A Client’s Reaction to Forbes

Bringing back an oldie from 2011, enjoy! To be fair, not just a client, but a very special client who I now call a friend, sent me this email (re-posted in its entirety, with no changes or edits and with his permission and blessing), after he read this article:

Miamism.com in The News and Forbes

I love the fact that our clients continue to read Miamism way after they have purchased or sold a property and actually subscribe to our feed.  Without further ado, Ritch Holben’s Reaction to Forbes article on Miamism and the interview that followed.

Well, well, well, Ms. Eye-nessssss!
That was a fantastic article. Congratulations on becoming the face of Small Business Empire for the 2010’s!  Shall we dub you Ping the Merciless, or Queen Qik?
Seriously, this was an incredibly helpful interview, and organized, and a great tool to help those of us that are a bit behind in the times.  Thank you for taking your time to do it.
But there were several KEY ELEMENTS Gene left out of the story that, in my opinion, make you so successful and perfect at what you do.  These points may be “givens” to those of us that are seasoned business-folk that operated in the pre-Internet world, (yes, you 20-somethings, there was such a time) but they may not be so obvious to the next generation of tech-savvy, plugged-in, micro-chipped entrepreneurs that are coming into the market now.

1.  You know WHAT you are selling.

For Ken and I, your knowledge of design and architecture (being an architect yourself) put you in a different league than other realtors.
You have the language of design in your back pocket, and understand the aspects of a property beyond specs of # of bedrooms and baths.  You understand flow, light, scale and proportion, historical relevance, neighborhood structure, and you see beyond the obvious in a property, to its potential.  You can link that data to the aspirations of a potential buyer.  This allows you to streamline the process and make relevant recommendations to a buyer, thus saving time and money in the search-and-selection process.  And you follow thru, soup to nuts.  From the Search to the Offer, thru Negotiation to the Financing to Closing, you and Rick are there every step of the way, greasing the skids of a skiddish market to make it as easy for the buyer (and, I assume, a seller) as is possible in the new economy.

2.  You know HOW to sell by not selling.

This is really an aspect of your amazing personality. You are a guide, and you take folks into the unknown of the real estate market, and you step back, allowing them to experience a space on their own terms (unless they are getting into dangerous territory, then step in to save them – perhaps you should consider donning a safari hat!).  You are charming, but upfront.  You are accommodating, but willing to express your opinions, even if negative.  You are always professional, but personable.  You seem to respect your clients, and can befriend them at the same time.
and finally, you are gorgeous!  In Miami, at least, this is relevant!
I think my disappointment from this article, or books like Crush It, is that they seem to allude that success can be accomplished by following a prescribed list of technological trends.  I do agree that, if handled correctly, they help in getting potential clients to “find” you via the Internet, and it may open up an initial discussion with them.  However, if you don’t have all these other (old-school) differentiators that define you as possessing unique offerings, superior service, or whatever elevates you in your chosen field, your “success” will simply equate itself to the guy who goes to the singles bar every night and counts his success by the number of hash marks on the bedpost.  It might be fun for a while, but relationships with longevity and depth will always make for a healthier,  successful business model, when morning comes.
In my opinion, Miamism is a success because of Ines and Rick.  And yes, the twattosphere (my personal bias, but I will overcome it!)  should have the opportunity to meet you, to work with you, and to learn from you.  But in the end, your success is because of how wonderful YOU are!
Your forever happy client,
Ritch Holben

I cannot let these accolades be one-directional and MUST guide you to Ritch’s work. He’s an architect with an amazing eye who pays special attention to the most intricate design details. His final products are nothing short of spectacular and manages to marry simplicity and complexity in order to obtain spaces that are warm, welcoming, and flawless. Ritch’s photography is out of this world and love his innovative, modular, customizable art program of “aerial photo artiles” that can be uniquely fitted into your lifestyle – take a look at the photos in the book: The View From Up Here. I know I can go on forever, especially after that ri-di-culous testimonial, but we must rest this love fest before we make anyone sick to their stomach. 😉 Originally published in June 2011