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Talking To Myself....My Toughest Client

By
Real Estate Agent with Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 BRE# 01494165

 

I talk to myself all the time.  Oh sure sometimes it's about whether I truly want those new shoes. I mean are shoes really a "want"? I think we can all agree that shoes are a NEED! But I'm talking about role playing.

One of the early lessons in any sales training class is role playing. Remember those moments when you felt like an idiot pretending you were "selling" someone something? Oh...that horrible interview when someone said "sell me this pen." Yikes...I hope they don't still do that out there.

But role playing is beneficial. I role play in my head. I practice before making phone calls to cold leads. I imagine the conversation. I practice an ice breaker of some kind. I overcome objections. In my head, I'm really tough on myself. Typically tougher than anyone on the phone will be.

I wonder how many people would actually become truly irate and yell at me! In my head I do...and then I soothe myself down. :)

Today I hit some leads....somewhat cold. Internet leads. I had the advantage of knowing what they had searched for on the site, but not the stage of looking and they did not ask for a call. So in advance....I practiced rejection. I practiced asking for an appointment. I practiced answers to questions that might come up in each city....such as taxes, HOA fees and schools. I researched commonly asked questions and I had the answers.

By the time I reached the actual leads....it was a breeze. Turns out, I was my toughest client today....and I even won myself over.

Comments(35)

Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

I talk to myself all the time - don't know if I'd call it role playing. But one thing I could never do in all my years in real estate is role play with someone else. It just felt too dumb - so whatever I said wouldn't be what I would say in real life.

Aug 27, 2012 02:53 PM
Reuben Fine
Fill-In-The-Blanks PDF Flyer Templates www.TurnKeyFlyers.com - Rossmoor, CA

Being prepared and knowing what to say next is very important. Role playing is such a great method for this! Great post.

 

Aug 28, 2012 02:06 AM
Tammy Emineth
Personal SEO - Website SEO and Real Estate Marketing - Frenchtown, MT
Content Marketer, SEO Teacher, Website Fixer

Karen, that's awesome! If YOU are your toughest client the rest is gravy! I talk to myself as well to listen how I sound to others. Playing out rejection is actually smart so then you are not surprised if it happens. (Not that we count on it though)

Aug 28, 2012 02:07 AM
Adam Brett
The Adam and Eric Group - Fullerton, CA
The Adam and Eric Group, Fullerton's Finest

Hi Karen - this was an excellent post and an excellent observation as well on your part. I will be sugggesting this!

Aug 28, 2012 02:44 AM
Gay E. Rosen
Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty - Larchmont, NY
As Real as Real Estate Gets!

Karen great post and congrats on the feature.. Great idea to role play with yourself - as long as you don't start arguing with yourself! LOL G

Aug 28, 2012 02:49 AM
Charlie Ragonesi
AllMountainRealty.com - Big Canoe, GA
Homes - Big Canoe, Jasper, North Georgia Pros

Karen I thought I was the only one that did this. I feel better now

Aug 28, 2012 03:03 AM
Jean French-Turner
Southport Realty, Inc. - Southport, NC

Actually, this is an angle I just never had thought about-very meaningful blog to me-thank you

Aug 28, 2012 03:42 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Kathy: Oh dear....I guess that's good practice, though. I hope you end up finding yourself a good property sometime. :)

Wayne: Negative thoughts are counter-productive, but overcoming objections is different. Right?

Dorie: Thanks....it prepares me for the real calls

California Coast: Good attitude, and it helps to be prepared for what they might say

Peggy: Thank you. :)

Steven: That's funny....

Bob: I'm as tough as they come

Kathy: It's true...I find that most of the time real people are not as tough as I imagine them to be

Chris Ann: True.....I do it all the time, with many things, actually

Mona: You're so sweet :)

Hannah: Thanks....it's certainly helpful to practice in advance before we practice on real people

Beth: Absolutely....and maybe I should coach. Thousands, huh?

Mike: It's true...I try and anticipate real objections and I have a bunch in my head

Gretchen: oh, me too.

Marte: You're right...and when we try to really to hit all the talking points, we make a role play that just wouldn't work in real life

Reuben: And we can do it when we're in the car, or whereever

Tammy: That's true.....I come up with all kinds of objections that I often never see

Adam: Thank you for the suggest

Gay: Oh....feature, guess I need to pay more attention. Thank you.

Charlie: no....we all talk to ourselves, I think. :)

Aug 28, 2012 03:52 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Jean: Thanks....I'm so glad you found it helpful

Aug 28, 2012 03:52 AM
Evelyn Kennedy
Alain Pinel Realtors - Alameda, CA
Alameda, Real Estate, Alameda, CA

Karen:

I think we are all harder on ourselves than others are.  I role place before a listing presentation so I feel comfortable when I am actually do the presentation to prospective sellers. 

Aug 28, 2012 04:46 AM
Ben Gerritsen
Mortgage Miracles Happen, NMLS ID: 1289680 - Ogden, UT
Mortgage Loan Originator

This is a daily thing to do, practive our scripts, being confident with what we do. And then to have a positive daily attitude. This is a great reminder for all of us.

Aug 28, 2012 04:56 AM
Chris and Dick Dovorany
Homes for Sale in Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida - Naples, FL
Broker/Associate at Premiere Plus Realty

Good for you.  The real estate trainers would be proud of you.  Unfortunately, I flunked.  Just can not do it.

Aug 28, 2012 05:52 AM
Bryan Robertson
Los Altos, CA

I review what I'll say and how I'll say it all the time for a long list of things.  For me, I'd rather have something in my head so I'm not just rambling.

Aug 28, 2012 06:19 AM
Glenn Freezman
Family Abstract, Inc. - Horsham, PA

I think the truth flows simpler from a mouth that has practiced delivering it.

Aug 28, 2012 06:36 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Evelyn: I do too...always practice ideas and how sentences sound, sometimes even out loud

Benjamin: Thanks....and practice makes perfect they say

Chris/Dick: Yes they would be. :)

Bryan: I think that's the important thing, to have things to say

Glenn: good point.

Aug 28, 2012 10:44 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Good for you Karen!  Practice makes perfect, and talking to yourself is fine ... make you feel much better!!  I do it all the time too.  Great encouraging post.

Aug 28, 2012 01:05 PM
Digital Digital
Alachua, FL
full service

Hi Karen,

Congrats!!

It's always amazing when opportunity meets preparing.

All the best for the rest of 2012!

Aug 28, 2012 02:11 PM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

Karen - It makes it easier when you're your toughest client.  It makes everyone else easy.

Aug 28, 2012 02:18 PM
Janis Borgueta
Newburgh, NY
Retired RE Salesperson

I too go over things in my own head prior to calling. I hate the roll playing in classes.. never found that helpful.. as nobody likes it and does it just cuz during class time. I do talk out loud to myself ... frequently .. and that seems to make sense on some level. I like this post as it makes me think more about the process of cold calling.

Aug 31, 2012 08:54 PM
Mark Montross
Catamount Realty Group - Burlington, VT
Listing and Buyer Specialist

I have often heard that we are our own toughtest critic. Kudos to you for being ultra-prepared!

Oct 27, 2012 08:03 AM