During these uncertain times, the importance of personal connection is being highlighted – especially to those who are in service industries such as the real estate sector. Top international real estate coach, Brian Buffini, believes that prioritising self-care and the well-being of others is at the forefront of success in 2021.
Buffini, founder of Buffini & Company whose coaching services have trained more than 3 million professionals from 37 countries worldwide, cites that between 14 and 23 million people plan to relocate in the next year due to shifting work environments, including work-from-home flexibilities and new remote work policies.
Calling this the “decentralisation of how people are living,” and with the heightened movement across many markets these days, Buffini says that it remains incredibly useful to be connected to a global network whose affiliates support – and refer business to – one another from across local regions as well as across the globe.
In Southern Africa, RE/MAX has signed an exclusive deal to offer Buffini training to all its associates. Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, Adrian Goslett, explains that this ongoing Buffini training helps the RE/MAX SA network better navigate these challenging circumstances.
According to the latest advice from Buffini, one essential component lacking from our new pandemic routines is human connection. To remain successful in these times, Buffini states that an agent’s priority, therefore, should be on their own well-being, and that of their clients.
“There's never been a better time to call people on the telephone and actually have a conversation – they actually will talk to you. You know, most people will want to hear you, they want to see you [and] they want to have some kind of human interaction,” Buffini says.
He says that dropping off small gifts on clients’ doorsteps – usually useful items such as first aid kits, hand sanitizers, or even just a tasty treat – have become a popular way for real estate professional to show their clients some love from a safe distance away.
“Find a way to reach out to people [with a] personal touch – do the little things. Every little personal touch right now, to me, is magnified enormously,” he says.
These small personal touches help establish long-term trust between the agent and the client. This trust is so vital to families who come to rely on the agent’s advice during pivotal transitions in their lives
“There is no technology that competes with personal trust. You can have that old-school philosophy [and] you can have new-school techniques, [technology] and marketing to support it,” Buffini says.
Especially during trying times, Goslett explains that an agent’s role is more important than ever before. “There is enough to worry about in the midst of this pandemic without still having to stress about the legal and financial requirements of moving homes. Successful agents will be the ones who acknowledge this and make themselves a valuable and reliable source of advice to ease homeowners concerns during the process,” Goslett concludes.
