Being Professional Means Being Personal

 A colleague recently mentioned he wanted to improve his biography page on his web site to come across more professional to clients.  After making his “improvements” I noticed he polished up his professional accomplishments and completely removed the paragraph about his personal interests, hobbies, and passions.

This struck me. In my opinion, conducting yourself in a professional manner includes revealing yourself personally to create TRUST with others.  In fact, that’s what this blog is all about!  The slogan “Part Professional, Part Personal, Always Insightful” means I want to provide both professional and personal insight so you may better know and trust me and my services.  WHO you are often means more to others than simply WHAT you do. 

Maybe I feel this way because of my chosen field and the way I run my business.  When helping clients, I often ask them personal questions about their life goals and dreams so I can best serve them and make the transaction’s outcome signify more than just dollars and cents.  In requesting such personal information, it is only fair I reciprocate and divulge myself through the process.  While driving around looking at homes or while giving advice about paying off a mortgage early, clients learn about my family, my boating obsessions, my ideals…they learn about me as I’m learning about them.  As a result, many clients become friends.  To me, professionalism is more than respectful demeanor, appropriate dress and market expertise; it also includes a personal panache that allows you, the client,  to get to know, like, and trust me, the professional, as a person.

I consider this the “new-school” way of being professional.  Simply doing your job well is not enough.  You must do it passionately while exuding your values and your interests; your personal side.

If you are new to my blog yet appreciate this “new-school” professionalism, then read on and stay tuned.  My ultimate goal is to develop a genuine, trusted relationship with you.  At some point you’ll need real estate services, and I have faith you’ll confide in a REALTOR and mortgage broker that has been professional, personal, and always insightful.