If you get a lead on the phone for a few minutes, that’s a great first step. If you meet with them in person for a listing presentation, your chances of success are even better.
But as you know, nothing is set in stone until you hear a final yes.
Getting a yes at the end of a listing presentation — or even a phone call that could lead to a presentation — is all about instilling confidence in your leads.
There are a few techniques you can use in these situations to lead homeowners to that oh-so-important “Yes!”
Which closing method you use will depend on the direction of your previous conversation.
“If I can prove to you that I sell homes in ___ amount of days every time, would you list with me right now?”
This is an incredible way to move your client’s mind through the sales pitch. You’re sort of walking them to your desired outcome after mentioning your strengths. This is something you can say at the start of a meeting. The answer is usually yes.
Go through your pitch and live up to the burden of proof you put on yourself. When you’re done, you can remind the owner of their answer and tell them that you lived up to that promise.
Here's how I avoid appearing the same as everyone else:
When I meet with a seller, I show them that real estate is not all luck. There are skills and tools a Realtor possesses that can get a seller a better result.
The first thing I do in my presentation is talk about a time I was able to sell a house that another Realtor was unable to sell. But, I also do this: I show them that not all homes sell for what they are technically worth.
It’s not hard to pull up a CMA of a recently sold home that was worth more than its final sale price. When you do this, sellers are going to realize that real estate isn't all luck. The agent they choose matters.
If sellers hire the wrong agent, they could lose 5%, 10%, and maybe even 15% — or more — on their home sale.
Show the homeowner how you find buyers and how you take better photos than the average agent. This blog explains how to prove that.
You can only use this line at the end of the presentation if you’ve proven your history of success throughout the meeting. Just slightly rephrase the question.
“If I guarantee to sell your home in ____ amount of days, like the homes I showed you I sold for my past clients, will you list with me right now?”
Having a clearly confident attitude throughout the meeting is the only way to use this at the end.
“If this doesn’t happen, you owe me nothing, and I’ll even pay you for your time.”
According to Inman.com, seven of the top 20 Realtors in America offer a guarantee. It may not be this exact deal, but it serves the same purpose. It’s simply betting on yourself.
This puts your sellers in a win-win scenario where they won’t say no. It’s just up to you to follow through on your end. How you choose to pay them for their time is up to you.
Use this technique if you’re talking to a lead on the phone and hope to land an in-person meeting with him or her. It’s easiest to use this way, since the owner is only risking their time.
“If I guarantee to show you how I sell homes for more money, will you take a meeting with me?”
If the benefit or promise is strong enough and you’ve demonstrated your confidence, there’s no real reason for them to say no at this point. The risk is so small compared to the possible reward.
Most owners list with the first agent they meet, so this can be a huge difference-maker when you cold call or prospect your leads. The exact way you word the line can be the difference between never meeting with an owner and winning the listing presentation.
My favorite time to use this method is when I’m close to getting that all-important meeting with an owner, but need to finally secure a time. It could even be after you’ve already used the “if” method and they’ve said yes, but you haven’t gotten them to commit to an actual time to meet you.
Do this by giving your lead two options, each of which leads them to your intended outcome.
Here’s how to get someone to commit to an appointment:
If you set yourself up the right way, the seller’s reaction is going to be to answer one of your options.
Using it in this situation needs a little more finesse than our other examples. That’s because it can come off as a little bit arrogant toward the homeowner.
Only use this if you’ve had a great meeting with someone and they seem to be sold on your real estate expertise.
“Would you like me to price your home so it sells? Or price it so it sits on the market like other agents would?
You can use this method in any situation. It usually brings forth action from the homeowners. In this case, they’ll always almost say they want you to price it so it can sell. Then, you ask for the listing.
This happens all the time. An owner asks the agent their take on a certain price, their area, or the market, and the agent starts off with, “I think.”
Experts know the facts — they don’t just give their opinions. Even if sellers ask what you think, they’re looking for the facts. They’re meeting with you because they expect you to be an expert.
Saying “I think” doesn’t inspire confidence and could come back to hurt you if you use one of these closing tactics.
Leave insecurities out of the conversation, and set yourself up to close the deal.
All of these conversational tips rest on you appearing as an expert. And what better way to do that than to give your leads a copy of a book you personally wrote?
Our members are certified real estate experts before they even knock on someone's door. That’s the kind of advantage they get from our MyBooks program.
Think of how simple your conversion could be if the owner already has a book with your name and face on the cover.
Find out more about our program here, and snag a free sample of our best-selling book below!