In the Zone | V II i 1 | Most Potent Negotiating Strategy
In the Zone | Focusing on the 4 Profit Pillars of Real Estate
Volume II Issue 1
1. What Successful REALTORS® Are Saying
2. Motivational Quote of the Month
3. Prospecting: Why targeted repetition – even to the point
of obnoxiousness – works so well.
4. Negotiating: Why having a bag of sneaky tricks pales next
to this super-charged negotiating strategy.
5. Listing: A critical presentation lesson I learned while
trying to persuade a world-class salesperson. (Hint: I
lost.)
6. Selling: There are billions of personality types. Want to
sell them all? You can, with five easy words.
Hey,
Long ago the Greek philosopher Socrates said, "The
unexamined life is not worth living." Good advice, even
today. So that means 2003 is behind us and now is the
perfect time to sit down, relax and reflect on the past
year:
+++ Did you hit all of your goals?
+++ What would you have done differently?
+++ What can you do to make this year better?
Some of us have small plans for 2004. Others have big plans.
No matter what kind of plan you have be sure it's something
that will stir the blood. And don't let your failures haunt
you. Recognize them for what they are: opportunities for
growth.
No matter what your plans are for 2004, remember that the
destiny for 2004 is in your hands...because "destiny" is
just another way of saying someone got up every morning and
put their shoulder to the plowshare.
2004 will be different. Determine that it will. Only you can
make it happen. And if you do anything, do it big.
And to help you reach some of your financial and
professional goals we've equipped you with this issue.
For instance, you'll find a 3-step negotiating tip that will
make listing and selling more homes nearly effortless...if
done properly.
And our selling tip will teach you how to make it crystal
clear in your prospect’s mind that what you offer really is
"just what they are looking for"...no matter what
personality type they are. And just saying the words won’t
convince them. You gotta get personal.
Enjoy this issue and here’s to your success,
Gary Elwood
Proquest Technologies
1-800-959-3959
Send prospecting, negotiating, listing or selling ideas,
strategies and tips to inthezone@proquest-tech.com.
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1. What Successful REALTORS® Are Saying
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"We have only had the Proquest Technologies System for about
10 days and have already received hundreds of calls.
"What is amazing to me is that the majority of the people
who call our number take the option of going directly to us
after listening to our messages. We have already had two
purchase agreements signed and have picked up over a dozen
new clients. I would recommend the system to any Realtor who
doesn’t mind the phone ringing off of the hook."
Wayde M. Jones
Evansville, Indiana
If you want to learn the secret behind Wayne's success, then
read our 24-page online report “How to Close More
Transactions in a Month Than You Now Close All Year”:
http://www.yourcompetitiveadvantage.com/how_to_grow.htm
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2. Motivational Quote of the Month
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"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve
greatly."
Robert Francis Kennedy
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3. PROSPECTING: Why targeted repetition – even to the point
of obnoxiousness – works so well.
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As every great agent knows, it is your consistency, to the
point of obnoxiousness, that will make the difference in
making any follow-up program work. I don't mean you have to
be a jerk, but you may have to be that agent who refuses to
"take a hint".
+++ Create a policy with yourself or your team to make
hotline follow-up calls in less than thirty minutes
+++ Write, rehearse and memorize follow-up scripts
(this alone will help you lower your call reluctance)
+++ Capture every prospects' home address over the phone
+++ Plug those prospects who are farther out in the
buying/ selling cycle into a monthly service
newsletter like "Service For Life"
http://www.yourcompetitiveadvantabe.com/SFL.htm
+++ Keep calling to get an appointment
+++ Leave a provocative message on their answering
machine: "Hi Cal. Listen, I have a copy of your
home listing from the MLS and have a question
for you. Could you call me back at..." Warning: your
question better be honest. The last thing people
want to be bothered with is a bait-and-switch
question.
Without argument, the agent who is the most consistent with
follow-up calls will be the winner. And the best way to
build consistent, targeted repetition into your individual
program is to schedule it. Do this work the same time each
day, everyday and you will find that the consistency becomes
a habit and eventually that habit will reap massive rewards.
You can bet the farm on that.
Next Month: How to turn Internet leads into transactions.
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4. NEGOTIATING: Why having a bag of sneaky tricks pales next
to this super-charged negotiating strategy.
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Since success for you in a negotiation depends upon the
other side making a decision you want, you should do what
you can to make that decision an easy one.
Here is a super-simple strategy to present them with a
choice that is as painless as possible: the Take-Away.
For example, let's say you're working with a couple who is
fairly interested in a house, but you can't seem to get them
to take action and write the offer.
Look them in the eye and say, "You know guys, I've seen it
happen so many times that I can't bear the thought of it
happening to you too.
"I've had at least a dozen different couples work real hard
with me, look at 10, 15, 20 properties and then find the
perfect home. They were so excited. It was everything they
wanted in a home and more. It was priced right. It had all
the amenities they wanted. But...they simply couldn't or
wouldn't decide. They thought they would sleep on it and
write an offer in the morning.
