Selling Techniques in Real Estate
Technique is defined as “A way of carrying out a particular task, especially the execution or performance of an artistic work or a scientific procedure.” This definition could take us down many paths but I’m going to focus on techniques related to real estate sales. I think you’ll find the logic applies to whatever you sell.
But first…
It’s Not About the Home
Wait… what? Did you read that right? Did Jeff Shore just say real estate sales isn’t about the home?
Yes, you read that correctly. Real estate sales is not about the home, the layout, features, location, etc. I’ve seen way too many sales professionals try starting a sales conversation here. Problem is, a meaningful conversation rarely follows.
I’m not saying the home itself isn’t important at all; it surely is. But it’s not the most important thing to talk about initially. Nothing is more important than your buyer and fully understanding where they’re coming from. If your motive in sales is to help your buyer achieve the results they desire then the sales conversation should always begin with seeking to understand why they are looking for a new home in the first place.
All the selling techniques in the world won’t help much without the right mindset when it comes to serving your buyer.
Focus on the “From”
Most salespeople tend to focus on where people are moving to rather than where they’re coming from. This is human nature because it’s easy. It’s much easier to ask about bedroom count instead of pain points. It’s easier to ask about the time frame instead of dissatisfaction. What you’ll find is that when we follow what’s easy we often give up on what’s right.
I’m going to make this as simple as possible for you. Once you’ve spent a little time building rapport then you can move into discovery by sharing the following with your buyer.
“To better understand what you’re looking for in a new home I’d like to fully understand where you’re coming from. Would it be ok if I asked you a few questions so that I can get you pointed in the right direction?”
I’m confident you’ll rarely hear a “no” to this question. People want to be heard. They appreciate it when someone is willing to listen to them and give them their full attention.
Master Your Presentation
When you are walking your buyer through a home it’s absolutely necessary to have the ideas you learned from your good discovery. Similar to what I shared above, the presentation is NOT about the home; it’s about your buyer’s life.
Your walk-through and presentation should focus on what your buyer shared with you in discovery. “You shared this with me so let me show you that.” Always look to make correlations to what they previously shared with you. Remember, it’s all about the buyer; not you, and not the home.
Control the Energy
None of us have the capability to control the thoughts and emotions of other people. That being said, we do have the power to control our attitude and our positive energy. Buying a home is one of the largest financial decisions people make in their lives. Most people only experience the process of buying a home a few times throughout their lives. This means there’ll be confusion and information they don’t fully understand.
When we think about confusion and lack of understanding we can easily relate to feeling overwhelmed and frustrated; these aren’t the kind of feelings and emotions we want our buyers to leave with. Make sure you are following all of the frustration-causing questions and topics with some positive reinforcement regarding the things they liked about the home. We want them to walk away feeling good about the home and confirming what they’ve already said to be true assures us they are still feeling positive about their decision.
When you get these three ideas right and you know your buyer well enough, I’m confident you’ll find that the sale rolls out right in front of you.
Until next time, learn more to earn more!
