If you can’t make sales in your business, your business dies. That’s the harsh truth.
Sales, persuasion, and influence are skills that anyone can learn and in my opinion they are the MOST important skills a real estate professional or real estate investor needs to master.
Many times in this business I see new real estate investors or new real estate agents study everything they can about the real estate business. They’re enthusiastic about it. They love the idea of the financial freedom real estate can create for them.
When they finally get in front of a prospect or on the phone with a prospect, something disastrous happens.They fall to their default training.
They lose their enthusiasm. They talk about all the details of the home. They tell the prospect why this is the perfect house for them. Guess what? In most instances, they lose the sale.
Losing the sale was avoidable. Here’s what I know to be true.
Influence and persuasion in real estate doesn’t happen because you know every detail about your inventory, or because you have the best logo, or even if you are with the best team. Influence and persuasion happens when you truly understand your prospect’s needs.
It’s not selling them into something through spewing out all of details. It’s compelling them through motivational interviewing and getting to know their fears, desires, and goals. It’s about getting them to come up with the idea that the house is the best house for them.
Here are a few key steps in becoming more influential:
1. It’s all about building rapport
People do business with people they know, like, and trust. Rapport is power and it’s built when positive energy is flowing between two human beings on a subconscious level.
Think about the last time you met someone new and within an hour you felt like you were best friends. Why do you think that was? Maybe it was the stories you shared with each other, your body languages were similar, or the tonality of your voice. Whatever the reason, by the time the first conversation was finished a level of rapport was created.
2. Ask open ended questions
Open ended questions will help you understand their needs.
If you want to know why they are buying or selling ask something like:
– What’s making you want to sell your house here today?
– What’s making you want to buy a house here today?
If you want to qualify them to see how serious they are about buying or selling ask something like:
-If I put the perfect offer in front of you, is this something you are ready to make a decision on here today?
If you want them to tell you that you are their best solution for buying or selling say something like:
-Let me ask you something, have you tried selling through another real estate agent before talking to me?
-If I had a magic wand and was able to create the perfect deal for you, what would that look like?
By asking open ended questions like this, you start to understand your prospect’s emotional state, needs, and urgency. Allow them to come to you willingly without having to force the sale based on what you want them to do.
3. Be able to roll with resistance
Sales and negotiations is all about a transfer of energy. The negotiation will go back and forth until a meeting of the minds occurs and in order for this to happen you have to master rolling with resistance.
It’s inevitable that you will encounter some objections. Objections are a good thing. As long as you both are still talking, you’re still in the game.
Here is a simple formula for overcoming any objection with a prospect:
-First, say their name
-Second, agree with them
-Third, do a slight takeaway with a open ended question at the end
Roll with resistance versus attacking their objection head on. It’s smoother and it keeps the rapport building versus breaking down.
This is how the pros do it and so should you.
Take care, comb your hair!
Cody Sperber
PS: Check out my YouTube channel for more great training!
