Talk Title:
“Reality Check: Standing Out in a World Trained by Zillow & HGTV”
Luke Thomas - Founder & CEO of H&L Design ~ Build
(585) 451-2428
luke@hldesign.build
🔥 1. THE HOOK: Stereotypes & False Expectations
“Let’s kick this off with a little audience participation. I’ll say a job title—you shout the first stereotype that comes to mind.”
Prompt 1:
“Remodeling contractor?”
(Likely: unreliable, messy, poor communicator, late, gruff…)
Prompt 2:
“Okay, your turn: Real estate agent?”
(Maybe: always on their phone, pushy, distracted, high energy, slick…)
“Here’s the truth—we’re not just working against real competitors.
We’re working against preloaded assumptions and Hollywood illusions.”
🧠 2. THE ZILLOW & HGTV EFFECT
“Clients today think they’re informed.
They’ve watched 300 hours of HGTV and clicked through every Zestimate in their zip code.”
“But here’s what they’ve actually absorbed:
Real estate happens in 22-minute story arcs
Renovation means dramatic demo and a shiny reveal
Every problem is solved by the end of the episode—with a hug and a drone shot.”
“The result? Clients arrive confident, but not prepared.
They expect instant answers, constant updates, and cinematic results—without understanding timelines, costs, complexity, or nuance.”
“If we want to be unforgettable, we can’t just meet those expectations.
We have to reframe them—with clarity, confidence, and care.”
🏗️ 3. WHO WE ARE AT H&L: Dream. Design. Build. For LIFE.
“At H&L Design ~ Build, we don’t just swing hammers—we dream, design, and build for LIFE. And not the TV-version of life. The real one.
Full. Busy. Hectic. Wonderful. Stressful. Worth it.”
“We’ve built a truly all-inclusive process:
Dream ➝ Design ➝ Build
From the very first discovery call to the final walkthrough, we take care of everything—architecture, permitting, product tracking, and selections.”
“And we back it with something HGTV never mentions:
a limited lifetime warranty.”
“We’re not just delivering beautiful work—we’re delivering peace of mind.
That’s the kind of care that gets remembered.”
🤝 4. WHAT MAKES US UNFORGETTABLE
“Being unforgettable means we build trust from the start, and we earn it daily.”
Here’s what that looks like at H&L:
🧢 We look the part: Branded uniforms, clean trucks, professional crew
📲 We communicate proactively: Weekly updates, same-day replies, zero ghosting
🎯 We guide the process: We don’t just ask what color paint—they lean on us for everything from layout to lighting
🛠️ We follow through: Daily site cleanup, walkthroughs, warranty support
❤️ We stay connected: Long after the job ends, they still text us when they need a guy
“Like a great agent, we don’t disappear at the closing. We become ‘your person’—for everything home-related.”
🪞 5. THE PARALLEL FOR REAL ESTATE PROS
“You’re facing the same battle.
Zillow delivers data.
HGTV delivers drama.
But you deliver discernment. And that’s what clients need most.”
“You can’t out-Zillow Zillow.
But you can out-care, out-communicate, and out-connect.”
“Does your onboarding feel templated—or tailored?
Do your follow-ups feel automated—or intentional?”
“In a world where attention spans are short, the most memorable brands are the ones that slow down and serve with purpose.”
⚡️ 6. 3 CHALLENGES TO CREATE HIGH-IMPACT CLIENT EXPERIENCES
“Here are 3 things you can do this week to raise your bar and become unforgettable:”
Challenge 1 – Reset Expectations Early
“Take time to educate your clients on process and pace. Set clarity before urgency.”
Challenge 2 – Make Your Process Visual
“Map it out. Use a timeline, a checklist, a dashboard—give them something to follow and feel anchored by.”
Challenge 3 – Stick Around After the Close
“The closing isn’t the end—it’s the start of your reputation.
Check in. Show up. Send a note. Stay in their story.”
7. WRAP + Q&A HANDOFF
“Being unforgettable isn’t about being flashy.
It’s about being the one who made them feel safe, confident, and taken care of.”
“That’s what we do at H&L. And that’s what you can do too.”