Remember: Clients Notice How You Run Your Real Estate Office

Positive reinforcement and feedback can be in paltry supply when you run your own business. In the corporate world where performance reviews and politically correct management practices reign supreme, odds of hearing your boss's words of encouragement are fairly reasonable, assuming you're doing a good job of course. I consider myself very fortunate then that most of my clients are usually both openly expressive of their gratitude for my service and complimentary on a job well done. Still, as a business owner with one employee, me, I lose sight of how my client base perceives the on-going work I do to drive and grow it.

I had the pleasure of spending back-to-back evenings with close friends this weekend. Not past clients, but part of my circle of influence and great referral sources. As is so often the case, conversation eventually turned to real estate. Typically, I'm asked my opinion about the state of the market, a prognosis for its future, etc.

Perceived value and first impressions mean everything in our business. Remaining front of mind for buyers and sellers is key as their decisions regarding who to hire tend to be impulsive and based on who is top of mind in that particular moment. Thus the importance of maintaining relationships is paramount. I was really pleased when both parties acknowledged how impressed they are with the way I stay in touch, am consistently providing them with valuable information and market materials, and how I seem always to be finding ways to expand my knowledge base. I hadn't realized they were paying such close attention.

Though I may be stating the obvious, my friends' remarks serve as a healthy reminder that people do actually notice changes in a business, for good or for bad. Often times the best job we do is the quiet one, shepherding the transaction through bumpy times all the while insulating our clients from the issues at hand. It's nice to hear the positive, unsolicited feedback, knowing that all the work put into systematizing processes and providing my database with valuable service yields the intended and predictable results; favorable reviews and unrelenting referrals.