Is your office receiving sales calls? Are you working them to get an appointment? Here are some tips that I hope will help.

Most calls coming in are usually asking for the price of a specific property or some details about that property. Always answer a consumer's question with a question. Your dialogue might sound like this:

Consumer: Hi, I'm calling about the house you have on Old Landing Road.

Agent: That's a really nice property. It has 3 bedrooms. How many bedrooms were you looking for?

Consumer: Well, 3 would be okay, but I could really use a den or 4th bedroom.

Agent: That particular house doesn't have the opportunity for a den or 4th bedroom, but let me tell you about a few other homes that do. In what price range were you looking?

Consumer: I'm not really sure, but what do you have?

Agent: I might suggest to you that I have a mortgage person call you, no cost or obligation, and he can tell you exactly what you qualify for. Interest rates are really low today. Have you ever talked with a mortgage person before? OR We have many, many properties, both single family and townhomes. Do you have a preference?

Consumer: Can't you tell me what you have, maybe in the $300,000 price range?

Agent: I certainly can. Are you looking for single family homes or townhomes?

Do you get the general idea? Keep answering a question with a question, or give a response that requires them to give you more information.

As you continue on with the conversation, remember to ask: Are you working with a REALTOR^®? Ask them if they have signed anything. They may say no, but they really enjoy working with Susie Smith. Remember the Golden Rule, do unto others...

You can still give them information, but then refer them back to their REALTOR^®. Some of you may scoff at this idea, but you never can tell when someone will come back to you, because you were so helpful, or because their REALTOR^® doesn't return their calls.

If the answer is that they are not working with a REALTOR^®, proceed to get their name, address, email, and telephone number. Tell them you will send them IMPORTANT information (links, mortgage rate sheets, etc.) Tell them also that you will send them via email the CIS Disclosure form explaining how REALTORS^® do business in the State of Delaware. Don't be afraid to ask for their loyalty. Tell them you can get information on any property in which they're interested. Ask them to stay loyal to you.

Once you start talking with someone, put a smile in your voice, think of them as a friend and you'll be amazed at how easy the conversation can flow.

Good sales calls are worth their weight in gold. Don't throw it away by simply answering a consumer's question, then saying, "Thanks for calling," and then hanging up. You just threw a good opportunity out the window.

Hope these tips help.

See you next week.

Back to Ronnie REALTOR^® Archive >>