The Art of Making A Great First Impression

Happy female realtor shakes hands in greeting with a young woman who is interested in buying a home. The woman’s husband is standing next to her.

Click the image above to go back to the W Disclosure Newsletter

Whether you’re a veteran broker or just starting out as an agent, your business’s success depends on your customer relationships. If you’re going to become a top-performing real estate agent and stay ahead of the rest of the pack, you will need to create a great first impression with every initial encounter with a new client.

Making a good first impression on your prospects will give you an edge over other real estate agents in your area. This is because, starting your customer relationships on the right foot boosts your chances for repeat business and clients referrals.

Great First Impressions 101: What Is It and Why Does It Matter

Positive first impressions could mean a world of difference for you as a real estate agent. To make a great and lasting impression on your new clients, you need to learn the art of making a great first impression. The short window of time clients have to evaluate and form an opinion about you when you meet for the first time is your chance to impress. Thus, you need to have your a-game on.

With that in mind, here is why a successful first impression matters to you as a real estate agent:

• Since clients are looking for someone that will meet their needs and make their home buying process easier, great first impressions last on clients, solidifying the chances of them working with you.
• Positive first impressions help you avoid losing business to competitors now that getting a real estate agent has become easier.
• Making great first impressions on every new encounter with clients equals more referrals.
• A great first impression will help you go beyond one-time listings and sales, stretching your client relationships into the future.
• A great first impression builds a connection with new clients by making them feel comfortable and building their trust in you.

How to Create a Great First Impression

1. Be relaxed. Let Your Body Language Exude Confidence

To make a good first impression, be aware of your posture and use your body language effectively. Making eye contact, taking a power pose, and leaning in while conversing are powerful nonverbal cues that project confidence. You will want to avoid balling your hands into fists or hunching over in your seat, since they depict nervousness.

2. Time management is non-negotiable. Be Punctual

As a real estate agent, your first step towards creating a great first impression is your time management. In addition to showing how much you value their time, showing up early allows a couple of minutes to get yourself in a positive frame of mind and allows you to be more flexible and in a good position to nail your first impression.

3. Look the Part to Play the Part. Dress To Impress

Your dress code as a real estate agent should be appropriate for every meeting or occasion you meet with new clients. Keeping in mind that you are your brand, what you choose to wear matters. To strike the right note of your first impression, ensure that your look communicates your best self.

4. Take It Easy With the Conversation. Ensure Your Pace Is Unhurried

To ensure you keep the conversation flowing, speak slowly and articulately to build rapport with new clients. Modulate your voice’s tone and pitch, and avoid filler words.

5. So Simple Yet So Powerful. Wear That Winning Smile

Having a warm and genuine smile when conversing with a new client will not only help create a sense of friendliness between both of you, it also sends the message that you are approachable.

6. Knowledge-Driven Negotiation: Do Your Homework

Savvy real estate agents never go into a meeting unprepared. Good preparation will ensure that you know what to expect before meeting up with a new client. If you’re going to excel in this highly competitive field, spending some time researching and gathering background information on the person you’re meeting with is an important step. By knowing plenty about the project, you’ll end up finding things you can use to connect with prospective customers and arrive at a common ground when guiding the new client.

7. Trust Is the Glue of Client Relationships. Be Authentic

To create a great first impression and build trust with the clients you are meeting up with, be yourself. Clients respond positively to an authentic agent and disconnect in case they sense an agent is being fake. Having a hostile sense of humor, talking too fast and overly focussing on a scripted sales pitches instead of expressing yourself freely and clearly with a client will make you seem dis-ingenuine.

All In All

Successful first impressions can make a world of difference. Getting your client relationships right from the beginning will set you up for success ensuring more clients will trust you to guide them through their home buying/selling process. By not leaving your first impression to chance you’re making sure you do not lost out on business.

It takes just a few seconds for a first impression to be formed. Ensure you know how to appeal to clients and connect with your new clients to begin laying the foundation for your agent/client relationship successfully.