#3 is to Qualify your leads
1. Do you routinely qualify all buyers and sellers? With buyers I mean more than just their lending capabilities. Finding out their motivation is the number 1 tool you have. Imagine a doctor prescribing you medicine without first asking your known allergies, getting your weight, etc.
2. Why do most agents avoid pre-qualifying? Often times they are afraid their ONE lead is not qualified because then they will have no leads. So they avoid the questions and just "hope and pray" they will buy or sell.
3. How would you handle it if you did run across an unqualified or unmotivated prospect? What is your script for that?
#4 is go on Presentations daily
1. Do you use a script on your listing and buying presentations? If not, why? Using a script helps you maintain control of the presentation, make sure you ask all the appropriate questions, keeps your presentation to a reasonable time and sets you apart as a professional. If you show up and "wing it" each time, how professional is that?
2. We get paid to the level we present. Do you practice the presentation regularly? How will you know you're getting any better if you don't practice? What are the common objections you receive at a presentation? The number of objections you receive is most likely related to the quality of your presentation. Tighten it up and watch your objections go right out the door!
If you have questions about these ideas, feel free to contact me.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
7 Basics of Selling
Well after a short, unintentional break from this blog, I am back with information that I hope will bring light to your career. These are not new age ideas. They are basics. Vince Lombardi said it best..."become brilliant at the basics."
So here are the first 2.
1. Find people who want to buy or sell real estate every day.
What are you doing now to generate leads?
Is it working?
Do you have a consistent flow? Lead generation to your business is like water to a plant. Without it both will die!
How much time do you spend each day generating new leads to replace the old ones?
Do you know what questions to ask to generate lead?
2. Follup Up Daily/Regularly
How much lead follow up does a truly qualified, motivated lead actually need? I would suggest none! Since the point of lead follow up is to set an appointment and nothing else, if they are truly qualified you should be able to do it immediately. For everyone else, good lead follow up is needed.
How do you create urgency with your leads?
Do you know their true motivation? If not, how do you know when the right time is?
What is your current lead follow up system?
Is it working?
Do you have the right mindset about leads? Are you afraid to lose an unqualified lead OR are you afraid of what you're losing messing around with an unqualified lead.
I suggest the latter will make you more money.
For help with these or other questions about your business, email me!
So here are the first 2.
1. Find people who want to buy or sell real estate every day.
What are you doing now to generate leads?
Is it working?
Do you have a consistent flow? Lead generation to your business is like water to a plant. Without it both will die!
How much time do you spend each day generating new leads to replace the old ones?
Do you know what questions to ask to generate lead?
2. Follup Up Daily/Regularly
How much lead follow up does a truly qualified, motivated lead actually need? I would suggest none! Since the point of lead follow up is to set an appointment and nothing else, if they are truly qualified you should be able to do it immediately. For everyone else, good lead follow up is needed.
How do you create urgency with your leads?
Do you know their true motivation? If not, how do you know when the right time is?
What is your current lead follow up system?
Is it working?
Do you have the right mindset about leads? Are you afraid to lose an unqualified lead OR are you afraid of what you're losing messing around with an unqualified lead.
I suggest the latter will make you more money.
For help with these or other questions about your business, email me!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Why is this a great market?
What you believe greatly impacts your results. We are driven by our thoughts. So, how do you feel about today's market? Are you surviving or THRIVING? Or worse, stuck in a rut? Well, regardless of where you are, here are several reasons why this is the BEST time to be in real estate!
1. Interest rates are still very low and favorable.
2. Buyers have plenty of great homes to choose from. Remember the days when every house was a bidding war and our buyers got so frustrated? Not today!
3. There are more Expired leads than ever before. Great opportunities to get listings.
4. FSBO's have little to no chance of selling on their own in this market. They will have to employ a powerful agent like yourself to get the job done.
5. There are fewer agents in the market today, less competition.
6. A lot of the agents left in the business are beaten up and have bad attitudes about the market.
7. Sellers are now aware of the market and are more willing to negotiate to get their home sold.
8. Tax credits and incentives have brought out more buyers.
9. Prices are low and affordable for more people to get involved.
10. The need for YOUR professional service has never been higher.
With these thoughts in mind, who are you going to help today? Someone in your market needs your service, will you go find them?
1. Interest rates are still very low and favorable.
2. Buyers have plenty of great homes to choose from. Remember the days when every house was a bidding war and our buyers got so frustrated? Not today!
