If you are like most real estate agents, you rely on “go-to” phrases when dealing with clients. Experienced agents use reliable, smoothly-delivered words and phrases that they have developed over time to propel business and solve problems, and newer agents study sample scripts to accomplish the same. These words and phrases are proven winners, and internalizing them and using them fluidly make your business more effective and successful.

In today’s market, however, you need to adjust. You and your team need to purposefully modify your time-honored scripts to operate in this extraordinary environment. This will remain true in both the short- and medium-terms, whether you are operating under “stay-at-home” directives or even after emerging from them. In short, you need to reevaluate and tweak what specific words you say to ensure that your messaging is both relevant and impactful.

So, review your written and verbal scripts, then update them purposefully with the following goals in mind:

Demonstrate empathy. However you typically approach past or potential clients to discuss their current real estate needs, it’s safe to say that you should adjust your approach to recognize the current environment. Real estate, for most people, is a highly personal topic, so make your conversation personal to them. Say “First of all, let me ask…how are you doing through all of this?” Doing so is simply being human, and will, more often than not, give you important insights into their current circumstances and concerns, some of which may apply to your recommendations as their real estate agent.

Inspire confidence. Make sure that you have a script that gives your clients confidence in your ability to help them now. Communicate that doing business now is largely still routine for your team. For example, a successful script that I have advised my coaching clients to use is, “The good news is that my team has been working successfully with remote tools for years. We promote properties online and through direct digital outreach all the time, and most of our contracts are signed digitally.” Normalizing the abnormal will instill confidence with your clients, and your messaging is pivotal to accomplishing that.

Create activity. Once your client is confident in your capabilities, you still need them to take action. Many clients these days, however, are reluctant to set firm appointments or make concrete plans. To overcome this, here is a script that has proven successful recently: “Here’s what we need to do—I am currently booking appointments for May and June, so let’s put a specific date and time on our calendars to get together, and I will also follow up with some specific things you can be doing or reviewing in the meantime.” The beauty of this approach is that it is not unheard of to anyone; we all book appointments with our doctors, dentists and hairdressers months away, so getting comfortable with a script to make this happen in your business will help spur current activity while also building a pipeline of new business over the next 30, 60 and 90 days.

The point of all of this is to connect with your client base, gain their confidence, then create opportunities and action for them to pursue their real estate needs now, with you as their agent. Updating your scripts will help make that happen, and will allow you to speak both with purpose and on purpose for greater success!

For a free copy of my exclusive “GoldMine^TM Pipeline Worksheet” to build and track more listings and sales, 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. She is also an RISMedia 2020 Real Estate Newsmaker as an industry Influencer. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching strategy session or visit www.sherrijohnson.com for more information.