A Real Estate Agents Professional Image

Being a Real Estate Agent places you in the unique position to solely determine what your professional image is.  Based on factors such as the city/town in which you work, the price range of property that you sell, and whether you sell developed or undeveloped land.  Each of these points along with your own personal preferences allow you to create your professional image.  It dosen’t matter if your work attire is blue jeans and boots, or a 3 piece Armani Suit as long as it reflects the type of property that you sell.

There is however more to your professional image than what you are wearing.  Your body language, your speach patterns, your educational background, your attitude, even the automobile you drive all play a part in your professional image.

City/Town Where you live and work can play a large part in your image, If you work in Manhattan for example, where most of your clientele will be business people, they will expect you to be business like as well, showing up in jeans would probably get you a few strange looks, and possible loose you a client or two.  In the same token if you are from a little town in rural Kansas, showing up for an appointment in Armani, could very well get you laughed out of town with whispers of “thinks he’s better than the rest of us, with his big city ways.”  Also a career disaster waiting to happen.

Property Type Regardless of the price range of home you are selling, you should gear your appearance to the typical purchaser of that type and price of home.  Showing up in sweat pants and your favorite college tee shirt, may not present the impression you are looking for when selling any property, but it may well completely destroy any chances you have of selling that multimillion dollar estate.  Equally as important is not to dress so that you intimidate you clients, you may look professional, but if you look like you are unapproachable, you will be unapproachable.  As for undeveloped land, regardless of the price range, you should be able to go out and walk the boundaries, scout out surveyor stakes, in the sun, rain and even snow, so Jeans and sturdy boots may be you typical work uniform.

Body Language (Comfort Zone) If you look ill at ease with yourself, or are constantly tugging or adjusting your clothing be it jeans, suit or that too short/tight shirt, you aren’t presenting yourself in the best light.  If you’ve decided to sell that million dollar lake homes, but wearing a suit and tie drive you crazy you may want to rethink your choice of property to sell.  People will notice that you are tugging on your tie or your collar.  They will also notice if your clothing doesn’t fit properly, so the too short, too tight or excessively baggy is never appropriate.

Speech Patterns Some of you may think that you image doesn’t have any correlation to your speech patterns, hopefully this may change your mind.  The way you speak, your grasp of the language, your ability to present an idea so that it is clearly understood, in both spoken word and written is essential in this business.  Another part of this is the ability to speak the lingo of your chosen career (or the people you are selling to and working with). There is nothing that is more irritating than someone speaking down to you, it shows a lack of respect, in that same vein it is disconcerting to have to continually ask your salesperson to explain what they are saying if all that comes out of their mouth is real estate jargon.  If your choice of clentele is 1st time home buyers, listen to them, speak to them, you may have to teach them regarding some if not all of the terminology that they will find while purchasing a home.  If your clients are professional developers, feel free to use the lingo, they will understand it and expect it after all this is their business too.

Educational Background and Attitude Similar to speech patterns, your educational background and attitude affect how you present yourself to your clients.  If you are confident, and speak well, you will be well received by your clients. However, if you don’t treat people as your equals because they lack the education (or exceed your educations) you are setting yourself up for failure.  There is always going to be some one out there who has more or less education than you do.  If you know your job (after all you are a Real Estate professional) and you present a calm confident manner you will succeed in this career, regardless of education.

Your Car, Truck or SUV Sorry, but it seems that people expect certain things, and we may always be “keeping up with the Jones’. “  If your working with raw land, people tend to expect you to have a vehicle that is rugged enough to drive the rural roads and onto that property.  Buy the same token, if you show up with a broken down, rusted out car to an appointment for those million dollar lake homes, you may be taken less than seriously.  Just a thought.

If you are still having concerns about your professional image, perhaps now is the time to speak with an Image Consultant.

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