Getting the listing is dependent on many factors of course, but this short piece is about the value of listening. I don’t imagine this will be a hard sell to anyone reading this. We all know it’s important, but do we do it? One of the most dramatic and helpful things you can sometimes (and it’s one of my personal favorites) is to simply shut up. A brief pause in communication gives breathing room and get yield very good results.

Shutting your mouth for a bit and letting the conversation breath has many good benefits.

Shut up!
First, you don’t want to interrupt your client, and talking constantly kind of puts you in this position by default. Also, fear of silence communicates insecurity; and it often is a fair assessment. We fill up the dead space because we’re really not sure where the appointment is headed, so we talk and talk and talk…to make sure we get our points across. A well-rehearsed presentation makes good, effective use of words and leaves plenty of room for the client to talk.

Second, giving your client plenty of time to talk and listening to them carefully communicates that you actually care about what they’re saying. If there’s anything that a potential client wants it’s to be cared for and understood. This takes time.

Additionally, pausing and letting the conversation “breathe” as I call it communicates confidence, AND you will actually be able to better understand your clients needs. Many listings expire and withdraw for the simple reason that they started off poorly to begin with. If expectations are better addressed up front, it makes for a smoother and more beneficial listing experience. Misunderstandings yield resentments down the road. Selling a home is stressful enough, and the client deserves your absolute attention up front and for the entire duration of the listing.

Be inquisitive
My favorite question is "How do you mean?” Real estate coach Howard Brinton has a technique he calls “going three deep”. It’s invaluable. When a buyer says they want a basement, don’t ever just take this piece of information at face value? Follow up with “How do you mean?” “Is your main goal to have the extra storage space, or is it something else?” “If a home otherwise meets everything you need but it doesn’t have a basement, do you want me to not bother you with it?” These questions add invaluable information, give you a deep understanding of what your client wants and most importantly…they can really reveal their deepest motivations for why they want to or have to move. Get on board with “going three deep”. It makes your client feel like you really care, and it gives you the information you need to really give them impressive service.

 

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