3. There are more Expired leads than ever before. Great opportunities to get listings.
4. FSBO's have little to no chance of selling on their own in this market. They will have to employ a powerful agent like yourself to get the job done.
5. There are fewer agents in the market today, less competition.
6. A lot of the agents left in the business are beaten up and have bad attitudes about the market.
7. Sellers are now aware of the market and are more willing to negotiate to get their home sold.
8. Tax credits and incentives have brought out more buyers.
9. Prices are low and affordable for more people to get involved.
10. The need for YOUR professional service has never been higher.
With these thoughts in mind, who are you going to help today? Someone in your market needs your service, will you go find them?
Monday, March 15, 2010
What I've learned in this business.
Through many years of selling, managing, training, and coaching I have come across truths in the business that cannot be overlooked. This will be a "blog" in progress! Here are a few of them to consider.
1. Your mindset will determine your outcome. You can put in the time, prospect, follow up, go on appts, have a strict schedule...if you don't have the right mindset, you won't have the right business.
2. We get paid for what we know, not necessarily for what we physically do. So if we are paid on our knowledge, how are you increasing that so you can earn more money? We have scripts, stats, dialogues, objection handlers all to make your business more smooth. Are you using them? Practicing them? Most in the business don't and are paid directly in proportion to that.
3. Time Management. Boy what a topic. I've never had a coaching client where this wasn't an issue to discuss. Because of no real "boss" we lack the accountability that is provided in a normal job. We are all responsible for how we spend our day and since we each have the same 24 hours the question becomes...how does a 100 deal a year producer spend their day? And, how is it different from how you spend your day?
4. To truly operate as a business person, it is essential to know and track your numbers. This ranges from deals closed to how many appts it takes to get a listing. This is only important if you want to predict your business and have control of it. How are you tracking what you do each day?
5. Coaching. It just makes sense that the most productive agents have a coach. The accountability, motivation and continuous education is why they are set apart from the rest. What would be the perfect coach for you?
This is a start to this list. I will continue these ideas over the coming days. Feel free to leave comments or post questions.
1. Your mindset will determine your outcome. You can put in the time, prospect, follow up, go on appts, have a strict schedule...if you don't have the right mindset, you won't have the right business.
2. We get paid for what we know, not necessarily for what we physically do. So if we are paid on our knowledge, how are you increasing that so you can earn more money? We have scripts, stats, dialogues, objection handlers all to make your business more smooth. Are you using them? Practicing them? Most in the business don't and are paid directly in proportion to that.
3. Time Management. Boy what a topic. I've never had a coaching client where this wasn't an issue to discuss. Because of no real "boss" we lack the accountability that is provided in a normal job. We are all responsible for how we spend our day and since we each have the same 24 hours the question becomes...how does a 100 deal a year producer spend their day? And, how is it different from how you spend your day?
4. To truly operate as a business person, it is essential to know and track your numbers. This ranges from deals closed to how many appts it takes to get a listing. This is only important if you want to predict your business and have control of it. How are you tracking what you do each day?
5. Coaching. It just makes sense that the most productive agents have a coach. The accountability, motivation and continuous education is why they are set apart from the rest. What would be the perfect coach for you?
This is a start to this list. I will continue these ideas over the coming days. Feel free to leave comments or post questions.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Closing Skills
Here are some basic thoughts on closing for an appointment or signature in your real estate business.
1. What is Closing? -- Natural Call of Action Closing is helping the prospect! There is danger if they don’t make a decision much of the time. Being a good closer is not about selling ice to Eskimos – it’s a natural part. People don’t normally take action unless we ask them to.
2. Why don’t we close more often? What are we afraid of? Use Quantum Tools on the Website - How are you going to FEEL about them making a bad decision because you didn’t CLOSE! 80% of all sales will happen within 5-7 closes. Can you make a commitment to asking for the close just ONE more time that you normally would have?
3. Do we even know what we are closing FOR? Close for the APPOINTMENT – that’s the 1st step in the process. Don’t be answering questions now. That’s what you do ON the appointment.
4. Ensure the close will go smoothly by pre-qualifying How likely are you to close an unmotivated, unqualified prospect? If we pre-qualify – we are going to avoid rejection by only presenting and closing to motivated, prequalified prospects…
5. Make sure we are confident about what we are doing. There is never any room for assumptions unless we are assuming they are going to do business with us. Must be confident that YES, they want to do business with us… because we are confident about what we are saying? Say your positive affirmations daily. I am a power closer! People want to do business with me!
