NOBODY likes a Salesy Slickster!
But is it possible that your prospects are falsely perceiving you as one?
This answer is YES. No matter how much of a genuine person you are, your innocent attempts at helpfulness may be inadvertently sending the wrong message to potential clients, and costing you tens of thousands $$ in missed opportunities.
On the other hand, if you don’t even TRY to strike up conversations about Real Estate, you should find a different occupation.
Becoming a Trusted and Authentic Advisor is a BIG and vital subject that interweaves throughout every module in the Agent Skills Master’s Program. For now, and in the interest of brevity, let’s look at a single example of how to improve your interactions.
Converting Open House Prospects to Clients
First, understand the apprehension of your prospects BEFORE they walk in the house. They’ve already been “attacked” by a few Salesy Slicksters at other Open Houses, so they’ve got their guard up. ♂️
Knowing this, the dumbest question you can possibly ask is, “Are you working with a REALTOR®?”.
You’ve just handed them an easy out on a silver platter, “Yes, we are, thanks!”
I suggest you avoid the subject of “the other REALTOR®” altogether and instead look for ways to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise, in a casual, friendly, and authentic way.
Even if it turns out that they are “working” with another REALTOR®, the chances are high that there is no formal arrangement, and that agent is doing nothing or very little to assist them. When you demonstrate your superior expertise and helpfulness, they’ll dump that unknown mediocre agent, like a hot potato.
Hey! If the other agent is doing an excellent job of keeping in touch and providing useful information, their clients will remain loyal. If not, and if you’re a great, customer-service-focused agent, you’re doing these prospects a massive favor. After all, who’s going to deliver a better result? The low-skill mediocre agent? Or you?
That said, it’s completely unnecessary and counter-productive to be aggressive about it. When you’re SKILLED, you pick up clients very naturally, seemingly with little to no effort. Rather than chasing after new clients, if you do this right, you’ll become a client-magnet.
Understand that building a relationship is a process. You don’t propose marriage on the first date, and neither should you be asking a person you’ve never met to make an instant decision on who’s going to represent them in a Real Estate transaction.
Just like on the first date, you’re playing it cool and doing your best to demonstrate why you’re a good catch. More importantly, you’re using active listening skills to learn what they like and dislike.
For example, are they an introvert or an extrovert? Do they value relationships more, or do they value facts and figures more? The answer to those two questions alone will determine which of the four key communication styles they prefer (Analytical, Driver, Expressive, or Amiable).
Hint: EVERY high-producing REALTOR® has thoroughly studied the science of Communication Styles.
When you become highly skilled at connecting with all four communication styles, your entire life becomes infinitely easier and more productive!
This isn’t about being “fakey” by the way. It’s about accessing the different natural traits that are inside all of us and bringing them to the surface. This makes you a much more well-rounded and authentic person who will naturally and easily form better relationships with all different personality types.
Authenticity is not about stubbornly sticking with only your strongest traits. You’re a much more complex person than most people realize. Learning how to access and bring your weaker traits to the surface is an empowering skill that we should ALL get better at. The more you practice this, the more natural it will become for you.
On that first date we talked about, if you want to pursue the relationship, your goal is to get a second date, right?
DO NOT PROPOSE MARRIAGE! No matter how much you like the person!
Similarly, your goal when you meet prospects at an Open House is to get their contact information and be able to follow-up with them later.
If you’ve got a good rapport going, it’s now 50X easier to get their contact information, as compared to when they first walked in. But the timing and HOW you ask is critically important.
For example, it’s a mistake to blurt out too soon to a buyer client prospect, “Would you like me to set you up on an auto-notification system?” If you find yourself holding your breath and anxiously waiting for the response when you ask this question, you’re doing it wrong.
Chances are, the answer is, “No thanks. We’re already receiving that information from someone else.” You blew it.
You just asked for a second date before the server brought the wine. ☹️
On the other hand, have you ever had a conversation with potential clients where you had an instant connection, and they just naturally volunteered their contact information? You can make that happen WAY more frequently if you’re willing to invest the time in developing your skills.
We’re running out of space, so I’ll continue this next week with some practical suggestions on how to get that elusive contact information and what to do with it afterward. Hint:
Don’t blow the second date!
