As a luxury real estate marketing professional you can stand out from your competition simply by having superior communication skills. Being a good listener is the most important communication skill, however, the communication bridge can be your strongest differentiator.
Recently we received two referrals (potential clients) for our strategic brand consulting practice. The first person expressed great interest in working with us and asked us to call him back the following day at a specific time. When we followed through, he was not there. We left a voice message, and the following day, we sent a text message. We still have not heard a reply.
When we called the second referral, we left a voice mail, and received a text message from her indicating a time when she would be available. That is an example of a communication bridge. It gave us certainty and an immediate appreciation of this individual, because she respected our time.
When we called the second person back at the specific time, she was not available. We left a voice message, and within a matter of hours, we received a text message that her father had passed away. Regardless of whether or not we work with this second person on developing her brand strategy, we would not hesitate to recommend her based on her outstanding ability to bridge communication.
Although, we are always willing to give the benefit of the doubt, the first person could have left a much stronger impression simply by saying, I decided this is something I don’t want to pursue. Given the ease of all the communication channels we have at our disposal, there is no excuse for the lack of a communication bridge. If you are too busy to handle the volume of communication, you need an assistant to help you.
The difference between engendering doubt or certainty can mean the difference between getting, and not getting the listing, referral, or an opportunity to compete for the listing. There is just no excuse for leaving someone in doubt. It reflects poorly on that person and their communication skills.
What poor communicators do not realize is that good communicators will give negative feedback to those who referred them in the first place. In one gesture, this person shot himself in the foot losing two potential sources of referral.
Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-
ABOUT: Napa Consultants, International is the leader in brand strategy for the luxury real estate industry. They work exclusively with professionals who are passionate about gaining or sustaining market leadership. With an expertise in personal branding, company branding, luxury real estate website design and social media marketing they help their clients become the breakaway brand in their marketplace.