Most real estate agents lack an effective strategy to qualify new leads quickly, and most lack the ability to communicate their value to help convert the lead into a new client, and ultimately, a listing and sale.
Follow these four proven methods to immediately build a bigger pipeline of leads for your real estate team. Your momentum will grow each month, and you will have wildly successful results!
1. The 10-Minute Business Plan
Have a weekly conversation to check in with each of the members of your team to find out what they are working on. Who is in their pipeline? How many buyer and listing leads do they have, and what’s their forecast for the week and month for new listings and sales? You don’t have to over-analyze it. It’s “go” time now. They need to execute. A good friend of mine always uses the phrase “getting ready to get ready,” and unfortunately, many agents are stuck in this mode. It is your job as the leader to drive the listings and sales efforts of your team every day and every week. Do this by being the driver—the leader. Let’s go!
2. Early Bird Gets the Worm
My mother always told me, “Sherri, the early bird gets the worm. Get out in front of everyone else.” Everyone on your team needs to get in front of everyone they know now, before the spring market. Now is the time to get in front of all the potential listings and buyers that are about to be in the market. Create your pipeline by being the first one out in front. Host a call event in your office and get your team in to make calls. Remember, even if they don’t want to do something right now, you put them on your pipeline and stay in close contact with them. When they are ready, you will be the agent that maximizes that opportunity.
3. Qualify With Leading Questions
Qualify with leading questions and lead the process, while working at their pace and speed. It’s a very effective way to build trust and confidence with a potential client. Ask them better questions, so you know exactly what they want to do and what their timeline is. For example, you can say, “Where you do want to live and when do you want to be there?” Also, say, “I work at your pace and your speed. If your needs are immediate or you are just starting out in the process, I am here to help.” Offer exclusive, value-driven services that radically set you apart from your competitors. Offer a Homebuyer Guide (sent electronically or printed), and/or a Pre-Marketing Guide or a Market Value Analysis, again with the programs you offer that dramatically differentiate yourself and your team from the rest. Every question leads to the next step in the process. If you are trying to find out where they are in the home-buying or -selling process, ask them. The more questions you ask, the closer you are to providing solutions to their problem and helping them achieve their real estate goals. Ask more questions, and tell them you will be asking them a lot of questions so you can more effectively accomplish their goals. Building rapport is great, but the agent who asks more leading questions will get that buyer or potential listing to act and start the process to work with you. During this time, you need to convert that qualified lead into an appointment on your calendar.
4. Overcome Sellers Objections to List
If a potential seller is talking to you about selling their home, but is down or has a negative perception of the market, it is our job to change that perception and overcome their objections. They are totally stressed the second they think about putting their home on the market. Don’t give up at the first time they say they don’t want to sell now, or when they say they want to wait until the spring market. Their best opportunities might be right now, and they need to hear with conviction and enthusiasm that now is a good time to list, not waiting. Opportunities aren’t lost; they go to someone else. Ever have the situation where an agent in your office lists a house belonging to a seller you spoke to, and they said they weren’t going to list now, but there is now a for-sale sign with another agent’s name on it in their yard? Disappointing, for sure—but what exactly happened? You need to have a strategy to overcome a seller’s momentary and temporary decision (that day) to wait. Call them back to check in to see if they are still not ready, but don’t take what they said at face value. Remember, that other agent did a better job of talking up the market and overcoming the seller’s objection to sell, and hence has the listing and the sign in the yard.
Top salespeople have a strategy. They know what they want the end result to be, and ask really good leading questions that take a lead into the decision and action mode, where the agent can provide value and solutions. Adding value gets your hired, every time. Make sure you are asking questions that lead your prospect to the next step in the sales process. By implementing these approaches, you and the members of your team will be better equipped with a sales strategy for each lead and be in a better position to add value and convert the lead into a listing, sale and actual income. Start now—be out in front of everyone. Happy selling!
For a copy of my exclusive “10-Minute Business Plan for Success” and a copy of my webinar “Building a $10 Million Pipeline of Leads,” click here.
Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 20 years of experience in real estate, Johnson offers coaching, consulting and keynotes, and is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour and the Official Real Estate Coach for McKissock Learning and Real Estate Express. For more information, please contact coaching@sherrijohnson.com or 844-989-2600 (toll-free) or visit www.sherrijohnson.com.
