When you are a real estate professional, your ability to perform professionally is often judged by your ability to be mannerly, even when you are off the clock. When you are communicating with clients, it’s imperative you put your best, polite foot forward. Technology can often get in the way of making a good first impression.
Put Down the Cell Phone – When you are in a meeting, at dinner, or talking to someone, ignore the cell phone. There’s no way a potential client can view your preoccupation with your technology as anything other than rude.
It’s just as obnoxious to talk on the cell phone in a populated pubic place. No one wants to hear your conversation and if you are one of the many cell phone users who feel it is necessary to shout when speaking on the cell, you also run the risk of being considered a rude, self-important showboat. That’s not the best way to win new clients and positively influence people.
Email Carefully – Emailing a client is not the same as emailing your best friend or a member of your family. You should observe more structured formatting of the email (complete with a proper salutation and closing).
Avoid:
- Text-type acronyms
- Slang
- Misspellings
- Poor grammar
You should also avoid topics that are unnecessarily controversial with clients. A business email with a new client is the wrong place to include a tagline that is overly religious, political or potentially offensive. Keep business separate and use a proper signature block with a minimum of your full name, business name, website, and phone number.
Technology is No Substitute for Personal Contact – Today people email and text more often than they speak in person. Online social media has exacerbated this problem. If you want to offer the best customer service, you should do it in person whenever possible. A phone call should be the next option. If in doubt, ask the client how they prefer to be contacted and remember what they say.
No matter how you conduct communication, be sure you personalize it and observe the common basic courtesy of saying “please” and “thank you.”