“We should manage our fortunes as we do our health–enjoy it when good, be patient when it is bad, and never apply violent remedies except in an extreme necessity.”
-Francois de La Rochefoucauld, French author of maxims and memoirs.
“Steady on,” is one of those calming British phrases which urges sensible equanimity in the face of unsettling situations. It’s a phrase all real estate pros should keep in mind, a kind of mantra which comes in handy when doomsday economists and alarmist pundits predict the next meltdown. (Take, for example, this piece in MarketWatch: “Contrarian who called the 2008 housing crash expects a global recession this year.”)
If you’ve been in real estate long enough, you understand there are boom and bust cycles. Part of your role as counselor to your clients is to help them see the long view. One thing you can provide your clients is the “steady on” they need in their lives when the news pumps fear, uncertainty, and doubt in their ears 24/7.
Reach out to them. Ask them if they’re anxious about economic conditions. Thinking is not the solution to fear: action is. Your clients cannot think themselves out of the worries which keep them up at night. Offer to take a look at their real estate situation and see if there are any moves they can make (or not make!) in order to provide them peace of mind.
If you want to foster deep loyalty, find a way to prove your value as an advisor. Proactively offer to help people confront their fears. Provide clarity. This, above all, will build huge relationship equity.
Take the phrase with you this week: Steady on.
