My blogging buddy, Sara Lipnitz, technically competes with me by serving the same geographic market in Birmingham, Michigan.  We could be competing for the same clients, but to date, it’s only happened once.  We do compete with each other indirectly, by each inspiring the other to be better at what we do. Long ago, Sara keenly observed something to the effect, “Clients who want to work with you, like what you have to offer.  They won’t want to work with me.  And vice versa.  My clients like me, and love what I have to offer.”

Those of you who’ve been reading Sara for the last month know that she is a “pleaser.”  She takes care of details like moving her own furniture into a vacant home to stage it, and sending Mr. Lipnitz over to fix a leaking sink before an inspection.  She told me the other night that she was voted “Most Popular” in her high school class, and if you’ve spent more than an hour with her, you will know that this hasn’t changed.  Her phone rings more times in a day than mine does in a month.

I, on the other hand, was the kid in school who was on every committee.  I loved to learn, and academics were important to me.  You get the picture, I am a nerd.  Dmitry, unfortunately, isn’t too handy with plumbing or electrical matters, but we do have a list of handymen to take care of those things.  And my furniture is staying put in my own living room.  I’ve had clients cry on my shoulder, but clients don’t choose me because they are looking for warm fuzzies.

My point here is not to talk about how my style differs from Sara’s, but to raise the broader question of how Realtors, in general, appeal to their clients.

Here are some of the things my clients have told me they appreciate about me:

• As a former banker, I help them understand the business side of buying or selling a home
• Dmitry and I both do this full time.  It is rare that one of us is not available when a client needs us.
• We pick up our phones.  We respond to emails within minutes.
• We provide our sellers with excellent web exposure.
• We’ve lived abroad, and been ‘new’ here ourselves, so we empathize and make the transition easier.
• We are creative and thorough.
• We know our market.

I share this list so that you can take a look at your own business, and explore what is working for you.  What do you bring to the table for your clients?  How does what you have to offer make you the right Realtor for your client?  How do you sell these benefits? 

Photo courtesy of PWinberg.