Dress for Success! But sometimes “one size does not fit all”! (Case Study)

What’s on Jill’s Mind?

Dress for Success!

You know the expression “Dress for Success”..right?  Certainly it was my professional “mantra” when I was an executive in the Fashion Industry, whether I was working in Montreal, New York, Vancouver, Brazil or Italy…We don’t get a SECOND chance to make a good FIRST impression was another one.  And in my Real Estate business, I follow these practises whether I am wardrobing myself and meeting new clients, or whether I am getting your home ready to reveal itself to the purchasing public.  Look your best and you will do your best! There is actually a lot of  truth behind these concepts.  And, “normally” that would mean appropriate business attire for business meetings, of which I am a loyal follower!  But recently, I took a “side trip” from convention and, well, it was a good choice it seems.

I received a call from a wonderful “cheerleader” in my sphere around 4pm in the afternoon last week, who had a referral for me.  The gentleman was from out of town and had just arrived in Toronto because he needed to look after the estate of his father who had recently passed away.

I called him and arranged to meet with him in the coming days to discuss how I could help with the sale of the property and anything else he might need, since I would be (if hired) stick handling the transaction remotely so that he could return home with his family.

I got an unexpected call that same evening from him, asking if I could come right over (though he quickly added he understood if I couldn’t).  I quickly moved some things around and said “yes….I will be there within the hour”.  I was in “casual attire” and I wondered if I should quickly change into something more “formal”.  I had no time, because whatever minutes I did have, were spent on looking at the history of the house, accumulating some comparative sales in the area, and getting familiar with how I would position this house when it came to market.  With only minutes to spare, (because yes, I AM manic about being ON TIME for meetings)  I donned my jacket, shoes and tote bag (see photo attached) and was off to my listing presentation.  It was unusual for me to show up for a meeting with a new potential client in such casual attire; however, I decided that prioritizing my quick response to his request to meet earlier than expected and being nimble with my time, so that I could research the property with an eye towards managing expectations of the fair market value of the house, would overshadow my wardrobe choice.

I arrived at the house at exactly the time I had promised and knocked on the door.  The gentleman opened the door and stood back in the entry hall a bit.  He looked at me for a few seconds and I thought “uh ohhhhh” and he said the following in a booming voice….

“Well!  This is going to go well.  You’re wearing my favourite colour!”

And yes, for all of you who know me…I was “ON BRAND” that night.  In ORANGE.

I stepped in and spent the next hour and a half touring the house, sharing info about our market, asking a ton of questions, listening to his stories about his father and his family, comparing cities where we had both lived in the past, empathizing about how we were both “solopreneurs” and we also committed to having some FUN with this listing when we were ready to go to market.  Oh yes, I was hired.

Moral of the story:

Get up.

Dress up.

Show up.

But never give up.

Oh….and be your authentic self.  Sometimes, it’s ok to stand out instead of fitting in.  If you do this with style, grace and some humility, I can assure you, the universe WILL provide.

Is it time for you to Move in for the first time? move up? Scale down? I can help with all these options!

If you (or someone you know), are looking for a Realtor who cares MORE about focusing on your concerns, goals and the successful purchase or sale of YOUR unique home, than they care about their volume of transactions and awards, please let me know the best way for me to connect.  I would love to offer my highly personal service. Contrary to that old expression, not only IS this business, but it IS personal! And, please, I encourage you to ask me any questions you may have about this post. I value your input and appreciate the time you took to read it.