6 WAYS TO GET YOUR

6 Ways to Get Your Client to Trust You

The word “REALTOR®” can leave a sour taste in some people’s mouths. Many of today’s home buyers and sellers grew up during the 2009 recession. They are wary of anything or anyone who comes off as too salesy, and they want to work with individuals who they can trust. But how do you prove to someone you’ve likely never met that you can be trusted?

1Put Testimonials or Case Studies on Your Website

Testimonials and case studies are social proof that you have both the experience and the skills to do the job your clients are hiring you for. People often leave testimonials when they are either incredibly disappointed or extremely happy with the service they were provided, so they’re a good indication to prospective clients of the treatment they’ll receive.

Case studies, which you can post on your blog or website, have much of the same effect, but even more than testimonials, case studies demonstrate your real estate and finance expertise because they explain how you achieved a specific set of results.

2Be Responsive and Accessible

Can your clients reach you easily? That doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7, but you should respond to your clients within a few hours of receiving their message. When agents don’t respond to their clients’ calls or emails for days on end or fail to provide them with a direct line of contact, their clients’ experience can quickly become frustrating.

Agents are busy but so are their clients. If you constantly show up late to or reschedule meetings, your clients won’t feel like their time is respected or their business is valued. Make sure you set a realistic schedule for yourself rather than spreading yourself too thin.

3Be Honest and Transparent

Sometimes you don’t have the answer to a client’s question. Be honest about your strengths, weaknesses, and the limits of your knowledge. A good response might be, “I don’t know, but I can find out.” Be transparent with your clients, and they’ll respect you for it. You should always act in their best interest. When something goes wrong, own up to your mistakes. Don’t hide bad news from your clients. Be upfront and responsive.

4Go the Extra Mile

If you do the bare minimum, that’s what your clients will remember. Their experience won’t be memorable, and they won’t gush about you in online testimonials or in real life to people they know who could use your services. It’s that simple.

5Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes

Clients understand that you need to earn money, but that doesn’t mean they want to feel like they’re just a dollar sign to you. Be empathetic to your client’s concerns, even if you’ve heard it all before. Your clients should know that you are there for them.

6Be Consistent

Being responsive, friendly, and knowledgeable shouldn’t be an act. If you “turn on” your personality for clients and then suddenly become a different person when they leave the room, it’s likely that the cracks in your mask will eventually become apparent.

But “faking it till you make it” is so common it’s become a cliché. When we are starting out, we don’t always have the systems or resources in place to create a smooth client journey, from onboarding to closing, so instead we constantly try to reinvent the wheel. Give yourself time to pause, slow down, and reevaluate your workflow. Creating systems creates consistency, and those systems can and should be constantly updated.

Developing trust between you and your clients will take time, but doing these things can give you a running start.

PATRICK FOSTER

“I grew up in a construction family,” Patrick Foster explains, and as he became more involved with real estate, he found buying and selling properties to be his perfect career fit. He began working in the industry by building custom homes for several years with his dad, transitioning into project management afterwards. Eventually, Patrick explains, “I decided I wanted to sell the products I was building.” Patrick has about two years of experience as a Nashville-based real estate agent, but he also benefits from about 15 years of experience in related industries.

Though still a fairly new agent, Patrick is already picking up referrals and repeat business from former clients. “I’m a unique kind of real estate agent,” he explains. Not only does he have helpful expertise with home building and remodeling, but he also primarily works with investors as his clients. He helps them find, buy, flip, and sell properties. “We’re taking something that is an eyesore in the community and making it better”. In order to reach his goal of improving neighborhoods for future generations, Patrick says, “We are using target marketing to select properties that are in rough condition and would otherwise be overlooked”.

