All of us are always selling. We spend lots of time and energy every single day trying to influence others in one way or another; whether we’re asking someone to buy something from us, agree with our reasoning or even obey our directions. As a real estate professional, you’re always on the sales frontline.
I recently read “To Sell is Human” by Daniel H. Pink, a highly lauded best selling author who focuses on the social science and its impact on work and business. According to his book, the historical protocol for selling is officially dead. Why? Because immediate access to information via the Internet has completely altered the balance of power between businesses and consumers. Due to this shift, we’ve moved from the world of caveat emptor (buyer beware) and into a world of caveat venditor (seller beware) where honesty, fairness and transparency are the pillars of success. The old sales training mantra 'Always Be Closing' has been replaced with new ABCs: 'Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity'.
Here’s a Definition of the New ABCs of Real Estate Sales Strategy:
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Attunement:
The process of examining the context of your situation and bringing yourself into harmony with leads and prospective clients. -
Buoyancy:
The act of harboring resilient optimism, meaning you must stay upbeat - even in times of adversity (and as a real estate agent, sometimes you need a lot of it).
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Clarity:
Having a capacity to make sense of murky situations – for example, ever-changing real estate regulations and last minute surprises before closings.
The purpose of a sales pitch is not to convince others to immediately adopt your idea. On the contrary, it’s actually to offer something so compelling that it starts a conversation, brings your client in as a participant and eventually results in a mutually beneficial outcome.
One of the most effective ways of moving others is to uncover challenges they may not know they have. Your insight will be far more valuable when your clients are confused about their true problem – be it what house they really want or how much they can afford. Think about what your leads will ultimately need help with or questions they might have and provide content that assists them through those challenges to engage leads and start conversations.
If you replace “selling” with “serving” – your business will thrive in today’s technology and community driven economy. Make your real estate sales process personal and purposeful. As Daniel says "selling is human after all".
Do you agree with the new ABC's of selling? Why or why not? Share in the comments!
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