Things You Should Not Tell Your Clients

Here are some scenarios to approach with care and diplomacy to keep your business relationship on track. We also shared some sample verbiages you can use instead.

1. A Cluttered House.

Don’t say: “You have too much stuff that you need to dump.”

Do say: “Properly staged homes sell faster and, most times, for a higher price.”

2. A Smelly House.

Don’t say: “Your walls are dirty, and your house smells musty. People will only focus on that when they view your home.”

Do say: “I have a great contact I could recommend that can go through and do all the pesky deep cleaning for you. She’ll even scrub your walls, because I know I can’t stand doing that at my house.”

3. Being Inflexible.

Don’t say: “You can only reach me during business hours.”

Do say: “You can reach me between [pick a range of hours you are happy with], but I am always on alert for my clients.” You don’t have to be on call 24/7, but it’s important to set reasonable expectations with your clients.

4. Know-it-all Client.

Don’t say: “You don’t know what you’re talking about. If you don’t follow the contract, you will lose your deposit.”

Do say: “I can relate to your frustration regarding the deadlines in the contract, but they are there to protect both parties.”

5. Making Assumptions.

Don’t say: “Hi, you must be his daughter.” Guessing based on age or appearance is not advisable when you are identifying a client’s family or significant other. The person in this scenario could be a spouse not an offspring.

Do say: Introduce yourself and ask, “What relation are you to ( your client's name )?”

6. Expressing Opinions.

Don’t say: “My goodness, this house was just too old and small. Scratch this one off the list.” When your client wishes to say, “This is the one.”

Do say: “Tell me, what are your initial thoughts on the home?”