It’s the newest marketing advice in real estate! And probably car sales and insurance sales and any other sales you can think of…’become their trusted advisor.’
Don’t get me wrong. It’s great advice and those who are giving it are correct. But some folks seem to skip over the first word in that advice…BECOME. I am not your ‘trusted advisor’ because I use that term to describe myself on my webpage. I am not your ‘trusted advisor’ because you typed that keyword into a search engine and I came up. I am not even your trusted advisor because I am trusted by others. Not yet...
Trusted advisors are parents, teachers, mentors and friends. People who really know us; who really care about our happiness and want us to succeed and make good decisions. Until such time as I should fall into one of the above categories, I am a salesperson; plain and simple. You are not confused.
How people choose or learn to trust others is as individual as we are. Some folks naturally trust others unless that trust is betrayed. Others naturally distrust everyone until they prove otherwise. Some simply withhold judgment and wait to decide based on a gut level feeling or a telling moment when they know they have a reason to believe. Some never trust anyone and there is nothing I can say or do to change that.
So why should you allow me to advise you? Why should you accept that I am working in your best interest? Why should you even consider that I could be worthy of your trust at any point? I have no idea. Seriously. That’s between you and your gut and you have to live with your decisions just like I live with mine.
What I can tell you is that you are welcome to bring someone you trust with you when we get together to decide if we should work together. They are always welcome to tag along and see the home that you can’t seem to get out of your mind so you can benefit from their trusted opinion. You are welcome to talk to my clients and ask them how they liked working with me. You are welcome to ask me how I would handle a hypothetical situation so you can determine if my knowledge and experience are something you would like to leverage in your own interest. In short you are welcome to do whatever it takes for you to reach whatever level of trust you determine is necessary in order to decide if you want to hire me to help you accomplish your goals. It’s really that simple.
My goal is simple as well. It is to advise you skillfully and knowledgably and offer you my hard earned wisdom so that when you have achieved your real estate goal and are basking in the happy glow of a mission accomplished, you will say, “Thanks, SarahGray, I appreciate everything you did for me and I will be happy to tell anyone considering hiring you that you have earned my trust!”
Sweeter words a salesperson never heard!
It's Simple...When You Have A Great Agent!
SarahGray Lamm is a licensed, full time, residential real estate professional in the Raleigh Durham area of North Carolina with over 60,000 hours of experience. She specializes in serving the real estate needs of home sellers, home buyers and investors in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham and Northern Chatham County and is proudly associated with Allen Tate Realtors, the Carolinas #1 independent realty company.
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Good words to live by! Trust in this busness is the golden ticket!
Sarah, as a builder and agent, I frequently deal with folks who think I'm selling snake oil. It's tough to change pre-conceptions sometimes.
Sarah,
During my time as an Insurance Agent I was a Trusted Advisor. There is nothing new to it. What it takes is a lot of knowledge, hard work, and ethics to be known as one. You will know when you are considered a trusted advisor and not just calling yourself one when, people start asking you for advice or to host seminars, talk on panels or best of all refer a friend to you.
As usual SaraGray I enjoyed reading your post. Trust, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
Karen, thanks! You're right about the 'golden ticket'...this seems to be the advice most offered to salespeople these days. It's true but must be earned!
Jeff, too true. That's why I don't attempt to change anyone. We do our best and they get there when they get there. Then you have a truly worthwhile relationship!
Joseph, everything old is new again...now that times are tough! What isn't new is how we gain our knowledge and earn others trust...as you say, hard work and uncompromising ethics! It's worked for me for 30 years and I don't expect it will fail now! Thanks!
Gloria, very good point! We sometimes think folks are more beautiful after we get to know them!
It's not about the next "deal" it's always about the relationships with people....and the trust built along the way. I know some agents have a "next" mentality and I just shake my head, they just don't get it and their clients are rarely satisfied.
Colleen, you are SO right! "Trust me" means nothing without 'earn', 'build', and 'relationship' somewhere in the sentence!
SarahGray - As many buyers start their search on the Internet (which doesn't promote Trust), trust begins with direct contact and blossoms through time. I can't say enough about how I value my past clients. They are a trusted source of referrals. Your post is excellent. Trust works both ways.
Trust is earned and that takes time. How can you trust someone you have never met. Good post, SarahGray.