon! I would like to see you walking in as the President of the NAR in jeans! and telling them all how thing's need to be... Love ya Lenn, you're the best and thank you for posting on my blog! :-)

Karen R.,

That makes sense to me...

Jim,

What is important in dress mode, is doing what is appropriate time appropriately! Even if it's not your style. :-) K

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