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SCRIPTS: Clunky and awkward or secret power?
Rate your understanding of, use of and results from scripts? Are you uncomfortable, awkward and not so smooth or are you someone who knows your scripts so well you don’t even realize you’re using them anymore?
Fact: A script is an organized conversation, using questions, not statements.
Fact: All scripts become natural after you memorize and internalize them. Then you can personalize and own it!
Fact: Effective scripts make you sound more professional and experienced. They will save you and your prospect time, and allow you to close more efficiently, hearing ‘yes’ more often! You’ll reduce your commission less and not ‘buy the listing’ out of desperation.
So why do agents resist learning scripts?
-Tried a script or two a couple of times and it just feels awkward. ‘Not me!’
-Don’t want to ‘sound scripted’.
-Think scripts are cheesy, outdated or ineffective
Ultimately it boils down to this:
-Just plain lazy…haven’t taken the time to understand, memorize, internalize or personalize.
So how do you conquer this script-resistance?
1 Decide which scripts are most critical to your practice. The core scripts for everyone are: Lead follow up scripts, buyer and seller prequalification scripts, pre-listing scripts, formal listing and buyer presentations. In addition, you’ll add on your prospecting scripts, based on your ‘spokes in the wheel’ (lead generation spokes). Maybe you’re pursuing Expireds and New Construction from builders. Maybe you have lots of buyers but they’re not buying.
2 Once you have identified which scripts you need, where will you get them? Not Googling for free, untested, antiquated scripts. Use what you have in Premier Coaching!! Market tested in all price ranges.
3 Do not re-invent the wheel. You may not personalize until you fully understand and have memorized the actual script.
4 Practice, practice, practice!! But on real prospects!! Open house scripts and open house lead follow up is a great way to break the ice. The scripts are the easiest and you’re talking to real prospects, likely to get very quick results.
5 Eliminate personal pronouns. I, me, my and mine. This isn’t about you, it’s about the prospect or client.
6 Eliminate ‘upswings’ in your voice. It sounds like you’re uncertain or insecure if your voice goes up at the end of each sentence!
7 Eliminate statements and replace with questions. Questions cause clients to ‘self discover’ and internalize the answers. Consider the difference between stating, ‘Your house will have a tough time selling at that price’, versus, ‘What happens if you don’t get your price?’ Or ‘Is keeping the home an option?’ One way you’re dictating, the other, they’re telling YOU what will happen if they don’t get that price and at the same time hearing themselves say it. This makes it just a FACT and not because YOU said so.
8 Realize that a great script discovers motivation, time frame, hot buttons and then allows you to close the prospect based on what is important to THEM. Don’t assume you know if you’re not asking great questions.
9 Actually LISTEN to their answers. You can discover a lot by voice inflection, how long they take to answer, how committed they seem to their plan, etc.
10 Realize that weak agents overprice and under commission because they don’t use scripts, or they DO but they’re not polished.
11 Be fascinated with the client. Make it all about them! You don’t have to ‘mirror and match’ or ‘feign interest’ when you are ACTUALLY interested.
12 Actively educate yourself on all things real estate. Not just your MLS, your CRM, etc. Learn about architecture, new construction processes, financing, appraisal, your area’s history as well as what’s under development. You’ll sound more like a professional when you study like one.
13 Always have your ‘back up’ or ‘save your butt’ scripts at the ready. When someone asks you about something you’re not certain of or even clueless about, you simply state, ‘That’s a great question, let me write it down and get you an answer by this evening. Shall I text or call you then?’
14 Yes, you can be yourself and be great at scripts, getting the results you need. However, you absolutely must practice them and take the risk of being a little uncomfortable part of the time. It gets easier, but not just because you wish it to be so.
