Do you Cha Cha when they Hip Hop?
When listing and selling a property your interactions with sellers and buyers are a bit like a dance. IF you are not in sync you will have a struggle just getting them to listen to your recommendations. It is pretty important to KNOW the dance they are doing so you can do that dance too, it makes it much easier for them to understand and relate to you and vice versa. We've all had that client that just clashes with everything we say. Well it's not really their fault or ours, just that we're doing different dances. SO to be an effective partner, we need to dance the same dance, right?
Cha Cha - the rhythm is just right and you glide back and forth with your recomendations, they "get it" and you move right into the turn together. AHHH success. Priced right, Smooth transaction, just hope you get another Cha Cha for a buyer.
Hip Hop - they are all over the place but they get it and want to HELP you make it happen... as long as they focus and listen to your recommendations, price it right, you've got it made as they'll be helpful and quick. And they'll go nuts if you get a Waltz buyer, so you'll have to help them pace themselves.
Waltz - Slower to understand and slow to react because maybe they haven't done this for a long time, but when they get it they'll glide through the process with you and appreciate the work you did with them to get them there. You may need to keep reminding them why they are doing this again. In the end, they'll give you referrals of their friends and family because they look back and couldn't have done it without you.
Polka - OK a lot of hip hop qualities and a bit of the Waltz too... so once you convince them to come along, they'll jump right in and get onboard with your price and your listing plan. They just want to help and may be overstepping, like "staying home to help show the house", so you'll have to stay on your toes and keep them focused and in the moment.
Then there is the Hustle (undercutting pricing) or the Limbo (how LOW can you go?) You decide if they fit your client demographic and keep on dancing until you convince them of the value of your services and what they are buying. (Credit Maureen Bray)
Do-si-do is a partner dance by it's very nature. These are great clients as they want to partner with you and they'll be paced and in sync with price and whatever you tell them to do. In fact you'll both lead when appropriate and it'll be a great transaction for all. (Credit Ronelle Schroeder-Hill)
A mismatch or misstep on any of these and you'll be moving on to the next client. Just like in life, we hit it off right away or we don't. Sometimes I think we try to Waltz with a Hip Hop and Cha Cha with a Polka. No wonder it doesn't work. The thing is you just need to know the dance the clients are doing and dance with them, it makes the work so much easier.
When listing and selling a property your interactions with sellers and buyers are a bit like a dance. IF you are not in sync you will have a struggle just getting them to listen to your recommendations. It is pretty important to KNOW the dance they are doing so you can do that dance too, it makes it much easier for them to understand and relate to you and vice versa. We've all had that client that just clashes with everything we say. Well it's not really their fault or ours, just that we're doing different dances. SO to be an effective partner, we need to dance the same dance, right?
Cha Cha - the rhythm is just right and you glide back and forth with your recomendations, they "get it" and you move right into the turn together. AHHH success. Priced right, Smooth transaction, just hope you get another Cha Cha for a buyer.
Hip Hop - they are all over the place but they get it and want to HELP you make it happen... as long as they focus and listen to your recommendations, price it right, you've got it made as they'll be helpful and quick. And they'll go nuts if you get a Waltz buyer, so you'll have to help them pace themselves.
Waltz - Slower to understand and slow to react because maybe they haven't done this for a long time, but when they get it they'll glide through the process with you and appreciate the work you did with them to get them there. You may need to keep reminding them why they are doing this again. In the end, they'll give you referrals of their friends and family because they look back and couldn't have done it without you.
Polka - OK a lot of hip hop qualities and a bit of the Waltz too... so once you convince them to come along, they'll jump right in and get onboard with your price and your listing plan. They just want to help and may be overstepping, like "staying home to help show the house", so you'll have to stay on your toes and keep them focused and in the moment.
Then there is the Hustle (undercutting pricing) or the Limbo (how LOW can you go?) You decide if they fit your client demographic and keep on dancing until you convince them of the value of your services and what they are buying. (Credit Maureen Bray)
Do-si-do is a partner dance by it's very nature. These are great clients as they want to partner with you and they'll be paced and in sync with price and whatever you tell them to do. In fact you'll both lead when appropriate and it'll be a great transaction for all. (Credit Ronelle Schroeder-Hill)
A mismatch or misstep on any of these and you'll be moving on to the next client. Just like in life, we hit it off right away or we don't. Sometimes I think we try to Waltz with a Hip Hop and Cha Cha with a Polka. No wonder it doesn't work. The thing is you just need to know the dance the clients are doing and dance with them, it makes the work so much easier.
What about the twist ? You feel like breaking your clients legs because they don't show up for appointments and ignore the cooperative showing agenda.
Oh drat, the TWIST...of course. Great one, like that. Thanks for adding to my fun.
Terrylynn -- this is such a cute post -- (wish my brain was alert so I had a witty comment)! Thanks for starting my day with a great chuckle!
Terrylynn, this is a great one. I have heard of personality type matching, but it is like a dance with a partner you are right. I have been seeing entirely too many Limbos lately, with people trying to steal houses. Funny thing is most sellers, unless desperate, only allow that bar to go down so low, and then they don't budge.
How adorable. Can I assume that "Dancing with the Stars" is a much watched show in your household?
Terylynn,
Great post! I like to Do-si-do myself, but when it comes to working with clients you have to know all of the different styles in order to be able to conform!
Loved this post Terrylynn.
One of my favorite aspects of staging is meeting new clients and tailoring my approach according to their personality. The "Do-si-do" are ideal clients although I prefer to tango!
These are great analogies for seller/realtor relationships! :) I love it!