6. Be Direct. Are you there for a purpose? Have they asked you to their home for a reason? You are there for business. They are expecting you to ask them to do business. If you don’t, what does that say? Whose job is it to make the close, the Agent, or the Seller? Start with indirect and follow up with more direct… the Close.
7. Shut Up. We talk too much, don’t we? When we ask the B/S to take action, we have to be quiet and let them do it. Sometimes we talk too much and talk them OUT of doing something. Ask for the signature and nod your head yes. SMILE. Ask the question, nodding your head, smiling. Wait for them to respond.
8. Use HUMOR to break the tension. When you’re on the phone with a FSBO and they are insisting they are going to do it themselves… brain tumor, are you buying a drill and doing it yourself! Powerful sales people use some humor in your conversations. People get off “edge” so you can move the conversation forward.
9. Believe in your own VALUE. To be a good strong closer, you must believe in the value you bring… as the Value to the customer increases, the close becomes easier. If they don’t see the value, it’s easy to not commit. We must provide the value as a professional salesperson. Exercise: Find 5 good reasons why people should work with you. Put on an index card and bring it out and chant it 5-6 times. You are reminded of the value. Will you commit to doing that this week?
10. If all else fails, tell them you are going to close and why. As a professional salesperson, I want to demonstrate my superior skills to you. That’s why I am going to ask you to sign the contract so you know you are working with the best. This is the same skill I will use when working with a Buyer for your home. So, ___, will you sign the contract?
You are demonstrating a skill that they want you to have. Is that going to set you apart?
1. What is Closing? -- Natural Call of Action Closing is helping the prospect! There is danger if they don’t make a decision much of the time. Being a good closer is not about selling ice to Eskimos – it’s a natural part. People don’t normally take action unless we ask them to.
2. Why don’t we close more often? What are we afraid of? Use Quantum Tools on the Website - How are you going to FEEL about them making a bad decision because you didn’t CLOSE! 80% of all sales will happen within 5-7 closes. Can you make a commitment to asking for the close just ONE more time that you normally would have?
3. Do we even know what we are closing FOR? Close for the APPOINTMENT – that’s the 1st step in the process. Don’t be answering questions now. That’s what you do ON the appointment.
4. Ensure the close will go smoothly by pre-qualifying How likely are you to close an unmotivated, unqualified prospect? If we pre-qualify – we are going to avoid rejection by only presenting and closing to motivated, prequalified prospects…
5. Make sure we are confident about what we are doing. There is never any room for assumptions unless we are assuming they are going to do business with us. Must be confident that YES, they want to do business with us… because we are confident about what we are saying? Say your positive affirmations daily. I am a power closer! People want to do business with me!
6. Be Direct. Are you there for a purpose? Have they asked you to their home for a reason? You are there for business. They are expecting you to ask them to do business. If you don’t, what does that say? Whose job is it to make the close, the Agent, or the Seller? Start with indirect and follow up with more direct… the Close.
7. Shut Up. We talk too much, don’t we? When we ask the B/S to take action, we have to be quiet and let them do it. Sometimes we talk too much and talk them OUT of doing something. Ask for the signature and nod your head yes. SMILE. Ask the question, nodding your head, smiling. Wait for them to respond.
8. Use HUMOR to break the tension. When you’re on the phone with a FSBO and they are insisting they are going to do it themselves… brain tumor, are you buying a drill and doing it yourself! Powerful sales people use some humor in your conversations. People get off “edge” so you can move the conversation forward.
9. Believe in your own VALUE. To be a good strong closer, you must believe in the value you bring… as the Value to the customer increases, the close becomes easier. If they don’t see the value, it’s easy to not commit. We must provide the value as a professional salesperson. Exercise: Find 5 good reasons why people should work with you. Put on an index card and bring it out and chant it 5-6 times. You are reminded of the value. Will you commit to doing that this week?
10. If all else fails, tell them you are going to close and why. As a professional salesperson, I want to demonstrate my superior skills to you. That’s why I am going to ask you to sign the contract so you know you are working with the best. This is the same skill I will use when working with a Buyer for your home. So, ___, will you sign the contract?
You are demonstrating a skill that they want you to have. Is that going to set you apart?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
