Dear Agent,
Today’s message might seem awfully basic, but hear me out. When you’re meeting someone for the first time, or getting to know them better, there’s one question in particular that almost always comes up: “So, what do you do?” You instantly learn a lot about someone based on their response, and whoever you’re talking to will no doubt form a deeper impression of who you are as soon as you tell them.
“I’m in real estate.” How many times have you felt the conversation instantly shift once you’ve uttered these words? I know I have.
Very often, whenever someone says they’ll be traveling to France as part of their vacation plans, you’ll hear others unsolicitedly share their opinion that, “the people in France are so rude.” We all know we’ve heard this. Even if they’ve never been to France, this is something that is uttered repeatedly. Why is that?
We have no control over the stigmas and stereotypes that the world has come up with for just about anything. If you’re a doctor, you’re supposedly loaded. If you’re a straight guy, you don’t understand emotion. If you’re a woman and you like cats, you’re a crazy cat lady - and the list goes on. So many stereotypes, so many stigmas.
The truth is, we don’t have much control over the things that people believe, nor the reasons or experiences that have led them to see things that way. They just do. When it comes to the topic of real estate, the opinions, experiences, and responses you’ll receive vary so greatly that there’s no telling what might come up. Sadly, and this shouldn’t come as a surprise, society has particularly stigmatized real estate agents, equating them to the lowest, most disrespected profession out there: used car salespeople. So yeah - you might get some responses that could surprise and disappoint you.
Or you might not.
See, words absolutely do matter, but so does the way they’re delivered and brought about. When they’re simply mumbled without intention, that’s how they’re often heard: messy and misdirected. But when a beautiful phrase comes out with passion, integrity, and thought, something magical happens: they’re heard.
Whether it’s a cocktail party, a quick introduction to a new contact, or a full-blown, scripted speech, be sure and share what you do in a way that demonstrates you’re proud, committed, and even excited about it. You don’t need to go overboard, but truly - take a moment to breathe in, smile, and authentically share. People are drawn to passion, and they recognize it instantly. Telling others what you do in this way is sure to provide new opportunities in your conversations, regardless of how long they last.
So try it out! And, for what it’s worth: France is one of the most hospitable places in the world, most doctors are paying back gobs of student debt, many straight men understand emotion to the nth degree, and women with cats? Yeah, they’re crazy… Just kidding.
Have the best day,
- Darren Von Britton
Do Today:
Yes it may seem ridiculous to practice how you’re going to share with others what you do, but we want you to. “I’m in real estate.” “I’m a real estate broker.” “I help people buy and sell homes.” No matter the way you phrase it, practice how it’s going to come out. I know it sounds way too simple and unnecessary, but trust me: it doesn’t take much to stand out, and it starts with unbelievably simple basics such as this. Smile with both your mouth and your eyes, sound proud, and actually share instead of just tell. After all, you do love what you do, right?