Do you use scripts for Sign Calls or play it by ear?

Rod, You are going to have fun here on AR and I see you have generated some good responses to your questions! Keep having fun with and they'll sense that as well! And learn each time you try something. What worked? What didn't and adjust the next time.

A veteran agent in my office uses something along these lines: I'm sorry, we have a bad connection. May I get your phone number in case we loose the connection?

A few times, someone will say no, and hang up. But, most of the time, they will give her the information. This is one way she weeds out the not-so-serious from the serious and it breaks the ice at the same time - often a caller will say, "My cell phone doesn't work so well here..."

I'm not a script fan.  If I call someone, and I can tell they are hitting me with a script, I will make their life a bit difficult before I get them off of the line.  I don't want to be "sold" and when someone hits me with the script, that is EXACTLY what it feels like.  

Be yourself.  Have an idea of where you want to go, but get there with your own style.   

I do not use scripts.  I just talk to the people who call in just like I would talk to a neighbor or a friend.  I ask folks how they are, what they need, how I can help them.

I never jump straight into properties, real estate, sales, appointments, etc, etc, etc, unless they do.

I figure that if I can read right through salespeople when they are using scripts on me...or trying to SELL me something, I am not alone.  The golden rule RULES my business, so I will not use 'scripts' or 'techniques' on any of my clients...ever.

It seems to be working.

Live good. Be happy. Be authentic.

-Mimi

Hi Rod, I am not a big fan of scripts that sound canned and impersonal. However, I believe that you should have a plan for what information you want to get from the caller. My main goal is to find out if they are potential clients (whether now or in the future) and if they are the type of person/people I want to work with. Like many of the AR bloggers that have commented already, I don't like to be "sold to" when I call someplace for information, so I don't do that to people when they call me. I talk to them with the a positive attitude, respectfully answer their questions and try to make a connection with them. Hopefully I start building enough rapport to get their email address or telephone number for the next step.

Be confident, have fun and be yourself, you'll be great!   Have a happy and prosperous New Year!

Hi Rodney.  I hope you've found the last few months helpful in tweaking your business pracctices.  I would like to add that, when my clients speak with sign callers or when we call people who have called into the 800 systems, we often try to find out what they are looking for.  Our first comment to them is "We just wanted to make sure you received all the information you needed regarding 123 State Street.  Is there anything else we can tell you about that property?"  This opens the door to more dialogue.  Then, we always say something like "This house is a 3 bedroom.  Do you need a 3 bedroom or more?"  That usually opens the door to us being able to let them know about similar properties or other properties that more fit what they are looking for.  The key is to take your cue from the caller.  Trying to pre-qual and get all the technical information on that first call is somewhat unrealistic because they don't know you.  They are most often not ready to tell you anything about themselves until they start to feel more comfortable with you.

So, try to get to know them first and then go in to get the more necessary information.  That might make the conversations go a lot more smoothly!  Hope that helps!

~Renae

You are asking the potential buyer questions...are they preapproved etc.

I'm curious - at what point do you disclose to them that you are working for the seller and may use information they tell you to the seller's benefit?

rodney, welcome to AR, i think youll find a ton of info on here on both varying topics and opinions to your question.  there's a commercial out there right now making fun of a telemarketer who is reading from a script and he says something along the line "hello mr.smith it's INSERT YOUR NAME calling" and then the telemarketer realizes what he has done, instead of inserting his name he just reads the card.  The scripts are the bricks, you need to add the mortor to make them your own.  most of all it needs to come across as sincere, genuine, and original.  if you're fake on the phone, good luck.  personally when somebody calls, i always try to find out why they called:

customer: HI, IM CALLING ABOUT 123 MAIN STREET.

me: SURE, WHAT CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROPERTY?

customer: HOW ABOUT THE PRICE TO START.

me: NO PROBLEM, LET ME LOOK THAT UP FOR YOU.  CAN I ASK WHAT IT IS ABOUT THE HOME THAT MADE YOU CALL ON IT? 

its a non-threating, probing question that should open the door and lead you to some back and forth.  you can from there find out they love the neighborhood, or its a great commuter location.  the trick is to find out what they wanted in the first place because more often than not, this wont be the house for them.  if you know the market and what is available you can make suggestions and offer to help which has worked tremendously for me.  it takes some work, but like i said, if you are sincere and genuine, it will come across on the phone.  you'll win em' over every time.

wishing you the best in life and business,

joshua matthews-keller williams coastal realty

Ron, I like your approach as it is definitely non-abrasive. Buyers, especially those surfing on the web, want information and they want it like yesterday. I have found that my goal on the first call is to try to ge them to see the property. I know that if I can meet them in person, I have an 80% chance of turning them into a client. So, all of my efforts are designed to get them to preview the property within a few hours. Then, I start working on researching other properties in the same area they might want to see and then call him back in about 30 minutes and tell him I have a couple more houses to show him. With me showing them a few houses, they will feel bad about not using me as a realtor. Some people like to have a buyers rep agreement signed. I have never been a fan. Before we got into real estate we were searching for a house to buy and this realtor, after the last house we saw, tried to get married to us by asking us to sign a buyers rep agreement. Just like you wouldn't ask someone to marry you on the first date, you shouldn't ask for them to be totally committed to you on the first day. So, I tell them that I don't make them sign one unless we put in an offer. I tell them the reason I don't have them sign a buyers rep agreement before that time is that I don't want to be stuck with them and them with me if things don't work out between us.