There is a common knowledge that you can never change the first impression you make. Therefore, as a real estate agent it is crucial to know what you should be careful about and when you should make yourself remarked; and the first meeting with a potential customer is decisive. You need to leave a lasting impression, your clients need to positively remember you!

You can never get a second chance as a real estate agent, that’s a fact! Therefore, it is almost a must, not only to make an outstanding impression from the early start, but you also need to make a lasting one.

You are creating a connection from the first minutes you meet someone new. As a result, from every word you utter, to every facial gesture or body posture you have, your clients get a set of information about you; the exact one that you provide. Customer relationship building is vital for your success in real estate either that you are a fresh newbie, or that you are an experienced veteran.

Let’s face it, getting to sell real estate successfully has a lot to do with selling a professional image, first of all!

Real Estate: First impressions make the difference!

So, why are first time impressions so important? Well, have a clear view over the matter – if the client isn’t impressed by your performance, then he/she can turn away and choose one of your competitors, at any time.

What would you say if you were someone else meeting you for the first time? Are you in a tip-top shape? To ensure that you impress your clients from the first minutes you spend together, here are some tips and tricks that might just work for you!

Remember – we are not perfect individuals, but we can work on this at any moment to get as close to perfection as possible!

Best practices to wow your customers!

It’s easier to make an exceptional first impression, than to recover after an already unfortunate one. Your appearance, body language and your knowledge can go a long way! Moreover, always keep in mind that the negative word of mouth can hardly be erased, especially in real estate. Here are some essential tips that stand as the core rules for most successful Realtors.

• Take care of your body posture

Your body language sometimes says more than your words, as a result try to study it attentively. You need to express confidence, credibility and approachability too. Don’t underestimate people’s sense of notice, they get what you provide.

A good posture will tell from miles away that you are a confident and reliable person! This is exactly what you need…

• Your facial expression counts a lot

Do you smile? You must! A smile will always get another smile as a reply. This is one of those secrets you just have to experiment in order to feel its results. Smile stands for openness and approachability! First of all, you need to be a friendly professional… This is what most customers look for!

You should be sociable and polite, but at the same time a genuine professional. Don’t try to fake your feelings, transparency is everything in real estate. Remember – a problem has its own solution, and the easiest way to get it, is by communicating effectively with your clients. Any fake smile will be immediately felt!

• Try to be up-to-date with your market

You are part of it so you must know it by heart. Read real estate news and keep yourself connected to this world. As a real estate agent you need to be that source of information everyone is looking for and that support they need in this hectic industry. However, don’t worry if there is something that you don’t know that very instance, you can research the topic and then meet your next client with your homework done. You need ambition to be the best! And this way you will become the best!

• Your clothing style talks for itself

Even though there is an increasing rumor about the importance of casual clothing in the business environment, this might not just work for you every time. What rumor? Well, some say that if you dress casually then the level of stress will diminish drastically and therefore you’ll be more relaxed in front of your clients. From a certain point of view this piece of information has its part of the truth, however, for a first business meeting it is most advisable to take some office clothing instead.

You can be comfortable in a business look too, and this will also aid you a lot more. The message you’ll convey? That you are a confident person and that you also mean business. A clean and ironed suit is the wow factor you need!

• Take care of the overall appearance

The first things your customer will notice about you are your clothing, hair and face. Therefore, every single detail should be attentively studied and taken care of. Your hair should always look neat, while your general appearance should inspire trust. This is a universal thing, it applies both to men and women. The state of your fingernails and your teeth is also of great interest. Take your time and make that memorable impression.

• Remember names

As far as you can, try to remember your clients’ names. I know that it’s difficult, as you are probably meeting dozens of clients monthly, but it really makes a great impression calling them by name. Develop the conversation on what interests them and make it concise and relevant.

• Introduce yourself in a professional way

Look your client in the eye and introduce yourself. A natural joke will be great to break the ice. Try to be confident, everyone wants to deal with professionals. Keep in mind that you have to give the feeling that everything is under control, that you know what you are doing. Your voice tone is of great importance, don’t dominate the conversation, and try to make it a natural thing. You shouldn’t make them uncomfortable at any costs.

• Show your interest

You are here to solve a problem for a customer, therefore you must show interest and compassion. In other words, you need to be present and remember every detail he/she gives you. Get into their shoes. Try it too, it might work.

Do your best to come up with personalized and efficient plans!

• Give feedback

Every piece of information you receive should result into a feedback. Try to communicate and be open to your customers. Don’t give that impression you are most interested in what is happening around you than to what your client is saying. Ask questions and clarify any misunderstandings from the beginning!

• Look for common ground

There must be something that you and your client share, common life principles, a school, maybe a hobby. Any shared beliefs or other similarities will help you reach your client easier. You’ll interact much easier and the desired type of connection will be established.

• Your business card should be official

Your business card is like your signature. It is the first thing a client will look for when they’ll try to reach you or to forward information. Consequently, there should be no wonder when we say – is of utmost importance. Foster trust and keep the connection alive, even after the transaction is over.

• Always ask questions

Asking questions will not only help you gather useful information for your search, but it will also point out that you are interested and eager to help. Don’t be afraid to clarify any possible misunderstandings and make sure your client has all the information he/she requires. You won’t want your client to get home and get support from another place, or be influenced because you haven’t made every effort possible to clear up all problems. A phone is always an open door for further assistance, so make sure your clients know this.

• Take your time and don’t be late

One of the worst mistakes you could do is to be late for your first meeting. Please, don’t! Take your time and be organized. If you’re late, well let’s say you’ll start off on the wrong foot!

From another point, before your first business meeting with your client it might be a good thing for you to research several topics. You need to impress him/her, right? Some of the topics that might get you to look good in front of your customer are:

• Knowledge about the community
• Client privacy strategy
• A general plan of action

So, you need a little bit of preparation in advance, before a meeting, whether you are an expert in this industry or not. But, do you want to hear the good news? These will become automatisms in time, don’t worry! Reducing misinterpretations can be challenging, but once you get the sense of how things work, everything will become easier. Make from your first meeting a real success! What are you waiting for, go and impress your customers!