Susan's Blog

This post is a follow-up to my post: Your smile is your best marketing tool.  My husband reminded me that I should have mentioned that when you are out in the world smiling at folks, you should also be wearing your name badge.  People who know me and who read my posts and comments know that I am seldom out and about without my name badge and a pocket full of business cards.  I have cards in my pocket, in my purse, and in my car.  I can always grab one quickly.

To many people, the real estate market and real estate transactions are very intimidating.  They are looking for someone they can trust and someone they like, as well as someone with the knowledge and expertise to get them through the maze of a purchase or sale.  We cannot walk through the supermarket spouting commercials about our experience, so that part will have to come after we have made them feel that we are someone they might like to do business with. 

In that same supermarket, you can wear your name badge and smile at folks.  If they ask you if you are in real estate or mention your badge, you can give them a card, ask them a question or two, and talk to them about whatever you would if you were simply trying to make a friend and not a contact.  If they are looking or know someone who is, you can then ask for their business, and find out a bit about them and ask for their card or phone number.  Hopefully you will have discovered that you have other things in common besides real estate, and you can truly make a new friend.

Just remember that smiles are contagious.  When you saw the illustration here, I'll bet you smiled.  That proves it!  You can even catch it from a zebra.  When you smile, someone else will, and that makes you both feel good.  Even if you don't get a transaction from the encounter, you will have met a nice person.  And who knows what the future may bring to either of you.

I just read a great post and one that bears reading.  It is Smile Award written by Guy Lofts.

A smile can be a great gift to someone - especially someone who looks sad or grumpy (most people don't smile at grumpy people, but they may need it most).  When I was training some salespeople who were shy and having a hard time walking up to strangers and talking, I would give them the assignment to go out in public places and just smile at people.  After they had made eye contact with 10 people and smiled at them, I wanted them to report back to me.  They were amazed that most smiled back and some of them even stopped and started up conversations with them.  They felt like it was a miracle - and it was just a smile!

After you have the smiling down, then add another step.  With that great smile on your face, look at someone and find something to compliment.  Everyone had something you can honestly compliment.  It may be their hair color or style, their shirt or tie, their jewelry, a briefcase, their knowledge on a certain subject, their well-behaved children, or even -- their smile.

People light up when they are complimented.  We all enjoy a compliment -- BUT it must be genuine!  If someone has a really gross manicure, you cannot expect them to appreciate your telling them what pretty nails they have.  They will be doubly insulted.  First of all you have insulted the very thing they may be self-conscious about, and second - you have insulted their intelligence.  And you have clearly made yourself appear dishonest.  If you find the one person who truly cannot be complimented on anything, you can still smile at them.

Have you smiled at your 10 people today?  What was your experience?

I just saw the most adorable video and it got me to thinking how different and yet how alike all cats are.  We have several kitties and each one has a completely different personality and a very different voice, but there are also many characteristics they all share.  Among them are the behaviors in this little clip.  If you love cats, you will love this.  It's called Cats vs. Pumpkins.

Here is the link:  http://www.bigcatrescue.org/video/00246.htm 

Enjoy!

This Christmas, our charities are suffering as folks are struggling to take care of their familiesand can't afford charitable gifts, and there are more people needing assistance.  Christmas will be very difficult for many famiies, through no fault of their own.  There are many ways we can help those less fortunate, and some of them don't cost much or may cost nothing.  If you are stuck for some good ideas, some of our fellow Active Rainers have posted information about some easy ways to help give someone a better Christmas.  Here are just a few special posts:

Angel Trees: Still have children that need your help! by Brenda Tressler

Donate Unused Gift Cards by John Walters

Good Search, You Search We Give by Missy Caulk

Making A Gift & Making A Difference by Tom Plant

I absolutely LOVE freecycle.org by Chris Fisher

FORIDA KEYS: Toyz for Keyz Kidz by Kelly Willey

Here in the Sacramento area, our local Association of Realtors sponsors the annual CanTree project.  Realtors have fundraisers and giant "trees" of canned food are built and placed in shopping centers, where additional contributions are requested.  I have been privileged to contribute to this annually and to help build the huge can trees.  At Christmas, the food is all sent to the Salvation Army, along with cash collected, to feed the hungry over the holidays.  For more information, see http://www.sacrealtor.org/documents/cantree_brochure06.pdf.

If you know of some other ways we can play Santa, share them so we can all know how we can contribute.

