**I recorded a quick video about today’s topic for you here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m31gJJ2-4Ps
Smart Words: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
Smart Tactics: I want to tell you about a painful sales call I just recently reviewed. The agent spent about 13 minutes talking to a new Zillow Flex lead. He booked their appointment, got some good discovery info, built rapport, and everything sounded great. He even set up the conversation about the buyer/broker relationship agreement that needed to be signed before he could show the home. Perfect!
Looking in the Follow Up Boss record, I could see that there was a second phone call, about 15 minutes later. So I played that recording too.
The lead had called our excited agent back and simply said: “Hey, we need to cancel the showing you booked for us. We are planning on buying a house without using a buyer agent.” The agent was so stunned that he was barely able to stammer out: “So…you’re not going to use a buyer agent?” the lead said…”Yeah, we’re not going to use a buyer agent.” Here’s the rest of the conversation:
Agent, still stunned: “So you’re going to use the listing agent?”
Lead: “Yeah, so we want to cancel the showing.”
Agent: “Ok…you know the listing agent works for the seller, right?”
Lead: “Yeah”
Agent: “Ok…let me know if it doesn’t work out”
Click…
I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard the agent bail on this conversation that easily. He didn’t even attempt to put up a fight or objection handle with any kind of good process.
I blame this not on him being a bad agent. In fact, his team leader said he’s a really good agent. The problem is that this agent has not been practicing enough for out of the blue situations like this. He had a great 13 minute conversation with this lead. The objection totally blindsided him, and he crumpled like a house of cards.
Had he been regularly roleplaying and practicing scenarios like this, he would have been better prepared and likely would have been able to help this buyer see the error of their decision without getting into an argument or losing rapport. Instead, this agent just lost another sale. I can tell you what will likely happen is that this buyer will get out there, figure out how annoying and risky it is to try and buy a home without the help of an agent, and then use the first agent who presents themselves at that time.
Don’t be like this good agent. Keep your skills up, and practice the tough conversations BEFORE you need the skill set…you will thank me.
Always get smarter,
-Dale
P.S. If you didn’t read last week’s email about the power of community…check it out here.