From Valerie Fitzgerald’s book Heart and Sold…
In any situation when speaking with a potential client, you need to pause and reflect on what you’re going to say and how you’re going to respond.
Remember when having these conversations as a real estate professional, this in not the time to share your personal information with her as you would with your best friend.
Since none of us is perfect, we’ve all said things at the wrong time or responded inappropriately, especially when we’re under stress.
You’re not alone.
Acknowledge the mistake in the situation and move on.
As a professional leading your buyers and sellers into making one of the most important decisions of their lives, you need to control your emotions. It is human nature that the people with whom you’ll be dealing with will be emotional.
Stay cool, don’t be bullied, take a professional stand, count to ten if you need to, and never let them know that you need the deal.
Once you compromise your integrity, you become the doormat.
I remember a very specific time in my career when a seller was completely freaking out during the process of selling his home and out of the blue he spit on me. I actually just paused, looked at him, and walked away. I didn’t take his calls over the next few days. My detachment forced him to come around, get control of himself and his emotions, and apologize to me.
Do you have an “unorthodox” experience you had with a client? Share it here.
Quote of the day…
Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Valerie Fitzgerald specializes in luxury residential real estate in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Malibu. Valerie has more than 20 years of real estate experience and is known for her solid reputation in the West Los Angeles brokerage community. She’s also the author of Heart and Sold: How to Survive and Build a Recession-Proof Business.
