Recently, while watching a morning news show, I saw a segment on how we use our phone for everything except talking to each other. We text, tweet, IM, etc., but actually have a conversation? Not so much. Wired magazine actually predicted the death of the phone call.
This story reminded me of something a client recently told me. She was talking about her Realtor and said that they had used her a few years ago when they bought the house they are currently selling. The client told me that this Realtor was the only one that returned her phone calls. I wish I could say it was the first time I’d heard someone say this.
I don’t mean to single out Realtors; Home Stagers are just as guilty. Many of my colleagues fail to give clients and potential clients the human touch that is so incredibly necessary in this business. I love e-mail, and I’m beginning to embrace texting but there are many times when nothing will replace the live voice of another human. E-mail and texting are quick and easy but with a phone call; we can convey excitement, concern, joy, intensity and so many other emotions that are not necessarily appropriately shown with an emoticon.
My suggestion is to gear each client interaction toward the needs of the client. If your client, or potential client communicates with you primarily through e-mail, then it is probably best to use e-mail. But every now and again, why not pick up the phone and make a call? It may just be the thing that makes you stand out from the rest. And for pity sake, if someone calls us, shouldn’t we jump through hoops to return the call, even if it is not, in our view, the most efficient way to communicate?
Call me old fashioned but I do not think phone calls are going the way of the dinosaur. Now, if I could just get people excited about hand written thank you notes... as my sister would say, “How retro!”
Wishing you a quick sale!
Kathy Strader, ASP
Owner/Sr. Staging Designer
www.MemorialStagedHomes.com
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