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A Phisher turned out to be an Interviewer!

I was picking up my daughter this afternoon when I saw that I had 2 new voicemails. I didn't recall my phone ringing although having my son and my neighbor's daughter in car while they were playing the Sweenie Todd soundtrack might have been the reason I didn't hear it! As I sat and waited for Kate's bus to arrive, I checked my new messages.

First call: My neighbor verifying the address to where I was dropping her daughter off to. OK, great...I was waiting for that information!

Second call: It was 'Bob' looking for some information about Home Staging and could I call him back. Vague...to say the least.

Finally, about 30 minutes later, I was back at my desk so I called 'Bob' back. After I introduced myself and he asked if he could put me on speaker so his wife could participate...I said yes.

Suddenly, they began grilling me!

What made me choose my training provider?
How was my business doing in general?
Who did I market to: agents or homeowners?
How many homes did I stage per week/month?
What is the ASHSR chapter about?
How many members do we have?
What areas of Atlanta do I market my home staging service?

And the list just went on....and on...and on.

Luckily, after all was said and done, 'Bob' told me that he and his wife were agents and were looking to partner with our ASHSR chapter! He said he does not believe ANY house should be listed BEFORE it is professionally staged...especially in this market. As an agent, he said he did not believe that a really good agent could be a really good stager at the same time! He said he prefers to allow each professional do what they are good at!

End result? This potentially could be a great connection for our chapter, as a whole. I'm really looking forward to meeting Bob as he will join us for our July teleconference meeting.

WHEW!!!!! Thank goodness I did a good job with that interview! I just thought he was phishing for information...then I thought he was looking for training information...but I was all wrong!!! I love it when I'm wrong...OK, maybe only sometimes! =)

Posted by Abby Reilly, Staten Island Home Stager on 06/17/2008 10:10 PM

Comments (16)

home stager, home staging, ashsr, atlanta home stager, atlanta home staging, home staging service

Post is included in group: Stage It Forward...
Post is included in group: Home Staging

16 Comments on A Phisher turned out to be an Interviewer!

JUN

2008

Great story.... I was hoping you were going to say reporter, but then an agent was probably better anyway!!

Abby, You did a fine job.. I am not so sure that I would have been so patient.. We get SO many of those calls at our other businesses that I am not very tolerant.. I need to be "quick to hear and slow to speak" God bless,

JUN

2008

Savvy realtor, checking their data and rechecking so they make an informed decision. Good job being interviewed. It's fun and gives you impetus to be the interviewer at times too, doesn't it?

That's incredible news, Abby! Once he sees your portfolio and what a talented fine stager you are, he's going to be even more thrilled to have found you.

Kathy

Oh Abby,

Your graciousness and patience has paid off for you. I hope this turns out to be the begining of something big for you!

Hi Melissa, I know, right? LOL The agent will probably pay off better in the end!

Hi Cheryl, Thanks! It's funny how the whole evolved and how quickly it could have turned in the other direction. I'm so thankful!

Hi Terrylynn, Yes, this man is savvy and they both did some thorough HW prior to calling me. I wasn't his first stop.

Hi Kathy, I know...I'm thrilled! Thanks!

Hi Cynthia, yes, me too! =) My fingers and toes are crossed!!!! lol I think what excited me the most was that he spoke to me about our entire chapter and that he wants to work with all of us...and that, I thought, was really fantastic! For me, it was an awesome chance to represent a fabulous group of stagers and it was even more awesome to relay the information!

Thanks for commenting!!!!

Good Luck with the process. Don't you love it when your get to Stage It Forward and Stage Yourself Forward at the same time! Congrats!

Wow! I would have failed this test! Im kind of private and when you ask that much info- i can become vague! QUICKLY! I guess this is a lesson for me too!

It is nice to hear that this story had a happy ending! I was a little suspicious of "Bob" at the beginning.

Keep us posted on what happens from here. I am not sure I would of done as well as you did as I probably would of become defensive with all the questions.

That's great! Did you wright down their phone number or get an e-mail? If you did, then keep in touch with them. Maybe you can send them a flyer with staging tips or something like that. Then send them a reminder for your chapter meeting. It will show you think they are important enough to take the time for them. Good Luck!

Abby ~ Glad this worked out for you. As we all know, it could have just as easily been a competitor scoping you out. Like Marci and Sandra, I might have become vague and/or defensive and don't know that I would have answered all those questions without asking "what is this about?". Good luck and let us know what happens!

Well, that sounds great for you! I would have stopped after the first or third question and asked if they were looking to become Stagers themselves, etc as opposed to answering all of their questions not knowing what they were looking for. Congrats on your new client!

Hope this all works out and you get a Realtor/partner. I too probably would have asked what they were looking for early on.

JUN

2008

Hi Karen, Thanks! I'm anxious to see how it all unfolds.

Hi Marci, You know, when I looked back, there were a few times during that conversation that I could have completely BLOWN it. My gut was talking to me and I listened...

Hi Kristina, LOL, I know!!!! =)

Hi Sandra, I don't typically get defensive unless it's someone asking too specific information or if they get nasty or aggressive. I mean, they asked me a ton of things but it wasn't anything that I'd have a problem with telling anyone if they'd ask. And, he was professional and nice about it...

Hi Corina, Yes and Yes. I did forget to ask him for his website however thanks to GOOGLE I found him. Another ASHSR member wanted to research him and his listings prior to our conference, which yes, I sent him the information for and will include him in the reminder note.

Hi Kathy, it was funny, right at the point where he announced he was an REA I was about to ask, 'sir, where are we going with this?' I thought I'd given him enough time and answered enough questions be it a prospect, a competitor, a new stager, etc...

Hi Tori Lynn, Thanks! I hope it all works out like we hope it does! =)

Hi Kathleen, Thanks! Me too. My gut instinct was 'do the right thing' and it seemed to have worked. We'll see how it turns out long term!

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