Clients First: The Two Word Miracle

The Question

So, this lady in blue was smiling and waiting her turn in the line that formed near the stage after the event. Dozens of audience members wanted to talk one-on-one with the speakers. This woman had been impressed with the panel and was fiercely determined to have her moment with JoAnn.

At last JoAnn finished with the gentleman in front of the lady in the blue suit, and the woman stepped forward. She was in her early 40s, perfectly made up, and she explained that she had been in real estate for almost 20 years. Then this vision in blue asked her question. “Tell me,” she said, “what’s the one thing you feel is the secret for your fabulous success in so short a time?”

We weren’t used to terms like fabulous. We just felt lucky. We had no clue how we compared to other agents in the Scottsdale and Phoenix market area, because you couldn’t access the data back then. We knew who the local legends were and had completed transactions with a couple of them, but we had no idea that over the previous 12 months we had sold more homes than any other agent in Arizona.

JoAnn seemed not to notice the praise and immediately launched into an explanation of all the things we did to take care of our clients. She told the lady in blue that we put our clients first at all times, thus making them feel that to us they are the most important people in the world.

This nice woman waited patiently through it all. She took care to nod at all the correct moments. Then, when JoAnn had finished, with ...