"Well, next morning rolls around and my phone rings. They're
excited, pumped up and ready to write an offer. And you know
what? Their perfect home was under contract - an offer came
in for it...while they were sleeping on it.
"The worst part is they were devastated. They already saw
themselves living there. And it's true, in each of these
cases the home would have been perfect. I don't want to see
that happen to you.
"So what I'm going to suggest is this: take a few minutes
and talk about this between yourselves and come to a 'yes'
or 'no' decision on this home.
"I'm fine either way. If it's no, we'll keep right on
looking until you find the perfect place at the right price.
But if you think this is 'THE' home, let's write an offer
and get it over to the listing agent as quickly as we can.
Does that make sense?
"I'll go into the other room and make a couple calls and
that way you've got time to think and talk it over."
Now, and this is important, leave the room. Let them talk
about it. And a few minutes later you'll either be writing
an offer or you'll be moving on to the next house on your
showing list.
Do you see the dynamics at work here? In a very soft, subtle
way you just "took the house away" and created urgency to
get them moving. It's a powerful approach!
Next Month: The technique real estate super stars rely on
heavily that could be the one key to their exceptional
success. (You can skip that two-day seminar - here's all
you need to know in four short paragraphs.)
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5. LISTING: A critical presentation lesson I learned while
trying to persuade a world-class salesperson. (Hint: I
lost.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You've heard again and again how critical it is to end your
presentations on time. And that requires a prompt start. But
what if the most important person to your presentation
doesn't show up on time?
Many years ago when I was pushing replacement window systems
I made one of my first appointments with a wealthy man who
lived in a very large home. Closing the deal with him at
full price would have meant big money to me. I was stoked.
We made the appointment for 5:30 P.M. which gave me one hour
to show my product, close the sale and let him go to dinner.
Plenty of time I thought. But that's not the way it
happened...
I arrived at his luxurious home ten minutes early, parked
and pulled the product from the car. I walked up to his
front door, knocked and waited. And waited.
It was almost 6 P.M. before my prospect came home. He was
calm, cool. Took his time pulling in, leaving his car. He
was very polite, invited me in and even helped me carry my
things in.
I had less than thirty minutes to do a thirty minute
presentation. "All you have to do is talk faster," I said to
myself.
He did ask me how long it would take. I said "An hour, but
I'll give you the abbreviated version."
"Would you like to do it another time?" he asked.
"No, no," I said, afraid if I left his home, I would lose
the deal.
"Perfect," he said.
Five minutes into my presentation I realized I was way
behind and rushing, missing critical points in my
presentation and glancing at my watch all the time.
I tried to get to the close several times but he always
steered me away with another question on the features of the
windows. He was interested, it was obvious, but not in the
price.
Finally, I started to panic when he stood up and started to
put his coat on...
What happened that night was a classic example of why
salespeople should never compromise the length of their
presentation: I got the deal, but my mistake cost me over
half of the original commission.
Moral of the story: stick to your guns when it comes to the
integrity of your presentation. If someone recommends you
abbreviate your presentation, rescheduled the appointment,
take your time and don't impose unnecessary pressure on
yourself by holding blindly to deadlines. If you'll do this,
your pocketbook will thank you.
Next Month: Confessions of a master listing agent: learn how
he listed over 92 homes without ever leaving his office.
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6. SELLING: There are billions of personality types. Want to
sell them all? You can, with five easy words.
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"Look, listen, understand, harmonize and practice."
Look around the home. Clues about their likes and dislikes
should be everywhere.
Question everything. Politely, of course. Refuse to leave
any stone unturned. Follow every trail to it's conclusion.
Listen to your prospect. Your questions will uncover exactly
what motivates this person.
Harmonize with your prospect. They need to know that you are
on their side.
Practice as often as possible. Knowledge of product, selling
skills and attitude won't help you much until you blend them
with experience. The addition of experience is usually what
will help you turn that corner in your career.
Listen, don't fear people. One word makes all personality
types conquerable: harmonize.
If you listen to buyers and watch their actions, they will
tell you how to react. They will tell you what to say and
what not what to say. They will lead you to the sale. As an
agent, you are responsible for taking the personality of the
prospect and blending them with the reason the prospect is
buying so that it motivates the prospect to act and gives
the prospect enough confidence to buy. That's how to
harmonize.
Now, go out and make it happen.
Next month: Would you like to know the 19.5 early signals
that a prospect is ready to buy? If you miss them, you may
talk your way right past a sale.
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Proquest Technologies, Inc.
inthezone@proquest-tech.com
1-800-959-3959
In the Zone:
Focusing on the 4 Profit Pillars of Real Estate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“In the Zone” is a Proquest Technologies publication.
(C) Copyright 2005. Proquest Technologies.
