Many agents fall short of the sales they hope for. They assume that just because they have a friend or know someone who needs to buy or sell a home, that person should automatically work with them. But what might be even worse, is when you sold this person a home a few years back and assumed they would buy with you in the future. The client may have even told you, “Oh, we will definitely call you when we get ready to sell our home in a couple of years”.
During your daily peruse on Facebook you notice a picture posted by their agent celebrating with them on the sale of their home and the purchase of a new home. A knot forms in your throat and you feel sick to your stomach for the two sales you just lost.
You ask yourself….WHY?? I thought they were my friends. They were my client first!
But, did you stay in touch on a consistent basis with them and did you provide value in some way throughout the years?
Too late for these clients, but let’s change this forever so it never happens again.
Following are some awesome ways to start providing value for future clients:
- Be at the top of your game with scripts to handle all objections a buyer or seller can throw at you. Train and learn what to say when a prospect throws up a caution flag to working with you.
- Popular objections you will deal with are:
-Commission (I want a discount)
– We aren’t ready
– I have an uncle in the business
-We think our home is worth more
-We want to find a house before we put ours on the market.
So how does this provide value? In so many ways we almost can’t count.
Say you are in a situation where you are competing with other agents for the listing and you know you are the best man for the job. You are professional, you care about the client, you are honest and have integrity, plus you are going to make sure your client gets the best deal in a negotiation and get to the closing table.
If you lack these skills, how will you ever handle any of the objections thrown out during an interview with a seller and how will you be able to negotiate for them when the time comes? They need you to protect their interests. You MUST be skilled and confident in the negotiation game.
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Are you providing value to your Seller if you cannot talk to a potential buyer that may be interested in their home? How do you handle a sign call or a request for information from an online lead? Here is an idea for how to handle a call off your listing sign:
WRONG- Currently, what is the first thing you say to the prospect after they tell you they are calling on your listing?
“Are you working with an agent”? GONG! The caller is probably thinking WOW, are they interested in selling this home or not??
RIGHT- Be friendly! Tell them a little bit about the home, the price and then ask if they need help, are ready to buy, or just shopping around? If you have engaged the buyer with conversation you can find out if they have an agent and or not. After all, your goal is to sell your listing first and if that is not a good fit for them, you can have the opportunity to find a home for them that is.. right?
Offer this secret to help Buyers find a Home when no one else can!
Does your company have in- house (pocket) listings? I bet there are agents all over your office that are waiting on a sellers to be ready to sell that may be just be a few days or weeks out. If they aren’t advertised in the office on a white board or ask around.
Announce at your sales meeting that you are needing a particular home for a buyer that just can’t find the right home.
Check out the pre-MLS listings that are coming soon or future listings and let the buyer know you are working like crazy and outside the box to try to find the perfect home for them.
Send out a postcard campaign to a neighborhood that you know the buyer wants to live in or email the neighbors if you have access to a subdivision email list.
Think outside the box! What other ways can you think of to find a home for a buyer that is not traditional like just sticking them in a search on MLS?
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The biggest way to provide value is by staying in touch with all the people you know through a systematic drip program that provides information based on what they would like to know. It could be a list of homes as they come new on the market, go under contract or sell in their specific neighborhood or a market report of the metro area or city you live in quarterly or annually.
Compile a list of local contractors/vendors, hairdressers, doctors, etc. Publish it in both a pamphlet form and digitally so it is easy to share in person or in an email. You can bring these with you on appointments for Listings and Buyer consultations.
ALWAYS be offering something of value to your clients and customer.
Create video content to be sent out weekly for things like, DYI projects that provide information for easy projects that cost a little but can make them money when they sell, the best updates clients can do in their home that will give them their biggest bang for the buck, tips to prepare their home to sell, community and neighborhood events, announcement of new homes subdivisions including price points and the type of homes offered and restaurants and businesses that are coming to town.
The ideas are endless, you just need to be thinking,
“How can I provide more Value! “