Prospecting…the dreaded word…the name of the game for a successful real estate career…the “to do” you don’t want to do when you don’t want to do it at your highest level…is a front and center tenet of Harris Real Estate Coaching.
Both Tim and Julie Harris so fundamentally believe in the power of prospecting that we here at Harris Coaching decided to do an ongoing, weekly series exclusively devoted to it.
Here is your first installment of tips for prospecting:
Let’s begin at the beginning…with voice mails.
Know that 95% of all voice mails are ignored, deleted and/or are never returned. Why? There is too much rambling on and on about nothing. There are too many “um’s” and “ah’s.” There is no compelling reason given to call back. The call back number, if given at all, is said so fast so that the person receiving the voice mail has to repeat it several times to even hear the call back number.
Obvious remedies…
- Before you make the call, discover how that person made a connection with you. Find out whether she did a web inquiry, a home search in a particular neighborhood and/or price point and/or size or whether she found you via an advert. The more investigating, the more filtering you do, the more specific, needs based and personal your call back and/or voice mail to her will be.
- Plan in advance how, what and when you will tell your prospect the reason for your call back or voicemail. You want your voicemail to have a purpose and you want that purpose to be of benefit to that prospective homebuyer. The only way your purpose will benefit the person you’re calling is to have filtered or investigated what it is they actually want from you.
- You want your voicemail and/or prospecting call to be as efficient, to the point, friendly and specific as possible.
- You want the person you’re calling or voice mailing to know exactly how to contact you by phone. Say your phone number slowly twice.
Here’s a sample script that may be helpful. Adapt it any which way you’d like.
Hi (their name.) This is (your name) with ABC Realty. You and I haven’t spoken yet but I’m calling you because I noticed that you were searching for two-bedroom condominiums on my website earlier this morning. I wanted to provide you with additional information about condos in this market area that may complement your own search. I think you’ll find this information both useful and time saving if we talk directly.
Please call me back at this phone number (say your phone number S_L_O_W_L_Y. Again, my phone number is (your phone number.) If, by chance, I’m not available when you return this call, please call me again.
I look forward to speaking with you, (their name.) Thank you in advance for returning my call. Just in case, my cell number is…
