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4 EASY WAYS TO
4 Easy Ways to Redecorate Your Office that Will Boost Morale & Impress Clients
Your office is a battle-station of sorts. It’s where you field business, launch your communications, and make the magic of your enterprise happen on a daily basis. While you’ll certainly need to have all the functional elements of an office in order to get your work done—desk, chair, internet—have you really considered the physical environment you’ve cultivated in the process? Think of it this way: working all day in a windowless, poorly lit room wouldn’t exactly inspire productivity or morale, would it?
The fact is humans take all sorts of social, behavioral, and emotional cues from our environments. And as a real estate professional, you likely already understand the power of the visual and the benefits of making a good impression. With all that in mind, how can you redecorate or retool your
office space in a way that will boost your mood, productivity, and client relationships? For inspiration, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you consider the ambiance and environment in which you conduct business.
1. A little goes a long way
Redecorating your office space doesn’t have to break the bank. Style and décor are often about tiny details adding up to make an overall impression. For instance, paint color, plant life, and lighting are all straightforward ways to rejuvenate a room without spending a fortune. Have dark, drab walls? Consider springing for a lighter, fresher color that will breathe new life into your space. Have bare window sills or empty corners? Buying and potting a few low-maintenance plants like ferns or succulents can add freshness and pops of color to a sparse room. Rely on fluorescent lighting? Consider sprucing up your space with a few well-chosen floor and table lamps that add accents of taste while warming up the tone in your office. A few intuitively placed items can inspire renewed energy.
2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
One way to make a big change in your office environment without spending a penny is to declutter and reorder. Let’s say you have rows upon rows of crowded, bulky filing cabinets. Try digitizing your records and cut the clutter, opening up square footage in the process. Maybe your desk has faced the same wall for years. Have you considered rearranging your existing furniture and décor? Just by reorganizing the flow of your workspace, you can give your office the cheapest face-lift possible. You can also make work areas flow more intuitively, based on the processes and collaboration you’ve adapted to over time.
3. Think like a client
Imagine you’re walking into the office for the first time. As a client, what details would stick out? What red flags would come to mind? While you’re used to working in the same space every day, clients are coming into your office with no set expectations. With that in mind, complete a walkthrough of your office area to address eye sores, clutter, and whatever feels unprofessional or amateur. Half the battle of redecorating your space is finding opportunities and seeing things anew, instead of being content with the status quo.
4. Build out your brand
Redecorating your space is about aesthetics, but it’s also about creating a unifying setting for your professional brand. If you’re catering to luxury clientele, it makes sense that your office space should appear elegant, high-end, and sophisticated. If you’re selling second homes out in the country, perhaps a more rugged but well-curated ambiance would set the right tone for your services. Maybe you’re courting the Millennial market or touting your tech-forward approach to real estate. In that case, a modern, sleek, progressive layout would speak to your company’s values and culture. Whatever the case may be, think of your office environment as an extension of your brand that communicates with clients, motivates your team, and sets the tone for your day-to-day operations.
Even if decorating isn’t exactly in your wheelhouse, there are plenty of simple and philosophical shifts you can make to your space that will maximize your presence and productivity. What’s more, real estate is a business built on relationships—so it doesn’t hurt to create an office where clients are comfortable and confident in the environment you’ve built.
KAY CHEEK
Kay Cheek began her real estate career working for her parents’ Dallas based multi-office real estate company. Being a full-time agent gives her the needed market knowledge and experience to specialize in assisting families whether they are moving into the area or selling a home. Clients value Kay’s hard work, her expertise gained through years of experience, and her honesty and willingness to tell it like it is. “I treat every one of my clients like family,” she says. “I’m not in it for a quick sale. I’m into educating my clients so they can make an informed decision when they’re purchasing or selling their home, because it’s one of the most important decisions they’ll ever make.”
Kay’s office is in Frisco. She is an integral part of her company, Ebby Halliday’s Relocation Team. “We’re trained to be experienced and knowledgeable in several different locations and cities,” Kay explains, “so I cover a wide territory.” Kay
serves the Dallas and surrounding area including Frisco, Prosper, Plano, McKinney, Celina, Allen, Southlake, and other communities.
