1. Bringing up objections that the customer hasn’t
As agents it’s always a great idea to be aware of the top
objections your clients may potentially bring up. However let’s not be too eager
to anticipate these and bring them up before the customer does.
Perhaps create an agenda with the client and focus on
answering questions that they know are relevant to them, rather than you pre-emptively
bringing up the top objections so you can then
‘refute’ them.
The typical example is when an agent is asked their fees we
automatically go into defence mode as we assume the client is going to object to
it.
2. Not getting a commitment from the customer
as to what the next step will be
Let me paint a picture on this one. You are on a date with a
hot chick or man; would you actually leave without locking in another date? Probably
not.
Never send out any communication where you ask the client
to call or contact you. Because they won’t and you will be complaining about
why you don’t get any responses.
Never leave an appointment without an authority or the
agreement to catch up again if you didn’t get one.
Keep the ball in your court, tell them you will be touching
base with them tomorrow or the next day or in your marketing tell the consumer
you will be calling them. (please don’t say you don’t have all the numbers –
door knock if you don’t)
3. This
one is my favourite - Selling Features
Rather Than Results
I often hear that the oppostion are getting more business because they have their photo on a board! No it’s not because they
have photos of themselves on their boards. It's probably more likely they prospect the area,
work their database, build better relationships and are a better agent than
you.
Consumers do not buy a product because it has desirable
features or your photo everywhere. What the consumer really cares about is the
results they will get when they buy your product and how it will impact their
next decision – usually to buy or sell, upgrade or downgrade etc.
Do some research and
find out why customers buy your product – then sell that result, using the features to support your
ability to deliver that result.
4. Be real – do not fake intimacy
You will get caught out. Real estate doesn’t really sit high on peoples
mind shelf as it is, so if you go into listing appointments and ‘gush’ unnecessarily
you will be fighting an uphill battle to win trust.
Another example is when or if you are doing a cold call, do
not ask how are you doing today? The person on the other side will probably
want to hang up on you. Perhaps making the statement hope you are well today and the purpose of my call..... is better than the question
Remain professional at all times. They need to know you,
like you and trust you before you can become casual with them.
5. Talking
More Than Listening
This is such a common
problem, agents love to hear the sound of their own voice and talk about
themselves. Your clients find this behaviour very irritating and boring. Yes, you
are nervous, excited, eager to drive the sale forward and want to
get through your whole sales pitch, but just stop and listen to yourself.
The art of selling is a passive activity. You need to listen
to your client’s needs, understand what their concerns and pain points are and
then provide them with solutions they can relate to. You need them to trust you will deliver the sale of their property at the best possible price in the shortest
period of time.
6. Failing to Follow Through
Not doing what you
say you are going to do is failing to win the customers trust. The old adage of
"under promise and over deliver" is important.
The consumer is actually used to agents not following through
on what they promise. So in their mind we are guilty until proven innocent. To
build the trust with your clients you need to follow through to ensure that you
overcome the natural antipathy most have towards agents.
Remember- drop the
ball on this once and you will be out of the picture.
However if you don’t drop the ball and where relevant do the
extra 1% you will be remembered for all the right reasons.
7. Treating a "Close" as the End of
the Process
Just because the
property has sold does not mean it is the end of the process or activity. Agents
have love affairs with their clients. A six – ten week campaign and once the
sold stickers are on the board you move onto your next affair.
The real work happens
after the sale has occurred. You now have two people who know you, like you and
trust you. This can enable you to build relationships and receive ongoing referrals and
repeat business. This is undoubtedly far more profitable then chasing new business.
Always aim for
long-term relationships rather than short-term affairs. The "close" is the beginning, not the
end, of the process.
