The fact is, sometimes things don’t go the way we expect, especially in real estate. Have you ever been on a listing appointment that you thought went well, the potential client seemed to like you and you were sure you had the listing in the bag? Then, the next thing you know, you see the home listed on the MLS with another agent. To make matters worse, the pictures are low quality and the write-up doesn’t sound professional. You’re left wondering, “What happened?” “Where did I go wrong?”

Turning Your Breakdown Into a Breakthrough
I understand exactly how frustrating it can be to lose a piece of business you were sure you had. It can be tough to wrap your mind around it, and it’s easy to dwell on it.

Remember this: You’re building a career, one that is not defined by one listing or one failure. Your success as a professional is not solely built on one homeowner. You can turn every breakdown into a breakthrough when you look at every encounter as a learning experience.

One way to feel better about losing a listing is to focus on your skills and look for ways to improve. How can you do better next time? What could you have done differently? What objection did you not handle? How could you have improved the conversation and rapport?

As I often tell our Power Agents® when they begin to focus too hard on a missed listing, there are very few real estate woes that can’t be cured by getting another listing. Don’t focus on what’s behind you. Make another call. Knock on another door. Move forward.

Keep Looking Forward
Think of it like riding a horse or a bike. Do you stop trying once you fall? Of course not. You get back on and keep going. The same is true in real estate. Get back in the saddle and do whatever needs to be done to replace that lost business.

The next time a listing doesn’t go your way, give yourself five minutes to determine if there are any lessons to be learned or if there is something you can do differently. Then dive in. Take action. Prospect. Make your calls and find out what that other person’s commitment is. How can you help them? How can you serve? Stay positive and in the present. When you persist, you’ll be rewarded.

Until then, we’re here for you. If there’s something we can do to help you grow your business or skill set—or make the mindset shift that makes the difference—let us know.

Darryl Davis has trained and coached more than 100,000 agents globally. He is the best-selling author of “How to Become a Power Agent® in Real Estate,” which tops Amazon’s charts for most-sold book to real estate agents. Davis hosts a weekly webinar to help agents succeed in changing times. Visit www.darrylspeaks.com/Online-Training.