I came from a family where manners were not optional....you curtsied when you were introduced...graduating to shaking hands when you got older...when you were not old enough to print, you drew pictures of the present you got for your birthday or Christmas and sent it to your Aunt, Grandma, Godmother...When you were invited to someone's home for dinner..you brought flowers, a homade something, candy....You wrote a note when you got home thanking the host and hostess for the meals.
I always say that my husband does the unimportant parts of the transaction...like the closing files, inspections...for listings I worry about the staging, the menu for the brokers open, the graphics of the brochure...For buyers, I am sure that they have all the information they need on the areas they are looking at...if they are from out of town...that can be a small ton...in town, a little smaller, but a binder full all the same. First timers get our First time buyers outline of what to expect in the transaction...
And then....there is closing....and then there is the Thank You....We have made short sales, a conscious part of our practice....We have taken days of classes...we drove to Illinois...we flew to Florida...we are proudly CDPE designees and learn all we can to help people avoid foreclosure and close our short sales as expeditiously as possible. We couldn't do what we do if we didn't have a team of qualified professionals to assist us with their expertise in their various disciplines...so tonite...those people who work soooo hard to help us, to help our buyers and sellers will get their Thank You.....our bar is open stocked with theirn favorites....the homade meatballs and stuffed mushrooms await the oven, the eggs are deviled and decorated....a side of "short" cup of homade french onion soup topped with garlic crouton and ooey gooey four cheeses...Shrimp chilled with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce on crushed ice...chese spread, cucumber canapes with dill on cocktail rye....
Because I have never mastered the art of "portion control"....nor do I want to....the spread will continue this weekend for a co-broke who went out of their way with a transaction.....it's how we say Thank You....
Who Do You Appreciate...Show them your gratitude attitude ! Make it about THEM...your clients, , customers, lenders, title company, lawyer....they help you to be who you are...the best you can be...
Sally and David,
That was the way I was brought up as well and my kids have passed it on to their kids.
Good for you Terry....We got a thqank you note yesterday from a whole buyer family including their kids...warms your heart !
I was raised the same way. In this day an age I find people are surprised when I send a personal note! Everyone is so used to email, and that personal touch makes a big impression.
We have a gratitude board in our office...the notes are few but soooo very much appreciated...I think we were raised like the Cleavers...and that wasn't such a bad thing.
That's pretty cool, Sally. All that's missing is the tuna and green bean casserole with the french-fried onion rings on top. LOL.
We think you should go to your husband's reunion...drive thru Chicago...stay here and go on to Minneapolis.....you have a seat waiting at our bar anytime !
NOTHING makes me more upset than sending a baby gift, graduation gift, wedding gift and nada, no call, no thank you note, nothing. We have an annual "open house- thank you" at our office on Memorial Day weekend and invite all our past customers... and anyone new who would like to stop in. And my mother wouldn't let me have my gift until I wrote the thank you note and I followed that same practice with my children. It's just good manners to say thank you.
You idea sounds wonderful and I think I might just throw a little something for my agents. Your post serves as a reminder of how they have stuck in there with me when times are lean.
My sister says that we WERE the Cleavers...gratitude never goes out of style....and to my mind, it is the only right thing to do.