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Who didn’t genuinely say hello? No matter how good the food is, you will always remember how that experience made you feel.
It’s no different in real estate or any other industry, where statistics reveal it takes less than seven seconds for people to form their first impression of you, your abilities, and your character.
That’s why your greeting is so important. Whether it’s over the phone or in person, that greeting is your trademark.
It is quite literally your opportunity to have people in your corner with a simple “hello”.
It doesn’t take much
Truth is, it doesn’t take much to have a genuine, sincere and feel-good greeting. Smile, display good body language and that’s about it.
It’s all about being welcoming and eliciting that feeling you are genuinely glad to have made contact with that person at this moment.
And the reality is, as agents, we know this. We’re social creatures who interact with people day in and day out.
We’ve heard it talked about for years at conferences, and we’ve felt the impact this sincere greeting can have.
But while the focus is often on making a great first impression in person or over the phone, there’s one specific area where I personally believe there’s immense room for improvement.
A missed opportunity
We all know the importance of a warm, personal greeting when you meet someone face-to-face or speak with them over the phone, but one of the biggest missed opportunities when it comes to making a great first impression is your recorded voice message.
In my opinion, the missed call message you record on your own mobile phone is one of the most undervalued forms of communication.
Why? Because statistically speaking, very few make an effort to ensure they are effective, memorable, or professional. Ironically, this message is delivered at the moment you have the full attention of the person calling you. How valuable is that?
Voicemail says a lot
Voicemail says so much about the person. We can get a sense of someone’s energy (or lack thereof) just by the tone of their recorded message.
We can tell if they have recorded it when they are in a rush, in the car, or in a shopping centre.
We can tell whether they are bored, standing up, or sitting down and whether they really care to take your message at all.
So it’s important to remember that making a good impression requires some thought and effort. It requires energy.
Have you analysed your voicemail?
If you’re not sure about the impression your recorded message creates, listen to it objectively. Better yet, have a colleague listen and provide feedback.
Ask yourself: Has it got energy? Is it short, sharp, professional and to the point?
Remember, everyone’s busy and listening to a slow-motion message is painful. Oftentimes, recorded messages are too long when a warm, abridged version would suffice.
For example, is your message simply the standard “Leave a detailed message, your name and number after the beep,” when “Please leave a message” is a more succinct and inviting request?
Most importantly, ensure that the message is authentic and relevant. If your client is calling in the morning or evening, and your voicemail informs them you’re with a client, that’s probably not going to cut it.
The caller knows that’s not likely. What it tells them is that you are not that professional or worse still, just plain lazy.
Seize the opportunity
In real estate, it’s the little things that differentiate the average from the best, and we all know the old adage that people don’t remember what you say, but how you made them feel.
Your recorded message is an opportunity to make a great impression not just once, but every time you miss a call.
So, seize the opportunity. Spend just five minutes reinvigorating your recorded message. Give your voicemail life and authenticity.
Manos Findikakis is the CEO of Agents’Agency
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