There is an old adage that we make three listing appointments for every one we actually go on.  We make a presentation on the way to the appointment as we run through it in our car.  We make the actual presentation live – in front of the Seller.  And we usually make the final one on the way home from the appointment.  Which one of the three is usually the best?  Right – the one on the way home.  At that point, we have the opportunity to reflect and say …

A problem arises when Agents mistake conditions for objections.  Agents often treat a condition as an objection and beat themselves up when they don’t get the transaction or contract signed.  The definition of a condition is a valid reason for the prospect to not move forward.  You still need to try all the techniques of handling the objection.  You just need to realize that a condition is usually linked to their ability or authority to act now.
 
They might have the desire to move forward with you but lack the ability …

The creation, control, and conversion of leads determines the revenue and success of your business.  Most Speakers, Trainers, Coaches, and Authors focus a lot of their time on the creation of leads.  They try to sell you their “lead generation system” – the system that creates thousands of leads for you!  We have all heard of these third-party Internet companies that, in most areas, are charging Agents lots of money for low quality and low conversion rate leads.  The only people who are making money out of this deal are …

We all feel challenges in our lives.  These challenges can manifest themselves at work, at home, with our health, in our spiritual life.  These challenges are often accompanied by discouragement.  Discouragement can often happen when we survey the difficulties that lay before us.  We can de-motivate ourselves because of the gap between the reality of where we are and the vision of where we want to be.
 
The first thing that usually happens when we find ourselves in that place of challenge and discouragement is that we don’t think clearly or …

For 30 years we have been taught, as REALTORS® we must be there for our clients. I hear it all the time from Agents across North America; “I want to be there for my clients.” What does ‘be there’ mean? Does ‘be there’ mean we are available 24 hours, 7 days a week for our clients? Does it mean that we miss soccer games, tee ball games, and piano recitals? For many Agents that is exactly what it means! Many of us equate access with service. We have been trained …

You can work harder, or you can work smarter.
Most successful Agents don’t go into a secluded room, pick up the phone, and toil away making hundreds of random calls over a non-stop eight-hour period. Few people would even consider that approach. I know I wouldn’t, and I doubt you would.
 
Instead, those who win at prospecting begin by targeting who they will call and why. They don’t waste their time or effort calling iffy contacts that may or may not even be in the real estate market.
 
Prospecting is only effective …

One of the challenges for salespeople is that we sell in generalities when consumers really want specifics. If we stay in the generalities, we will lose.

We need to show the consumers specifically what they will receive when working with us; what specific results they can expect in sales price, net proceeds, timeframe, communication, and additional services and how that differs from the competition. We need to show them what type of guarantee we offer, if any. The commodity mindset a consumer possesses demands the specifics. If they don’t receive …

I am absolutely worth what I charge. 
 
You have to believe it yourself before you can convince others.  Do you believe this statement to your core?
 
My value is measurably greater than the competition’s.
 
The key word is “measurably”.  Is there a scale or measurement that can prove through empirical evidence or data that you sell the home in less time or for more money?  Can you prove factually, not subjectively, that you are better and provide more value?
 
The value of my services clearly exceeds my cost.
 
If you can show and define …

Philosophically speaking, are you a person who wants and believes that people can do a lot of things well or a few things well?  There are huge differences in businesses that follow the philosophy of hiring generalists or specialists.  Your vision for the size of your team a few years down the road will also determine the generalist versus specialist discussion.
 
In a specialist business, it doesn’t mean that people aren’t doing things that they aren’t so good at.  In a specialist practice, your objective is to minimize the time in …

To develop referrals, start with a referral mindset.

* A referral mindset exists when every prospecting, marketing, and customer service action is accompanied by the realization that the contact could lead not only to new business, but also to positive word-of-mouth and the recommendation of your service to others.
* A referral mindset exists when you create, believe in, and implement strategies that purposefully generate referrals as a regular part of your business development activities.
* When you have a referral mindset, you know that prospecting is …