Party with great clients

This week, we held a party for our clients. I have been doing this nearly every year since I opened my office in 2008. Part of our brand is that I (and my agents) strive to like and respect our clients. Most of the time that is easy. Other times, we have honed new levels of empathy.

Also this week, I read an article in Inman News that was attempting to cheer up their audience of agents — the vast majority of whom are having a hard year economically. Their suggestions were mostly about goal setting and basic business practices, until #5:

5. How do you plan to celebrate your successes, no matter how big or small?

In the thirty-something years (!) that I have been either an agent or a broker, I count my success by the success of our clients. Whenever I am in a funk about work, I either contact a client, notice that I am on a street where a client lives, or notice I am on an (unpleasant) street where a client used to live.

The highlight of my year is this party. I find myself walking down memory lane as I see the names of clients from years past. My internal voice says, “Oh, they were my favorite… oh, they were my favorite… oh, they were my very favorite….”

At this year’s party, we had a client who bought in 1994. We had one who closed the day before the party (the deed was recorded the day of the party!). We had another buyer who signed their Purchase and Sales Agreement minutes before joining us.

It is an honor to be trusted

Our job is working for people making big decisions. I meet people and learn about their decision-making styles. I see people at their worst, under pressure. I see couples and families interact under that pressure. It has made me a wiser person, regarding knowing people. It has mostly enhanced my view of human nature. Our clients are well-intentioned people, trying to do what is right for their living situation.

Every time I send out notices of our parties or do our annual mailings, I remember all these people who I helped on their journey home.

Decision making:

Some people are deliberate thinkers and are confident when they have a lot of information. Other people get overwhelmed by having too much information.

We help people get the right amount of information.

Some people decide quickly and have no regrets. Some people jump in, then have regrets. Some people regret not deciding quickly and missing opportunities.

The current market is still demanding quick decisions. In no more than a day or two, buyers need to make a decision about a property. This is making it much harder for people, no matter what their decision style is.

Rejection and the successful human:

Anyone buying a house or condo in eastern Massachusetts is economically privileged. Some don’t feel that way since it is monstrously expensive to live here. People who are good at their professional jobs can have a hard time when they make housing offers that are rejected. They are not used to hearing that their efforts will not get them what they want.

We are there for them, and with them. We keep plugging away finding options and being ready when the right situation presents itself. My agents and I have worked hard to maintain a positive reputation with other agents, so that when our clients’ offer is close to the best offers, our offer will stand out as professionally prepared and reliable. Being reliable is the difference between an accepted offer and being first runner-up in a multiple offer situation.