David, you are so right...Twist, hum when they turn us into a pretzel because they are frantic about every little thing and we run around trying to take care of it all AT ONCE. Thanks for your comment, this was a fun one to write and I know I'll enjoy reading all the comments.
Gary Woltal told me to come and check out this post - and I just love it! How incredibly original and creative and true! And.....what with dancings phenomenal resurgence how perfect! :-)
Terrylynn, that is so funny and clever! Thanks for sharing that and now I'll laugh when I'm trying to figure out which dance the seller is doing.
Aloha Terrylynn,
Love Love Love the Tango and this clever post. Although, doing the Tango with your client is a little more emotional than I think most people would care for. All that ambivalent this way and that can be confusing, unfortunately, I think the Tango should be a dance that REA's avoid and I'm glad you left that dance off the list.
Peace,
Margaret, glad I could oblige. I had fun writing it too. Thanks for stopping by my post.
Gary, don't you find it interesting that the Limbo clients start out that way and attract Limbo buyers...and the negotiating never ends. That win win most clients LOVE doesn't happen if you aren't both of that mind set. So with you here, don't enjoy the Limbo clients so much.
How about the Hula? (I know, it doesn't fit with the past dance themes) but where every "move" is meaningful, tells a story and has a purpose. =)
Hi Terrylynn...Because I am an Argentine Tango dancer, I like the dance analogies! Very cute! A true Tango is a dance of improvisation...every step is a surprise and it is fun to dance with someone who lets the Lead lead!!!!! (One situation where I am OK with being a follower....) LOL...thanks! Regards-Kathleen G
What a fun post. Thanks for the chuckle! Good analogy too!
What a fun post. Thanks for the chuckle! Good analogy too!
A very apt analogy of the 'dance' of selling Terrilynn! I especially love it since I am a dancer and know the value of stepping in a synchronized fashion - avoids collision, dancing apart, and dancing by yourself!
Terrylynn - last night, I came across a reality show called (I forget the name, anyway) and it was made up of different singers and backgrounds and no one was happy yet a record needed to be cut by a certain deadline; Charro, Flavor Flav, an American Idol runner up, a sitcom star, a famous ex-wife, etc., well it was a mess but I will tell you that the final cut of the record was really good.
This post was inspired and very creative Terrylynn! I enjoyed it and am going to be on the lookout now. FUN!
Oh yes, one thing...if they don't have rythum, run!
Ellie, you bet you can. We have given up negative and violent TV to a huge extent. It just makes you feel bad about life, doesn't it. Reality some days is enough to cope with we LOVE dancing with the stars.
Michelle, ahhhh the Do-si-do...like that one too at you must be in sync with your partner to do it.
Jackson, you do look like a Tango kind of guy. A little spicy, huh?
Are you a dancer at heart, trapped in the body of a Realtor? As I recall, this is not your first "dance" related post. Very fun, Terrylynn! Never liked the limbo, and now I know why!
What an excellent analogy! You really put a lot of thought into this Terrylynn. Great post!
What a cute post, Terrylynn. However, I don't see the jitter-bug on here (smile).
Oh, I agree, Jackson does look tango-like.
Kathy
Hi Terrylynn -- This is a very unique, creative, and funny post. And you are right about the different dances our clients do.
Terrylynn - I really enjoyed your humorous descriptions of our interactions with clients ... it truly is like a dance at times ... very appropriate
Annie, I so agree. IF we think of it like a dance, it isn't such a traumatic thing to change how we interact. It makes us feel more like we are speaking their language than manipulative. People just want to be talked to in ways they understand, and danced with where sometimes they can lead too.
Liz, why thanks and thanks to Gary too. I did one re:staging and this one re: real estate, kind of similar in many ways, and actually human nature really, just to dance to the beat of our drummer and find people who can best dance with us.
Robyn, I know, it really helps...doesn't it? Lightens the mood and helps to just figure out the best way to communicate.
Kimo, need to know when intimate it too much, huh? Thanks for commenting.
great post Terrylynn! seems like everyone is doing the limbo these days. (byw, I nominated this to be a featured post)
Connie, love the hula, you are so right tells the story. Like it.
Kathleen oh my, that sounds like fun. Photos please...wish I had the stamina.
Alisha, glad I could provide your laugh for the day.
Deborah, exactly, a dance is the name of the game, the challenge is to know which one you are doing and who is leading.
Sheron, right on, if they don't have rhythm run...that would have saved me much hardache years ago.
Elaine you guessed my secret, a dancer trapped in a Realtor's body. Or a Realtor dancing to the tune of her clients...I like that.
Charlene ---- AWWW thanks.
Kathy - how right you are, jitter bug...so how do you get them to be patient and let the marketing and staging work. If it hasn't sold in a week they are frantic looking for something else to try. Good one.
Shirley, well sometimes it's how we look at things, right? Thanks for commenting.
Kathy, yes it is...especially with our senior clients, huh? Oh the stories we could tell.
KARA thanks so much. You are so kind. It's fun to write some of these, lightens the mood sometimes in heavy news times, don't you think? Thanks for the compliment.
Hi Terrylynn,
You are too clever by half! You should be writing ad copy for a living. Wait... you do write ad copy. Not just for your blogs but your listings well.
Susan thanks for the compliment, very funny, yeah, hopefully I've learned a thing or two over the years.
Nice metaphor - sticky and memorable, thanks. Ken
I have always been a fan of interpretive dance... I will need to think how that one fits into the equation. GREAT POST!
Ken, thanks for the comment. Sticky and fun, huh? Got any additions?
Kristina, interpretive dance. Well isn't that when you aren't sure you want to work together and just check each other out? So you dance around it a bit until you trust the other party and you are ready to give in and share with each other.. YES that's it. Thanks for commenting.