Most of Kay’s business comes from repeat and referral clients, a testament to the strong relationships she forms. “I keep myself in front of my clients, and I keep them informed and updated on
the market,” she says. The personal attention she gives her clients allows her to serve them better. “In order to be a good agent, you have to be a good listener. It’s not about what I want for the client, it’s about what fills their needs in a home purchase or sale.”
When she is marketing her listings, Kay relies on her network of connections with local agents to help get the word out. She also advertises her listings in local magazines, as well as on social media, including Facebook and other websites. “Any means we can use to promote a listing, we take advantage of,” Kay says. The results speak for themselves: Kay typically does over $24 million each year in volume. For each of the past 29 years, Kay has achieved the Company-Wide Honor Roll, standing out among thousands of agents over time.
Kay’s involvement in her community extends to serving on numerous local builder and Realtor® Advisory Boards, as well as being very involved in her neighborhood through the Homeowners Association. When she is not working or giving back her time, Kay enjoys going to the movies, dining with friends, and traveling. She also loves attending many of her grandkid’s sports events and dance competitions.
In the future, Kay plans to continue giving her clients the same great level of service they’ve come to expect. “I love taking care of families and introducing them to the area,” she says. “I’m a Native Dallasite and I’ve done this most of my adult life, and I love it. My goal is to help people understand about the area, schools, the housing market and economic centers. I love getting people excited about moving here.” Kay genuinely cares about her clients and is available 24/7. To find out more about Kay Cheek,
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HOLLY WINN
Top Agent Holly Winn focuses on the greater Fort Worth area in Texas—the vast majority of her business consists of referrals.
When Holly Winn was first introduced to real estate by her now husband, she instantly fell in love with it. “Once we got married I got my license and went full-time into buying and selling,” she explains. “My husband is a real estate investor, and I’m just doing my own thing.” Focusing on the greater Fort Worth area in Texas, the vast majority of her business consists of referrals. “I’m constantly asking my clients who have closed deals with me to refer me to others, and they do.” Buyers and sellers do not hesitate to spread the word about her work, as she delivers superior customer service and is fully committed to helping them achieve their goals. With a glowing personality and a compassionate nature, Holly finds it easy to connect with others and often becomes friends with her clients.
“I show them that I don’t just want to make money, I want to help them out, I have a big heart,” she says. When working with her buyers, she is dedicated to getting them the best deal possible, while finding them a property that ticks all their boxes. Meanwhile, she strives to get as much as the market will allow for her sellers, utilizing her negotiation skills to make it a smooth transaction. When it comes to advertising her listings, she also
goes above and beyond, hosting open houses, posting on social media and online marketing. It’s clear she’s doing it right, as she made 13 transactions in her first year alone and is on track to surpass that in the next year.
Afterwards, clients have left rave reviews about their time together. One recently said, “Holly is very responsive and makes herself readily available to her clients. She is quick to handle any and all requests day or night. Holly is great about keeping an eye out for all home options (soon to hit market, homes that have been pulled off market but might still be available etc.). Highly recommend her to anyone looking for a home in the DFW area!” Another wrote, “Holly was a pure joy to work with. She is honest and does everything just right. Holly is smart and is family now. We tried once before to sell our house with no luck, even through COVID-19 she kept on working and made it happen. The sale was seamless and easy. Holly took care of EVERYTHING. We cannot recommend her enough.”
When Holly isn’t working, she’s giving back to the community through her church, is staying active at her local CrossFit gym, or she’s working with her husband to manage their rental properties. She also loves spending time with family and friends and enjoys traveling.
Looking ahead, Holly has her sights set on opening a brokerage in a few years, doubling her business every year and eventually growing a team. She will no doubt enjoy the journey, as she feels this career is rewarding in so many ways.
To learn more about Holly Winn, please call 817-832-1328 or email hollywinnrealtor@gmail.com
