One of the best parts of a career in Real Estate is the “Hugs” we receive from our clients. You know the moment when you told the Buyers that their offer has been accepted, or the Sellers, that their home is finally sold. It is the magical moment of every transaction and the fuel that keeps us coming back for more.
It’s funny, that in our industry we spend some much time talking about “deals” and the number of Listings we took. Many training programs focus on selling “houses”, handling objections, and close, close, close. The reality is that we don’t sell houses, we find homes for people to build a great future for themselves and their family.
We are responsible for advising them and keeping them safe as they navigate the dream of home ownership. While many of our conversations are transactional in nature ie. Number of bedrooms, baths, garage spaces, big yard, small yard or layout and view from their condominium…the essence of what we do is purely emotional.
Our job is to help our clients create the best life possible for them and their family. What people really buy is a great school district, a better life for their children, walking distance to great shops, restaurants, transit, parks or access to highways for their commute.
The most successful agents in this business generally have a repeat and referral based business that generates at least 80% of their volume. By definition, a referral is sending someone you care about to someone you trust. It is actually an emotional referral. People will come back to you time and time again because you care, not because they felt they were just another deal to you.
They come back, and also send everyone they know to you because of the “hugs’ and the emotional bonding that occurred throughout the transaction. I see it all the time with my clients and our agents. The end of the transaction is actually a bit melancholy. They are happy and excited about their new home, but sad that they won’t get to have us in their daily lives….and we feel exactly the same way.
I love real estate when I get to deal with clients who are raving fans of my business. I love working with people who know what they want, are reasonable, open to advice and consulting and are appreciative. They get the biggest ‘hugs” from me.
Our goal should be to eliminate all of the people we deal with who live in a world of greed, envy and unethical behavior. Refer them to your competition as soon as possible and gum up their business. They don’t like “hugs” anyway…
So, start selling Real Estate for hugs! It will change your business and your life, when you surround yourself with great people. More importantly, it will make you feel like you are making a difference in people’s lives and living your life on purpose. It is truly a win/win situation.
