The next time you ask a client to spruce up their product list, consider upgrading your company’s brand elements, writes coach Darryl Davis.
You know what’s funny? We spend a lot of time teaching sellers about suppression appeals. Clean the sidewalk. Keep your kitchen organized. Touch up the paint. Bring out fresh flowers. Please hide the trash can before the screening. why? Because we know buyers start forming opinions before they even walk through the door.
However, many agents forgot something important along the way. That means agents also have a restraining appeal.
Clients are forming an impression about you every day before you explain your value. before the consultation. Before scheduled listing. Sometimes before they even talk to you. They see how you show up, and whether we like it or not, the little things speak, sometimes quietly, sometimes like a roar.
Old photo from 10 years ago. Outdated bio. Dirty car. A cluttered Zoom background. Social media pages that haven’t been updated in years. Websites that still say Copyright 2020 in the footer. That’s all saying something.
I get it, economic times are tough right now and money is tight. So this isn’t about pretending to be perfect or spending thousands of dollars to look polished. it doesn’t matter. But presentation matters, so if we coach sellers to show their homes in the best light possible, shouldn’t we hold ourselves to the same high standards?
People do business with people they trust. And trust often begins to form long before the conversation begins.
Optimize your energy
Here’s what I’ve learned from over 30 years of coaching agents. It means that people notice energy. They notice if you look organized. They notice if you look calm and prepared. They notice if you look messy, rushed, distracted, or overwhelmed. A clean workspace says “I’m ready.” A clean car can be said to be “attention to detail”. Online professionals say, “I take my business seriously.”
No, this doesn’t have to be a major remodeling project. Some of the biggest improvements come from the smallest changes. Improve office lighting. Clear the clutter from your desk. Updating your profile photo. Clean up your email signature. Instead of your clients staring at the mess behind you while you talk about professionalism and organization, create a simple and professional Zoom background.
Simple things. But simple things create emotion. And emotions create trust.
What’s interesting is that this doesn’t just affect clients. It affects you too.
When your environment is chaotic, it becomes difficult to feel focused. It’s hard to feel productive. It’s hard to feel motivated. But when your space feels clean, intentional, and full of energy, the way you carry yourself changes. you see it differently. The way we communicate is different. You show up differently. That is human nature and psychology.
Let’s talk briefly. I remember driving past a real estate office many years ago that looked completely abandoned. A faded sign. Overgrown landscaping. Windows had never seen Windex in a long time. Honestly, the only thing listed there seemed to be regrets.
And my first thought wasn’t about the building. My first thought was, if this is how they take care of their space, how are they taking care of their customers?
People associate presentation with professionalism
Whether you work in a brick-and-mortar office, a shared workspace, or your kitchen table, your environment tells a story. So ask yourself honestly. Does my space reflect the professionalism, preparation, and care people expect from a trusted agent?
Now let’s talk a little bit about digital curb appeal. Because today, the front door has become as important as the physical door. Most clients have already researched you online before calling you. They checked your website, social media, reviews, brand, and photos. They have already decided whether they feel you are up-to-date, trustworthy, knowledgeable, and active.
What kind of stories are they watching?
Does your online presence actually reflect the level of care and professionalism you provide to your customers, or does it seem abandoned? Do you feel like your branding is consistent, or does every platform look like a different version of you?
Perfection isn’t necessary. It requires intentionality.
That’s really the bottom line of this whole conversation. Clients aren’t looking for perfect people. They’re looking for someone they can feel comfortable trusting with one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.
And trust is often built through consistency. Through preparation. Through the presentation. Through small details, I quietly communicate that I value what I do.
Before you tell your next seller to update the landscaping or repaint the front door, take a quick look at your own “curb appeal,” too. your office. your car. your workspace. your website. your social profile. your energy. your presentation.
Not because we need to be someone we’re not, but because how we show up matters.
Clients feel professionalism. They feel prepared. they feel proud. And in doing so, trust will naturally begin to form.
This week, consider how you’re showing up and think of all the small ways you can upgrade it. Because sometimes the smallest upgrades create the biggest breakthroughs.
