You Had Me at Hello

One of the first things a successful salesperson learns is that you only get one time to make a first impression, and almost always, that first impression determines the sale’s success. Selling successfully has much to do with how you make a person feel, so If the first impression leaves a bad taste, it’s tough to overcome, and often, you won’t get a second shot.?

I have left retail stores, car dealerships, restaurants, and apartments because of a terrible first experience. Often, even before I’ve looked at the product, I walked in to buy.?

In 2002, I was hired (as the third broker) to take over the sales at 150 Nassau St - a residential conversion from office to condo. This was one of the first condo conversions in the financial district. The market was tough; sales had stalled, and I was tasked with selling the unsold 95 apartments.??The building was a beautiful prewar loft building with sweeping views over City Hall Park and the uptown skyline. The layouts were pretty good, and the amenities in the building were state-of-the-art for the time.??But, I noticed that when a potential buyer came to the building, the overall experience sucked. So, I immediately implemented some fundamental things that followed the basic principles of selling.??

I started at the front door. We put a well-spoken greeter in place who would warmly welcome any potential buyer and their agent. No buyer would ever be waiting for an agent to show up. There’s no worse experience than showing up for an appointment only to have the exclusive agent show up late and disheveled.?

We staged two apartments to showcase the layout and remove the need for a buyer to have an imagination. Buyers can’t gauge dimensions in an empty room. The question we are asked ad nauseam when we walk into any empty bedroom, regardless of the size, is always, “Would this fit a king-sized bed”? And “Where would I fit the dining room table” in the living room? So, we staged every room in the apartment with beautiful furniture and accessories and answered the questions before they could be asked. The trend for apartment staging was born.?

Eighteen months later, we were sold out. I can’t say it was ALL because of these minor changes that I implemented, but I can say that changing the first impression had as much to do with our success as anything else. It’s not easy to finish if you’re shooting yourself in the foot before you get off the blocks.?

Side Bar:

Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day. This is a public holiday that resonates very differently with everyone. To some, it’s a requirement to send out a social media message or email acknowledgment; to others, it’s a stark personal reminder of the sacrifices so many brave men and women have made to give us the freedoms we enjoy today. Personally, the list of people who sacrificed for me is long. People I never knew. This year especially, I am thinking about all of my ancestors’ bravery and what they endured to survive constant antisemitism and persecution from 1000 BC to World War 2.?

Let’s Do This-

Shaun