Photo by JoeyGil in Los Angeles Chinatown Parade

In the luxury real estate marketing arena excellent manners are important to a successful career in selling fine homes. The concept of manners was developed as a way to express oneself in order to be viewed as polite, sophisticated and refined. Sociologists define it as a standard of conduct and as a norm. Manners adapt to reflect social changes. Manners differ from culture to culture and occasions such as a wedding, an audience with a royal, the president or the pope. If you intend to have an international clientele of buyers, it is important that you are well versed in their customs and manners, and invest time in learning these.

The importance of manners can be seen in the number of books written and courses taught on the subject. Education on manners is a viable business. Emily Post was one of the first American's to write a book on manners in 1922. Her name is identified with etiquette and manners. Today, her family runs the Emily Post Institute and writes bestselling books on the subject. Disney Princess Academy is also a school for manners. They produce videos on table manners, waltzing etiquette and appropriate make up for their target market.

Manners are a form of communication. They are not the province of the elite; everyone should be treated with the utmost courtesy regardless of their status in your eyes. Senior to communication is the unspoken understanding, respect and acceptance of the whole world at large. You cannot fake sincerity, no matter how many manner classes you take. Sincerity is the very thing that will save you if you make a faux pas, or are ignorant of the necessary protocol.

This is part of an ongoing series about Luxury Real Estate Marketing. Get Fluent. Get Affluent! Subscribe to The Language of Luxury by Email or RSS Feed. Comments? Please use form in left column