Photo: adamr – freedigitalphotos.net
By Amanda Ross
Those of you who know me are aware that I grew up in this business. My dad was licensed in 1971 and opened his own brokerage in the ’80s. He and I talk about the business all the time and especially about the differences between then and now.
Here are five things we’ve lost along the way and why it would be great to bring them back into the game.
1. The telephone: Before email and text messages, people actually picked up the phone and talked to each other – crazy, right? That’s the only way they could connect quickly back then.
Why should it brought back? Mostly because email and text messages make people “not real.” It makes us just words on a screen with no life, personality, loves, feelings or professionalism.
People read things they way they see them. So, while you may have been trying to show your witty side, to them it may have come across as rude, when that was never your intention.
Also, when using the phone, things got done WAY faster. You would think that email and text messages are fast, but that’s not always the case. Ever send a message only to wait? Waiting sucks! If you had picked up the phone, you might already have your answer.
2. Loyal buyers. Yep, I said it – loyal buyers! Back in the day, people were far more trusting and a handshake agreement was real. They believed you and you believed them.
What happened? We became a commodity; the world sped up and no trusts anyone anymore. This one is definitely trickier to get back, but I think with some serious industry cleanup it could be done or at least improved.
The biggest issue here is that we don’t treat buyers with the same seriousness as we treat sellers. This is our problem, not the buyers. Agents are always so angry with the buyer, but we’ve taught them how to behave. Would you start marketing a listing without a signed contract? Then, why are you showing homes to buyers without an agreement in place?
So many agents still meet random people at properties without qualifying, without meeting them first, without a contract. Treat buyers like they are not serious and they’ll treat you just the same.
For change to take place in this area, it needs to come from the top down and it must be sternly enforced. Otherwise, it will stay the same where, as hard as you try to be a professional, the buyer will know that they can just call another agent to taxi them around without a contract.
3. Weekly sales meetings and caravans: How many of you have weekly sales meetings and then head out to view properties together? Not many, I bet!
In the ʼ70s and ʼ80s this was mandatory – no excuses (unless you’re doing a deal)! How can you possibly sell any homes without knowing exactly what’s going on at your office, with the industry and your market/farm area?
Brokerages didn’t have to “bribe” their agents to come to the meetings. It was a not-to-be-missed event. There was no “free pizza” dangling like a carrot.
How many of you even go to the office at all? It’s unfortunate that we’ve lost this. There is something about the buzz of the office that can be highly motivating.
4. Fashion mattered: Jeans and a t-shirt? That was not going to fly back then! Although I love my jeans and I kind of dig that this is a bit more relaxed, I can’t help but agree that a well-dressed professional is quite impressive.
To see what I mean, let’s change the perspective…You have a meeting with two lawyers. One is dressed in jeans and a golf shirt, the other in a well-fitted suit and tie. Who do you immediately feel is more knowledgeable and suitable for the job (even if they’re not)? Silly as it sounds, fashion matters.
5. Boy, did they work: No email, no text, no lockboxes, no Internet, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Realtor.ca. Everything was manual. You needed the keys to a home, you were driving to the brokerage to sign them out and right back after the showing to sign them back in.
You needed to reach a large audience? Ads in magazines and newspapers, mass postal mail, flyers and door knocking were it. You wanted to get a quick answer from someone? You picked up the phone. You wanted to find a home for your buyers? You scoured through piles of MLS sheets that showed one photo of the home with a quick overview in a 4×3 inch space. Have an offer? No other choice but to present it in person.
All of this allowed the client to see the value in the payment. It was obvious; there was no hiding all the grunt work that went into the business on a daily basis.
Today we struggle to prove our worth, to prove that the payment meets the demand of the job. Why? Because access to information is a split-second away, newspaper is becoming extinct, no one “talks” anymore and on and on.
But don’t forget, the value is still there; it’s just that the stage has changed.
Your true value is in the knowledge you have. Training, reading, coaching, pulling your hot-sheets, analyzing your market areas, previewing homes, community involvement – all of this stuff is where your worth really is.
It can still be proven, but it’s less “in-your-face” and more in the information you bring to the table during discussions, the confidence you have in your pricing strategy, your negotiation skills, your marketing plan and the knowledge you have around the market.
Hone your skills, perfect your craft and be part of the industry you’re in.
What do you think about getting back to the future…even a little?
Amanda Ross is the owner and CES (Creator, Educator, and Strategist) of RealtyBoost (www.RealtyBoost.ca), where we help brokerages and sales reps build strong brands, smart strategies, and more knowledge that brings value to their clients. Follow Amanda on Twitter, @ImAmandaR and/or RealtyBoost at @RealtyBoostCA.
