While we often pound our chests and claim we are professionals, many agents demonstrate just the opposite.

In our ever-changing market, with far more changes to come, buyers and sellers are looking for other ways to handle their real estate needs. More so than in recent decades, we must be in a position to convince a potential client that we are the professional that stands out above the other agents. Clients are looking for intelligent agents that provide a lot more than a nice photo and a listing in the MLS. If they seek an agent, they want someone with experience, a good track record, and an agent that shows their commitment to the industry and their career.

Here are some issues that clients will look at to determine if they feel comfortable working with you.

Your phone number. Using a phone number with an out of state area code. How committed are you to Arizona real estate when your phone is registered elsewhere? Clients that want serious agents will often pass you if you do not show you are a professional. Since so many people move here, and then obtain a real estate license, many keep the original phone number, “just in case…” Meaning, if Arizona and/or real estate does not work out, maybe they will go back. Does that say “professional?”

And as many of us become defensive when answering the phone, with more and more criminals trying their best to get something from us over the phone, out of state area codes are one of the first things people ignore or block those calls.

Free email accounts? Your email address can say a lot about you. First, is it a free domain such as Gmail, Hotmail, and others like it, might show the client that you do not take your career seriously if you would not spend a few dollars every year in a professional domain. Some agents choose to use the free email account that their brokerage provides and this email looks far more professional than a free web-based domain. There is nothing wrong with the free services mentioned above. Are they less secure than your own domain, or your brokerage domain? No. Any email account is subject to hacking, regardless of the service.

Invest in your career and obtain an email domain that better reflects professionalism, rather than a domain that is web-based and free. Most email hosting companies will provide an email domain for low fees. For example, I have jon@jonkichen.com which looks and feels professional, and it costs less than $100 per year. It is simple to set up and maintain, and it shows your clients that you are a professional willing to invest in their business. For the cost of one coffee-shop cup a month, you could have a professional domain.

If you want or expect people to call you, ANSWER the phone!

If not, then activate and personalize your voicemail. One that says, “Please leave your message for 801-439 xxxx) shows that you did not even care to set up a simple message. And nothing is more frustrating when the caller takes the time to call, and listen to your message, only to hear that the mailbox is full and cannot accept more messages. Do you think that person (potential client) will call you back?

Your car… your license plate. Maybe the tags from your previous state costs $40 a year yet would cost $420 a year here. But what does that say to clients when you drive up, or ask them to get into your car, when they see an out of state license plate?

And if you want the buyers to get into your car, look at it. Clean? Inside and out?

Stuff on the seats and floor? Debris, food stuff, baby seats, etc.

As most agents use the same vehicle to drive buyers around and do the weekend outings with the family, the vehicle should be as clean and clutter free as possible when buyers might be sitting in your car.

And how does it smell inside? There are some vehicle air freshers that can be hidden and have a good effect on the interior smell, yet be careful with overloading the odor, as many people are sensitive to perfumes and manufactured odors from air fresheners. If you are a smoker, and you try to hide the odor with heavy air-fresheners, that can be overpowering to many people.

If you are going to be in the real estate business here in Arizona, it is best to show you are a professional and you are invested in your business. Yes, you might save money by keeping your out-of-state phone number, your fee email account and your license plates, but what does that say about you?