Testimonial power
Build Credibility with Recommendations

Buyers will put more faith in claims about your skills if they come from a third party.

BY WALTER SANFORD

It’s fantastic when your clients know you’re great.

But how do you convince prospects, who haven’t had a chance to know you yet? They’ve probably read dozens of real estate ads, each touting one salesperson or another’s skills: “I’m outstanding in my field” or “I put my customers first.” What can you do to set yourself apart and get prospects to believe in you?

You need people with credibility to vouch for you. There are many people who have first-hand knowledge of your skills and may be willing to share their views with prospects. Satisfied past customers are an obvious choice—the relocating executive for whom you found a house in two weeks, the homeowner who has used you for their last three buys. But there’s another group of individuals who are also well aware of your abilities and may be a great source of testimonials—people in real-estate related business who work with you every day.

Think about it: home warranty personnel, home inspectors, insurance salespeople, accountants, attorneys, and even referred salespeople are all potential personal cheerleaders. They want you to succeed in business because they benefit when you do well.

Choose a prime affiliate from each of the various fields, and just ask them to be your supporter.

Select an individual who excels in each field and is known and respected in the community. Then get these people to agree to mail, call, or e-mail their clients and acquaintances with a short testimonial of your abilities and service. In return, assure these supporters that they have your loyalty and agree to provide a similar solicitation service for them.

Vendor testimonials can help you cement a contact you’ve already made or provide an opening so that you can follow up personally with the prospect.

Some notes of caution, however. Be sure that you don’t create additional liability for yourself through mutual recommendations. Be sure that you don’t limit your recommendation to only one service provider, even one whose testimonial you’ve solicited. Also, keep in mind that in some cases mutual recommendations might be seen as coloring your motives for recommending a vendor and might need to be disclosed to the seller, even if you don’t receive any monies.

Some Sample Letters

Lender Letter. I had my lender send this e-mail to a prospective seller as soon as I’ve scheduled a listing appointment:

I’d like to introduce our company and myself as a member of (TEAM NAME). We’re the top lenders in the area and we have a long list of satisfied clients for whom we’ve obtained mortgages to purchase their dream homes.

The (TEAM NAME) chose us as one of their recommended lenders because of our consistency in delivering a quality loan product, at competitive rates, in a timely manner, and with an enthusiastic approach. We were notified that you have either already listed or are contemplating, listing your property with (SALESPERSON’S NAME). We’d like to congratulate you on your choice.

We were notified of your interest in listing because, as team members, we’d like to play an integral part in marketing your home. Once the listing is taken, our company will determine every potential financing plan available to the buyer who purchases your property, and every salesperson in (SALESPERSON’S NAME)’s office will have these figures to present to all potential buyers.
We believe this is important because sometimes buyers may not be aware of all the different methods of financing your property. Did you know you can buy a property for as little as (XX%)? It’s true, and it’s our job to make sure buyers understand these opportunities.

Furthermore, we’ll be ready to assist you and (SALESPERSON’S NAME) during the sale of your home by screening potential buyers so you know their qualifications before you accept their offer! And, if you’re relocating within (STATE), you, too, can be pre-approved under our approval program, saving you time and eliminating any worries while you shop for your new dream home. It will also give you the upper hand in negotiations!

We’re extremely happy to be part of the (TEAM NAME). We want to make sure you’re satisfied not only with your choice of real estate salesperson, but also with having a quality transaction delivered in record time and at the highest net proceeds to you.

If you have any questions concerning financing, the sale of your existing home, or the purchase of your next home, please feel free to call me seven days a week on my voice mail pager at XXX/XXX-XXXX. And remember, to reach one of the best real estate salespeople in town, just call (SALESPERSON’S NAME), at XXX/XXX-XXXX.


Title Company Script. If I’m working with a potential buyer, I ask a representative from the chosen title company to call my potential client using the following script:

Congratulations on your decision to buy a new home. This process can be extremely stressful at times, and here at (TITLE COMPANY) we do understand your challenges. In fact, our company exists for one purpose and that is to ensure your peace of mind for as long as you own the property. To that extent, please be assured we will research a complete chain of title so any claims on the real estate that you decide to purchase will be covered under our affordable title policy and your property rights will be protected.

