Are you inadvertently using words that play into that ugly picture of a real estate agent being akin to a used car salesman or (shudder) a member of congress?
We all know that real estate sales ranks low in the list of "most trusted" professions. According to a December 2015 Gallup poll, only 20% of the population rates real estate agents' honesty and ethical standards as "very high."
The very bottom of the rung now goes to lobbyists at 7%, then car salesmen, members of congress, and telemarketers at 8%. Nurses, by the way, topped the list of most trusted at 85%.
The agents who have earned that "very high" ranking work hard to uphold industry standards and change the public perception of agents as people who just want to close the sale and collect the commission – no matter who suffers.
However, even the most dedicated agent can convey a negative impression simply by choosing the wrong words.
As we know, words convey their own impressions, despite the actions that accompany them. We as humans have emotional reactions to words – good or bad. That's one reason I harp so much about not beginning a message with "I" or "We."
Two commonly used words that (I think) convey the wrong impression…
Deal and pitch
Yes, a real estate transaction is a deal. The dictionary describes "deal" as "a contract, a bargain, an arrangement or an understanding."
But… when I hear it, I think of a guy on a street corner saying "Pssst… buddy, c'mere. Have I got a deal for you," just before he tries to interest someone in a con.
"Pitch" is also a legitimate word. The dictionary defines it as "a spiel – a sales spiel in particular." That's probably why it puts me off. Canned spiels (scripts) always sound dishonest to me.
The word conjures up images from old Western movies with the snake oil salesman standing on his wagon giving his pitch to the townspeople.
You may have a perfectly positive emotional reaction to those words, but do stop to consider that your clients and your prospects just might share my negative reaction.
Instead of using "deal" and "pitch" consider using something a bit more professional, such as "transaction," "presentation," and "proposal."
Or, for variety… My favorite book (Roget's Thesaurus) offers up these additional alternatives for deal: arrangement, understanding, contract, and bargain.
Image courtesy of SiraAnamwong|freedigitalphotos.net
Comments (46)Subscribe to CommentsComment