Ever been called hun or sweetie while trying to perform your job? Personally I do not like. But sometimes there is no other choice for a customer because some opt not to wear a name tag.
I personally do not enjoy name tags..back in the retail days we all wore name tags and many of us tried not to wear them.
In retail, name tags are as important as wearing shoes and if you didn’t wear one..sometimes you were sent home!
After leaving retail I attempted to be rebellious: “I AM NOT WEARING A NAME TAG! NEVER AGAIN!” I threw it away….Celebrating my departure from retail being nameless…without anyone knowing my name. So when I started my real estate career…I opted not to wear one..
Being in front of the public and being a no name..I noticed a couple of things would happen people would refer to me as hun or sweetie and sometimes when talking with people I would have to repeat my name over and over again..
For a very long time I had a nameplate on your desk. Why? Was the public going to see that?
I spent thousands each month getting my name out…with postcards..and ads and my website…yet I was stubborn, by not wearing a name tag did it hurt me? Yes it did.
I slowly figured it out…the name tag wasn’t for me but for the people I wanted to do business with.
For such a small investment with so much value. I ordered a name tag and before I knew it I had a few.
I started to notice a few things…
People would look directly at it.. My name is unique, I would have to repeat my name about 3 times with the customer….spell it for them and let them know Midori is a common Japanese name and it means green. Then I would point at my name tag.
Usually standing in line…fine dining and wearing the name tag..people would start real estate conversations with me..and at the end sometimes I would find a phone number in my hand.
For some reason the public finds name tags as official.
Ever been out in public for someone to notice you because you farm their neighborhood and they want to say something to you but they are not positive it’s you? Then all of a sudden they walk up and introduce themselves and tell you I wasn’t sure if that was you until I read your name tag. It has happened to me over and over again!
Don’t be rebellious…just pin and go..its one of the most affordable, useful marketing tools..just ask yourself this question. Can you really afford a missed real estate conversation or lost opportunity?
Contributing Writer: Midori Miller is a Real Estate Trainer and writes and trains Real Estate Training and assists sellers in short sale situations. Midori is a Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker , License # BK645709 at CENTURY 21 Sundance Realty and a member of the Daytona Area Association of REALTORS.

