A lot of people think that if you're shy, you're going to struggle in real estate. But I've been an introvert my entire life, and I figured out how to turn that quality into my superpower. What’s the good news for you? I'm going to give you lots of tips, scripts, and ideas I've used over the years.
Are you a shy person or an introvert? Would you like to know how to turn that into your superpower? These tips will help you become a better salesperson.
Lesson One: Focus on the Other Person to Break the Ice.
One of the things that has really helped me is learning how to engage with someone new. Since most Realtors meet people in public, how can we get conversations started and bring people back to our services without sounding like a pitchy salesperson? As an introvert, I hate being that person.
If you meet somebody new, try to make a habit of learning more about them first. What do they do? Who are they, and what's going on in their lives? Figure out how you can provide value. See if there's anything you can do to offer suggestions or feedback. Then, work in a conversation about your profession once you’ve established a connection with them.
Lesson Two: Offer Help, Rather than a Pitch, When You’re Approaching People Online.
When you’re surfing online, whether you’re on Facebook, Instagram or Zillow, if somebody's asking for real estate help, you’ll probably notice how a lot of Realtors jump on the post, saying things like, “Hey, I can sell your home! Message me or email me or call me!”
A better approach in that situation is to provide value. If you can offer information and solve their dilemma, you can build trust. Furthermore, the law of reciprocity kicks in when you give somebody something first; they feel obligated to give you something in return. So show up with information and value first.
Lesson Three: Gently Lead Prospects or Clients to the Sale.
The next tip is to master how to lead prospects down the right path without being pushy. For example, if you're on a listing presentation and the seller is trying to negotiate your commission, instead of getting defensive and aggressive, you could get them to empathize with you.
You could say:
Mr. Seller, I completely respect and understand why you would ask that. Let's think about this for a second. If you were a real estate agent, and you were out showing homes, which home would you be the most motivated to show first? Wouldn’t you be more likely to show the home owned by a seller who paid you a fair commission to work hard for everyone involved? The commission is what motivates the agent to sell the home quickly and efficiently. Invest in your agent for better results.
Wait for the response and get them to come to their own conclusion. Obviously, how you word the question is going to make a difference, so make sure you practice.
If you're trying to get a listing and you're competing with maybe a top producer who is really aggressive, you could say something like this:
Mr. Seller, would you rather work with a Realtor who is going to drop your listing price to make up for the lack of marketing they provide? Or would you rather work with one who is going to advertise your home to the most buyers so it sells for top dollar?
Now, let's say you have just listed a home and you're trying to convince the homeowner to stage the home. Instead of telling them their place is cluttered and they need to put all their stuff in storage, get them to put themselves into the buyer's shoes and say something like this:
Mr. Seller, I want you to think about this for a minute. If you are a buyer and you're looking at your home today, as well as all the other beautiful homes on the market, would you enjoy looking at your current home, or one that has been staged? Now, obviously we're not going to empty your home out, but what would you like to see? Do you have an easy time visualizing a home as yours when it has someone else's belongings in it?
You could also say:
I was showing a buyer homes the other day. We were looking at 10 homes in one afternoon, and we walked through one that was staged. They absolutely loved it, and they could visualize their family living in it.
Another thing that introverted people are good at is listening. I believe this is one of our best superpowers. When you're talking to sellers or buyers, listen to their needs. What are they saying? Revisit their concerns when you offer your solution. When you’re working with a buyer, for example, and they're talking about all the different things they want in a dream home, don't speak over them; answer their questions. Listen to their concerns, and then use those issues as talking points when you're showing a home.
I know you were really concerned about having a playroom for your kids. This home would be perfect.
Or
I know you were concerned about a backyard for your dog. This home has a really nice fence. You won't have to build one. If you bought this home, you're going to save money.
This is a consultant selling approach, and it is a more effective way to build trust and rapport. You can get them to do most of the talking, and you'll make more sales.
Lesson Four: Make the Most of Silence.
The final thing is how to use awkward silences to your advantage. For example, if you're sitting down over a listing presentation, you should assume you’re going to get the listing from the beginning. Once you get to the end of the presentation, you can start doing trial closes.
Say something like this:
Mr. Seller, it's been great talking to you today. Let's go ahead and get your home sold based on everything we talked about. Do you agree to 1.5 million as the listing price?
While you're saying that, pull out your listing agreement and fill in the spot where it talks about the listing price. And they may be thinking in their head, I haven't agreed to listing with this person!
If they stop you with an awkward silence, you can revisit their objections and their concerns. The key is to constantly come back to the close and keep the contract out in front of them.
If you like these tips, you would love having your own real estate book that you can give away to prospects or clients. It's a fantastic way to make a first impression and break the ice when you're talking to somebody for the first time. If you'd like to learn more about how you can get your own book, go to Authorify.com.