I just read a news story about an office worker who is suing a co-worker for wearing a strong perfume to which she is having allergic reactions.  The offending gal also uses plug-in scented air fresheners at her desk.  The allergic gal has been suffering from terrible headaches, and the other gal will not give up her perfume.  I can identify, because I too have allergic reactions to some perfumes.

The reason I bring this up is because this time of year, especially, many people fill their homes with scented candles and sprays, and they spray perfumes and colognes on themselves and their clothing when they prepare to go out for holiday parties.  Some of those folks are trying to sell their homes, and potential buyers (as well as agents who may have an interest in showing the property to their clients) may find all of these scents offensive and they may even be sickened by them - even though they are perfectly nice fragrances.

If you are marketing your home this holiday season, your chances of finding someone who will fall in love with it are greatly increased if you remember a few things:

 1.  Be very sparing with perfumes and fragrances.  One bottle of essential oil with bamboo sticks can infuse your entire home with a subtle aroma.  Although it may not seem as "Christmasy", a light vanilla fragrance is probably the best to make your home fresh without affecting so many allergies.  And if you are a smoker, it may be helpful for you tl restrict your smoking to the back yard until the home is sold.

2.  While on the subject of scents, remember that the holidays can be stressful for your pets, and may trigger "accidents" that would not otherwise occur, or bouts or diarrhea.  The best behaved dog or cat will sometimes become overexcited or nervous, and you should do what you can to keep them calm.  It is best to have them gone, if possible, for any showings.  If you must lock your dog in the garage during a showing, be sure to put a note on the garage door to alert the agent and prospect not to open that door.

3.  We all look forward to decorating our homes with trees, lights, stars, snowmen and Santas, but when potential buyers tour you home, you will want them to focus on the wonderful features of your home and not on how pretty your tree is or your cute snowman.  Some decorations will brighten your home and put buyers in a good mood, but cut your normal decor in half while your home is on the market.

4.  A Christmas tree will crowd your home to some degree, and you may have to remove a few pieces of your regular furniture.  Buyers are interested in large comfortable rooms and will want to imagine their furniture fitting in your home.  If the house looks too crowded, it will seem smaller than it actually is, and buyers may not feel their things will fit.

5.  When you are expecting a showing, go through the house and turn on all lights so your home will look bright, cheery and welcoming. And if you usually like your home a bit chilly, turn the thermostat up just a couple of degrees until after the showing. 

6.  I don't recommend lighting a wood fire in the fireplace if you will be leaving the house, but if you have an insert or other safer fireplace, and if you will be gone only minutes, you might want to have a welcoming fire.  If you will not have a fire, please be sure that the fireplace is cleared of ashes.

7.  Since winter weather means that trees are not as leafy, flowers are not blooming and skies are gray, your home might not feel as cozy.  Brighten it up with a couple of red throw pillows on the couch, a red tablecloth or place mats on the table, and a few subtle touches of red i nthe other rooms.  Nothing overwhelming, but enough to make your rooms seem warmer and cozier.

8.  As usual, watch out for clutter.  If you have collections, you may want to pack them up until your home is sold.  Once you sell and move, you will need to pack them up anyway.  This will give the appearance of more romminess in your home, and will keep your prospects focused on the architecture and not your personal items.  Also, this will help to protect them from breakage while people are touring your home.  The same thing goes for family photos.  I once previewed a home for a buyer client where the sellers had 47 framed photos of their wedding on display!  I showed it to my buyer anyway, and sure enough - she was so fascinated by counting the wedding pictures that she couldn't remember much of anything else about the house.  She counted 48, so she must have spotted a couple that I missed.

9.  If you have presents under the tree, it may be best if you keep the smallest and most expensive ones stashed in a dresser drawer or somewhere safe.  Most people are honest, but it is better to be safe than sorry.  All Realtors I know are sensitive to this, and will do their best to see that their clients behave themselves in your home, but just keep this in mind anyway.  Keep in mind that buyers will look in your closets to check their size and features, but have no business looking in your dressers or other furniture that will not be sold with the house.  

10.  Have a wonderful holiday season.  The economy this year has everyone more stressed than usual, so find moments to relax and have some quiet time every day - even if it's just a few minutes.  Please understand that none of these tips are meant to upset anyone or hurt your feelings, but are simply tips which may help you to sell your home more quickly and at a better price.