The estate agent who won my business didn't do anything special (and what you can learn from them)

Have you ever wondered what your firm actually feels like to a potential client reaching out for the first time? Do you assume your enquiry process is working smoothly, when in reality you might be losing people before you've ever had the chance to speak to them? If you've never tested your own sales funnel end to end, from the first Google search to the follow-up email, this episode is for you.I share what I learned when I recently became the client, going through the process of choosing an estate agent whilst downsizing our home. What I noticed at every stage, every small detail that nudged me towards or away from each firm, applies directly to how professional services firms win and lose work. In this episode, I talk about the power of those first few seconds, the difference between being processed and being heard, and the surprisingly simple things that moved an agent from "probably not" to "let's give them a chance". You'll hear a practical two-step check you can do this week to find out whether your own enquiry process is silently costing you clients.What you'll learn in the podcast episode:- Why thought leadership in even a local publication can get you on a prospect's shortlist before you know they exist, and what that means for your content strategy- How the first ten seconds of a phone call communicate everything about your firm's values, and why a routing system or compliance statement can undo years of carefully crafted marketing- The simple personalisation tactic that moved one estate agent from "probably not" to a genuine contender, and how to apply the same principle in your own follow-up process- Why promptly confirming an appointment matters far more than most firm owners realise, and the emotional work a well-judged confirmation email is doing behind the scenes- The two practical checks you can do immediately to find out where your enquiry process is leaking leads, including one most firm owners have never thought to doRelated episodes:Why your ideal clients have already shortlisted someone else (Before you knew they were looking) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/why-your-ideal-clients-have-alreadyThe lead generator sitting in plain sight (that most firms ignore) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/you-know-your-website-needs-updating?r=l8khyHow to get clients to say yes (without chasing or discounting) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/why-clients-say-let-me-think-about?r=l8khyWhy your marketing isn’t working and how one simple document can fix it https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/why-your-marketing-isnt-working-and?r=l8khyThe introverts guide to networking https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-introverts-guide-to-networking?r=l8khyHow to put your marketing on autopilot https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/how-to-put-your-marketing-on-autopilotUseful links:- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown UpWelcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth ClubEach episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again. Get full access to Start Up To Grown Up at startuptogrownup.substack.com/subscribe