The Power of the 'Upside-Down Pyramid': Why Agents Should Build Trust from the First Touchpoint

Trust is the foundation of successful client-agent relationships. By adopting the "upside-down pyramid" approach, agents can build trust from the very first touchpoint for a better chance of securing instructions vs the competition, according to Brian Farrell, Founder of Acaboom. 

“Building trust with clients is crucial for agents to succeed, but often the first touchpoint between an agent and a potential client (which should set the tone for the entire relationship) is lacking. 

This isn’t down to lack of expertise of sales savvy. As an agent myself in a previous life, I understand the need for speed and efficiency. Not every client has the potential to instruct, and with great CRM tools that can automate out the confirmation of the appointment- valuers must ask, is there a benefit of adding extra effort at such an early stage? I am a firm believer that in fact, everything you do at this pre appointment stage matters significantly. 

Getting the appointment is hard enough….

The marketing and sales landscape looks vastly different from that of just a few decades ago. With the advent of the Internet, blogging, social media, and a myriad of digital communications channels, the path to instruction is not a simple, straight line, but a complex and varied web of twists.

What doesn’t make sense is making this effort to spend what has been estimated at £200+ in marketing spend to acquire appointments – to then send a templated confirmation and hope they don’t cancel, to pray that the valuer performs on the day and that they find what they need in that printed report justifies your fees and expertise. 

You likely know that within the first seven seconds of meeting, people will have a solid impression of who you are — and some research suggests a tenth of a second is all it takes to start determining traits like trustworthiness.

That isn’t enough time to talk about your agency history, charm your client or much else to be fair.  This all points to one thing – putting more of the focus on the appointment is not giving you the advantage. 

Flip the sales pyramid upside down 

Before the appraisal, agents can do far more to connect. Our pre-appointment presentations were designed to include video introductions, key unique selling points and surveys to gather important information and address clients' specific concerns before the appraisal. (This proactive approach fosters engagement and enables agents to better tailor their service to clients' needs with a solid first impression.)  A personalised valuer video allows clients to see who they will be meeting, learn about the agent's experience and success, and get an overview of what will be covered during the appraisal. By incorporating well-produced video content, agents can differentiate themselves from competitors and ignite clients' enthusiasm before the actual appointment. It also takes a lot of pressure off the ‘on the day’ performance. 

And it's not about what you say – but what you know about who you are meeting and what you can know in advance. At Acaboom we made a client digital footprint analysis feature possible for just this reason. It allows agents to gather valuable insights about potential clients from various platforms like social media, online marketplaces for a better understanding of clients' preferences, interests, and their property history. This knowledge empowers agents to personalize their approach, tailor their appraisal, and establish a stronger connection with clients.

Trust is the foundation of successful client-agent relationships. By adopting the "upside-down pyramid" approach, agents can build trust from the very first touchpoint for a better chance of securing instructions vs the competition.”