As a member of the (TEAM NAME), we’re committed to making sure your purchase is as trouble-free as possible, but our commitment extends well beyond that. In fact, it lasts for as long as you own the property.

(SALESPERSON NAME) is currently monitoring the lending and escrow process and we’re watching the title process. (TITLE COMPANY) has worked with (SALESPERSON NAME) on many transactions in the past and has always found him extremely conscientious and knowledgeable in providing the necessary information for a comprehensive title search in the most timely manner. Let me assure you that you couldn’t chose a better real estate professional to help you find and purchase your perfect home.

If you have any questions about title insurance, please don’t hesitate to call me. I’m always happy to assist you.

Sincerely,
The Best Title Rep.
(COMPANY NAME)


Termite Seller Letter. Finally, once I’ve signed a contract with sellers, I have my termite company partner call my prospect, both to offer their services and to let sellers know what a good choice they’ve made in selecting me:

We've been chosen to be on the (TEAM NAME) because the identification and repair of termite-related problems may be one of the most important steps in this transaction. Not only can it be costly, but also if done incorrectly, it can hamper the entire transaction from the lender and buyer's standpoint.

Therefore, we take our job very seriously.

We believe (SALESPERSON’S NAME) is one of the top and most professional real estate salespeople in town. He’ll soon be letting you know the value of doing a termite inspection before showing your home. Such an inspection can identify any infestation or factors leading to infestation (water damage, earth-to-wood contacts, or dry rot) and enable you to correct them before they create problems in your transaction.

If our company is chosen to do this inspection, we’ll do it at the most convenient time for you, Later, you’ll be given a copy of this inspection. Please call me so I can answer all your questions.
If there are repairs that need to be handled, our company is full service and can handle all of them for you. We're a state-licensed organization and only use the finest products. Our workers are the best in the business.

We're extremely proud to be on the (TEAM NAME), and you’ll find our services live up to the standards of (TEAM NAME). If you have any questions regarding termite infestations or the value of inspection, I’ll be more than happy to discuss them with you personally.

Once again, congratulations on picking the finest organization to represent you with the sale of your property. I'm sure everything has been and will continue to go very smoothly.

Sincerely,
President
Termite Company

I have also involved my attorney, CPA, home warranty and escrow providers, home inspectors, and many others into the act.

When people who benefit from your business act as your cheerleaders, they not only act as great referrals, but they also add perceived value. Clients see you as having a great reputation and in-depth resources to provide great service.

Ask Walter:

Q. I have a big problem with may sales force--I can’t convince them to make enough cold calls. Most of my sales come from advertising, but I have the feeling that we can do a lot more if the sales force searches for the clients. Is cold calling the right option for us?

A. Yes, you are moving in the correct direction. Waiting for sellers and buyers to call you will lead to average incomes. Going to them and being proactive leads to big incomes. The least expensive way of doing that is the phone, but random cold calling is for the birds. Determine who sells, such as expireds, FSBOs, absentee owners, garage sale people, people calling for moving bids, multiple property owners, and old people in big houses.

Find out what they need and call and write them with solutions. Your salespeople will enjoy making calls because they are helping people and success rate will be much higher because you are calling people that have a higher incidence of selling. If you need to train your people on the phone, tell them who to go after, what to say, and how to follow-up.

Sincerely,
Walter S. Sanford


Related Articles:
Sales Clinic: Letter-Perfect Business Tools , Walter Sanford, June 2002.

Previously by Walter Sanford:
The Vacation Presentation " />
Are You Ready for 2003?
Put Selling Skills Before Technology
Just Say ''No' to Unprofitable Clients

How To Reach Walter:
Walter can be reached at 815/929-9258; at 559 S. Washington Ave., Kankakee, Illinois 60901; at walter@waltersanford.com; or at waltersanford.com.

Send your questions for Walter Sanford to salesclinic@realtors.org

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