There’s a reason that agents tend to want to work with buyers instead of sellers. It “feels” more like serving than selling. I totally get that. Stephen Covey often talked about our “emotional bank account,” which we are either making deposits into or withdrawals.
For a lot of agents, working with buyers feels more deposit-friendly. We find them a great home, help them put in an offer, and even before the deal is closed, it feels like you’re serving and helping people get to their next level in life.
But when agents work with sellers, it can sometimes be draining. People get frustrated. “Why has my house not sold yet?” “Why do I have to have so many showings?” “My house is special and worth so much MORE!” Many seller conversations feel like withdrawals, not deposits. However, I want you to remember your commitment during those times to help those families get to their next level in life, too.
At the end of last year, I asked my coaching members to look at their commitment for the year ahead. I asked them to focus on how many families they would help in 12 months. Instead of, “I want to close 30 transactions,” it became, “I want to help 30 families.” They were to write it down, view it daily and work from that commitment.
What we do very much impacts the well-being of people and their families. Did you know that statistics show that children who are raised in a home that is owned (not rented) do 9 percent better in math, 7 percent better in English, have 3 percent less behavioral issues, are 25 percent more likely to graduate from high school and are 115 percent more likely to graduate from college? That’s life-changing.
When you are first speaking with a prospect, find out what their commitment is. Do they have to move for a job opportunity? Do they want to expand their family? Are they moving to be near grandkids? Ask questions and really listen to the answers. Then, everything about your conversation from that point forward is to coach them on how to realize those goals. Their commitment becomes part of your commitment. When you approach a seller with that intent and compassion in mind, it will change how you do business. It will reverberate throughout your conversation, and the people sitting across the kitchen table from you will feel it and appreciate it—and it will create a positive emotional deposit for everyone concerned.
It’s the little shifts that make a huge difference in our careers and lives. Shift from selling to serving, and work from that commitment. It’s a game changer.
Darryl Davis has spoken to, trained and coached more than 100,000 real estate professionals around the globe. He is a best-selling author for McGraw-Hill Publishing, and his book, “How to Become a Power Agent in Real Estate,” tops Amazon’s charts for most sold book to real estate agents. He is the founder of the Next Level® real estate training system The Power Program®, which has proven to help agents double their production over their previous year. Davis earned the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation, held by less than 2 percent of all speakers worldwide. To learn more, visit www.ThePowerProgram.com.
