Rules of Thumb for Real Estate Agents When Talking to Clients on the Phone

As a real estate agent, maybe you want to know how to talk to clients over the phone. This detailed guide will go over the most important parts of showing real care and asking sensible inquiries that can help you communicate better with your clients. 

We will also talk about how to make sure you get a good meeting and how important it is to know why you are on the call. Some important rules can assist you in building relationships with clients and make it easier to close deals.

1. Demonstrate genuine care

Let me emphasize this vital point once again. When you engage in phone calls, it mustn't revolve around your own interests. It mustn't focus solely on your personal accomplishments, securing listings, or closing deals. None of that takes precedence. Rather, it revolves around the person you are calling and understanding their commitment. 

Whenever I am in town, I take the opportunity to visit the offices of my students. During one such visit, I had approximately 20 students in an office setting. I made a promise: I would call the first For Sale By Owner (FSBO) advertisement they provided, and I would schedule an appointment. One of them directed me to an ad, and without a moment's hesitation, I made that initial call, which surprisingly resulted in a confirmed appointment. As their representative arrived at the property, she introduced me as their trainer and recounted the entire story. 

Curiosity sparked when she asked the homeowner, "Why did you agree to let Eric in?" An intriguing response followed: "Before Eric called, I must have received around 60 phone calls from real estate agents, yet he was the only one I allowed inside." Understandably, the agent inquired further, seeking an explanation. 

The homeowner replied, "Simply by conversing with him over the phone, I could discern that he genuinely cared about our situation and reasons for selling." Everything I am imparting to you - the step-by-step process I am describing and even the script I am about to provide - carries little weight if your sole motivation rests on personal success derived from it. 

This is perhaps the most arduous aspect since personal gain typically fuels your drive to make the calls, isn't it? However, you must cultivate the ability to shift your motivational force, redirecting your focus toward the value you can bring to people's lives. Once you attain this mindset, you will embark on the right path.

2. Inquire extensively and ask numerous questions. 

There exist three fundamental reasons for probing and seeking information:

1. Uncovering the individual's commitments.
2. Demonstrating genuine interest in their situation, and establishing rapport.
3. You are in charge of the situation if you ask the last inquiry.

Imagine when you call For Sale By Owners (FSBOs) or expired listings, they tend to inquire about a critical element: "How much commission do you charge?" You respond accordingly. Following up on their initial query, they pose another question: "What duration of listing does your agency typically take?" It is at this juncture that some of us may instinctively become defensive, feeling a slight loss of command over the conversation. 

By the way, it is crucial to never, under any circumstances, negotiate commission rates or discuss multiple listings or listing durations over the phone. Engaging in such dialogue can inadvertently result in these homeowners basing their decision on our responses regarding whether or not they will invite us into their abode.

Consider this essential point, particularly with FSBOs, and in many instances, expired listings as well. Do they truly desire to collaborate with an agent when they are attempting to sell on their own? The answer is likely a resounding no. If you remotely insinuate over the phone that you are primarily contacting them with an agenda focused on convincing them to hire your services for marketing their property — transparently stated, securing a listing — they won't even contemplate welcoming you inside their home.

Remember, the key lies in navigating the phone conversation skillfully, softly probing and unveiling their needs and aspirations through a coherent series of questions.

Your primary approach should be to identify their core objectives and determine how you could assist them. Often, this assistance involves listing their property. Although this isn't always the case, it is crucial to prioritize assisting them in any way possible. Asking relevant questions is key to pinpointing the best approach.

Consider utilizing the following queries:

• What are your relocation preferences upon selling your current residence?
• What is your motivation for choosing that particular location?
• Have you already decided on a new home?
• Have you had the opportunity to collaborate with a real estate agent in the past, be it for buying or selling? How would you characterize that experience?
• If an interested buyer were willing to meet your price requirements for a successful move, without you incurring any additional expenses, would that proposition be of interest?

3. The purpose of this call is to determine if your assistance is needed. 

Am I reiterating? Absolutely. When you engage in this conversation, there is another individual on the other end of the line who has a myriad of reasons—some favorable, some unfavorable—for selling their property. Our objective, as licensed professionals in our field, is to discern their situation and ascertain if our assistance is viable. 

If, based on your conversation with them, you believe you can offer help, then your subsequent task is to secure an appointment. This means refraining from providing an extensive listing presentation over the phone. Instead, aim to arrange an in-person meeting. Is that clear to you? The following segment will serve as a practical guide to implementing the preceding advice, ensuring that you can put it into action effectively.

Read also: Why sellers can not save money by selling on their own?