Patrick’s clients appreciate the personalized experience he provides them, as well as the expertise he has in the real estate industry. One former client said in a five-star Facebook review about Patrick, “He’s an honest man and cares about making his customers happy.” Patrick is consistently down-to-earth and truthful, which allows him to truly understand his clients and their needs. During any transaction, Patrick’s intention is to meet his buyer’s/seller’s goals, as well as their individual expectations. This honesty and genuine interest separate him from the majority of other real estate agents.

The commitment Patrick has to Nashville can be seen through his community involvement as well. He is a part of various real estate investor organizations, including the Real Estate Investors of Nashville group. Patrick also contributes to local charities through his brokerage. In his free time, some of Patrick’s favorite things to do are going hiking with his dog Bella, skydiving, biking, and rock climbing.

“From the bottom of my heart, I like taking homes and making them new again,” Patrick explains. “I leave things better than I found them.” This ability to help people, both through revitalizing neighborhoods and giving clients their dream homes, is his favorite part about the work he does. As his work grows and changes in the future, Patrick plans to start a real estate flipping business. This will allow him to perfectly combine his experiences in the industry while also pursuing his genuine passion for this work. In particular, Patrick looks forward to working within his own neighborhood, as he is currently remodeling two homes in the neighborhood now. “We’re revitalizing neighborhoods with the houses,” he says, and with the addition of this new business venture, this movement is sure to only expand in the future.

To learn more about Patrick Foster please call 618.521.7827 or emal PatrickFosterREALTOR@gmail.com. Follow on Instagram@Nash_Flip

CHRIS FRAMAN

“It’s simple really,” says Chris Framan, a top agent with Century 21 Rainbow Realty, describing his success as a REALTOR® . “I listen to my clients and hear their needs, wants, and priorities. This helps me to create a roadmap from listing their homes, through the marketing and sales process, and until escrow has closed.”

For the past eight years, Chris has worked exclusively in the Orange County, California senior community of Laguna Woods. Laguna Woods is comprised of approximately 13,000 homes. “I love working with seniors,” says Chris. “Many of my clients have amazing life stories to tell. It’s a privilege to get to know them and to help make their real estate transactions as seamless and stress-free as possible.”

Chris turned fifty-five last year and right away moved into Laguna Woods. “It made perfect sense,” he says. “Living in Laguna Woods provides a wonderful opportunity to meet neighbors, make friends, and cultivate relationships that help to expand my constantly growing business. Living here also allows me to be far more accessible to provide service for my clients’ needs – I’m a quick few minutes’ drive from all my clients.”

“One of the most important elements of excellent service is regular communication and fast response time both during and even after escrow has closed,” says Chris. Repeat clients and referrals make up nearly half of Chris’s business. Chris has achieved this by staying in close contact with past clients and regularly offering assistance. “Speaking of communication,” Chris adds, “the most common complaint I hear from clients who have had a bad previous experience with another REALTOR® is inconsistent communication and weak follow-up. I make myself readily available and respond very quickly.” In addition to marketing his listings online via the MLS, Chris takes advantage of the international reach of the global Century 21 network. Chris also markets vigorously on a local level, connecting with the other REALTORS® who specialize in the community. “Cultivating an excellent reputation among my fellow agents as a fair and honest professional has paid off enormously. Real estate transactions can be and should be a win-win for everyone involved. At the same time, I aggressively defend my clients’ interests.”

When he isn’t busy helping his Laguna Woods clients, Chris relaxes with music and movies. An avid guitar player, Chris enjoys playing for fun just to unwind. Chris is also a movie buff, although, he says, laughing, “It can sometimes take days to get through a single movie. I rarely get more than twenty minutes into a movie before the phone rings, and I jump right back into work!”

Chris currently works solo, but he is planning to grow a team in the year ahead. In order to manage his ever-expanding business, Chris will be bringing on a full-time assistant in 2021. Currently, selling about twenty homes a year, Chris is looking to double that figure.

To learn more about Chris Framan, please call 949-235-9249, email ChrisFraman@gmail.com, or visit https:// c21rainbow.com/agents/chris-framan