You win some, you lose some. That is real estate in one sentence, but nobody warns you how much the losing side stings, or how quickly it can turn into resentment if you let it. This episode is our guide for how to handle losing a client without letting it eat away at your business or your peace of mind.
The One Day Rule
A friend of ours has a rule for grieving a lost deal. You get one day. Cry, take a nap, have your one bad hour, and then the next day you reset and move forward. We believe in real estate karma too. Not everything that happens in your business is going to be bad, and it tends to even out over time if you let it.
We also talk about the clients who are nervous to tell us they are not hiring us. Over the years we have learned to respond the same way every time: we hear them, we understand there are thousands of other Realtors in our market, and we want them to make the decision that is best for their family, not the one that protects our feelings. That response has turned more than one lost deal into years of referrals down the road.
When Business Gets Personal
Real estate gets tricky because we build our businesses on relationships, and relationships are not siloed from business the way we sometimes wish they were. We share the story of a client who confessed over text that she was relocating out of state and letting a family friend list her house, and how staying warm and curious instead of hurt kept that friendship intact.
We also get into the clients who never confront you at all. The ones who let their listing pop up on Zillow without a word, or who let a Christmas card come back returned. We have found the people who ghost are usually the ones who are the most afraid of confrontation, not the ones who care the least.
Splitting Business and Setting Boundaries
Some of our favorite stories this episode involve the awkward reality of two person households where each spouse already has “their” agent. We talk through how we have handled being picked for one side of a transaction but not the other, and why professionalism in that moment pays off later.
We also share a practical trick for the moment you want to fire off an angry email. Type it out exactly how you feel, angry and unfiltered, then ask ChatGPT to make it professional and kind. It keeps the facts and takes out the heat, which keeps you from hitting send on something you will regret.
The Deal That Disappeared, and the Referral That Followed
We tell the story of a deal that started as a seven figure sale and purchase, shrank down to a $70,000 condo, and then disappeared entirely once we were honest about the condo’s red flags. It felt like a loss in the moment. Instead, it turned into a referral to the client’s friends because we told the truth instead of chasing the commission.
The Text That Repaired an Eight Year Friendship
We close with the story of a friendship strained for years after a lost deal, repaired with one honest text message acknowledging the hurt and making it clear there were no hard feelings. Learning how to handle losing a client with grace instead of resentment is not just good business. It protects the relationships that matter long after the deal is gone.
Give yourself permission to let this one go. Your value is not determined by whether someone hires you, and the way you handle the loss is what people remember.
Leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/HustleHumbly
Get your FREE Database Template
Submit your topic ideas and toasts to Team@HustleHumblyPodcast.com.
Music:
Straight A’s by Connor Price
The Good Life by Summer Kennedy
Be The One by Matrika
