How to Win Sales and Influence Clients

Every Realtor wants to have a sure line on how to immediately "connect" with a client. It doesn't exist. What does, however, are strategies whereby you can gain a greater desire on the part of your client to help you and garner positive recommendations. One might think that the client is the leader in this relationship, but this is not so. They are hiring you because of your expertise. You must lead them to what they want or as close as possible to it. Dale Carnegie, in his best-selling book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People", illustrated principles that have been effective leadership tools for years. You can use these principles to positively encourage

Don't criticize or talk down to your clients. There are ways of saying, "Okay, now you're being ridiculous" without actually telling them that you're doubting their sanity for even suggesting whatever it is. Your clients may be convinced that their home is worth $700,000 when, in today's market, it's closer to $400,000. Saying something like, "I would have an appraisal done on your house to get a better idea of the current market value, because right now, houses in your neighborhood are selling for $X." is a lot better than, "That's absurd! You'll never get half that amount for this house!"

Provide your clients with information. Showing them data from reliable sources will not only make them feel more in control, it will help them trust you more because you are giving them the power to understand their home's place in the real estate market. You can often get a homeowner to be more amenable to price changes if you back your statements up with proven facts.

Ask your clients about their home and listen to what they say. One of the reasons that a seller stubbornly refuses to lower the price on a home is the emotional value. Respecting this and showing that you're interested in the "emotional sales value" may encourage a seller to listen to you when you tell them that their home just won't sell for the price they are asking. If they believe you care about what the home means to them, they may believe you when you say that, to the world, their home isn't worth as much as they perceive it to.

Talk to your clients in terms of their goals instead of yours. Why do they want to sell? What do they hope to gain? Where do they see themselves several years from now? Do they have an eye for another home they want to buy? Are there time or financial constraints that make them want to sell or sell by a certain time? Gathering as much knowledge as possible while encouraging your clients to be more open about their hopes for their future life. They will tend to be more open to your suggestions.

Listen to your clients with interest and active appreciation of their ideas and suggestions. They may not be useful at all, but they show that the client is interested in the process of selling their home. Information is often a give-and-take with clients. If you listen to their reasons why their house is worth $450,000 instead of 400,000 thousand, you can more effectively show how their improvements and other work done on the home only equal a value of $400,000.

This doesn't mean that you shy away from telling your clients the truth about their home, its market value or their selling prospects. However, by modifying your approach, you are more likely to have your clients respond positively to you and work more effectively with you to achieve a sale.