SELLING: Communication
BY HOWARD BRINTON
Give it to them straight
For three weeks you’ve been running around showing a pair of buyer clients home after home. Late one Friday afternoon, after viewing four more houses, they again register their objections on why all four don’t fit their criteria.
You feel like telling them to go jump in a lake, but you can’t afford to lose them. Still, the thought of confronting them with news that they’re being unrealistic is stressful. You’re at risk of appearing short-tempered, which may send clients running to a different salesperson. What to do? Be 100 percent honest but temper that honesty with compassion, wisdom, and your experience.
In this instance, let the clients save face but be clear that you need them to communicate with you: “It seems we’re not finding properties in which you’re interested. I may not have heard you correctly when you described the style of house you like. Let’s reassess your needs so we can satisfy them.”
Show your worth
The first step in delivering less-than-favorable news is to change your mindset. Regard the interaction not as a confrontation but as an opportunity to show clients what they’re paying you for: your judgment, situation analysis, and real estate expertise. When you confront with honesty you’ll earn respect, ensure that you’re the driver of the relationship, and potentially weed out problematic clients.
To engender openness from the start, ask clients, “So I can better understand your motivation, on a scale of one to 10—with 10 being total honesty from me and one being I tell you exactly what you want to hear—where do you place yourself?” Most likely, they’ll tell you they want a high level of honesty. Remind them of this conversation if later you must deliver tough news.
If clients answer less than five to your honesty scale, tell them, “To be candid, that doesn’t align with the values that drive my business. Honesty’s critical to solving clients’ needs so in the end they’re totally happy. Why are you reluctant to have a completely honest relationship?” Their answer might uncover a fear you can address.
Continue to insert candor into every step of the process to avoid letting anger build up. For instance, if buyers aren’t giving you feedback on the homes they view, try this: “I don’t own these homes. You aren’t going to hurt my feelings, so feel free to tell me what you like and dislike.”
Even if you’re frustrated, don’t confront with anger; suspend judgment and probe to find clients’ true motivations. Understanding the problem may make it easier for you to confront them. A good way to probe is to ask “how” and “what” questions. For example, suppose you find the perfect house for your buyer client, and the sellers agree to drop their price a bit, but not as far as your client would like. The buyer says, “It’s a great house, but if they don’t lower the price, the deal’s off.”
Ask, “How much thought have you given to the consequences of that decision? If you’re OK risking losing the house, then I’m OK. We agreed to be candid, and I believe this home has what you want.”
In this case, facts may also help make your point. Use your financial calculator to show the buyers the difference in monthly payments between their price and the sellers’ asking price and then ask them, “What do you want to do?”
You should deal with every situation in a forthright way. For instance,
1. You need to tell sellers about a lowball offer. Say, “Don’t be upset at the bidders—they put in an offer and want to buy your home. Be upset about the people who didn’t write an offer. The offer’s low but not out of our range. Let’s counter with X amount.”
2. A salesperson didn’t arrive for a showing appointment on your listing. Tell the seller, “I contacted the salesperson and informed his broker about the lapse. If for some reason he shows the house again, I’d make sure to be there, too. Now, let’s focus on getting your home sold.”
3. The home price needs to be lowered. You say, “The market guides us. Since no one’s looked at your home (or since no visitors have made bids), the market has spoken. We need to reposition your asking price in keeping with the market.”
4. The client’s inflexibility is stalling the sale or purchase. For instance a buyer may say, “I don’t think I can live with that carpet.” Try, “If we can solve the carpet situation, would you purchase the home?” This helps you determine if the carpet’s really the problem or if it’s an excuse. People dislike making decisions when they fear risk. But with this approach, you help them take action without dismissing their concern.
Confrontations can be challenging, but you do have control over how you initiate and respond to them. The next time you have to confront remember: Think before you speak.
Brinton is a motivational speaker and the founder and CEO of STAR POWER Systems(www.GoStarPower.com),a sales training organization. His STAR POWER Club provides salespeople with a series of interviews on selling techniques from the nation’s top producers. You can reach him at 800/635-6750 or HowardB@GoStarPower.com.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
For more about communicating well with clients and overcoming objections, read NAR's Field Guide for Communications to Associations .
