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Pushy Salesman-Rethink Your Approach

By
Real Estate Agent with Integrity Real Estate Group

Phone Sales GuyOne of the ways I view my job as a Realtor® is a customer relationship manager.  It means that I work hard to build win/win situations between all of the people that it needs to take to get a deal to the closing table.  So when my phone rings and on the other end is a pushy salesman I'm floored that they think their approach is going to work.

Today it happened again.  John from XYZ Company called to try and sell me the latest and greatest real estate widget (name changed to protect the not so innocent).  Now I don't know if John got my name from Active Rain or surfing the internet for real estate agents.  No matter how he got to me, his approach was all wrong.

Anyone who wants to sell something, especially in a cold call situation, needs to understand that as soon as you contradict the person on the other end of the line you have reached GAME OVER.  If you immediately begin to shove your latest and greatest widget down my throat you have lost me and I suspect about 90% of any other Realtor® you are calling.

Phone Woman

We are in the get to know you business.  Perhaps you might want to ask me first whether I know anything about your company or whether I've every heard of your XYZ widget.  Maybe you should take a breath and if I say I'm not interested in what you are selling, instead of trying to knock me over with your canned speech, you ask me another open ended question that might engage me in conversation.

You might indeed have the latest and greatest widget that I  need but if you take the approach of telling me that "I'm not serving my clients" by not listening to your speel well you have not only lost me for today but there is no way I'm ever going to consider your widget.  You have absolutely no idea how I serve my clients.  You haven't taken the time to find out.

So for any of the pushy salesmen that read AR and use it to try and win business.  Back off and learn a little bit about how Realtors® do business.  You might learn a thing or two and maybe even find someone who will take the time hear more about your products.  If not then you might want to consider another line of work.

Posted by

                                   Real People*Real Lives*Real Estate

If you are interested in learning more about the Northern Virginia Real Estate market including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William Counties give Cindy Jones and Integrity Real Estate Group a call at 703-346-2213.

Military Relocation Specialist serving military families relocating to and from the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir, Quantico MCB and all of the Military District of Washington installations. 

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Check out www.varealestatetalk.com and www.cjrealtygroup.com for more information.

Integrity Real Estate Group
 
Real People*Real Life*Real Estate

Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia



 

 

Comments (16)

David Soto - Illinois Home Loans & Mortgages
Illinois Home Loans & Mortgage Refinance - Chicago, IL
great post, i like your approach to sales, solid insight
Feb 19, 2008 05:54 AM
Jane Wallace
HomeSmart Realty - Denver, CO
CRS | SRES, Denver Real Estate

Cindy,

They Call me on My Cell Phone and When I tell them I not Interested, They come back even more Aggressive, So I Just Hang Up on Them.

Feb 19, 2008 05:55 AM
Shanna Martin
Keller Williams Realty - Everett, WA
Nothing worse then a pushy sales person!  I like when they say "well you should know what it is like."  No I do not.  I listen and value what my clients say- thank you and I am hanging up now.  Have a great day!
Feb 19, 2008 06:00 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Cindy, the pushiest are the guys from companies trying to sell leads! 

Them:  "What do you mean you couldn't use an extra 3000 leads per year?"

Me:  "Not a problem!  When I do, I just call Broker Bryant and he'll sell me a whole slew of them!  At bargain basement prices, no less!" 

Feb 19, 2008 06:10 AM
Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS
The best salesmen I've known over the years are the ones who come bringing information and value - then they let you sell yourself on their services.
Feb 19, 2008 01:15 PM
DeAndrea "Dee Dee" Jones
Samson Properties - Manassas, VA
DMVRealEstateChick
I feel like changing all my phone numbers an email addresses but theyll still manage to find me.
Feb 19, 2008 02:20 PM
Joseph Ellman
Realty Executives- Williams-Sykes Realty - Poughkeepsie, NY
Cindy - Well said!  When I get these calls, I often will ask them to e-mail me, as I like to keep my phone free for clients.  It's amazing how many will resist that, which = Game Over in my book.
Feb 19, 2008 08:30 PM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
David-thanks I build relationships not push a home down a buyers throat!
Feb 20, 2008 12:03 AM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
Jane-that is what I have come to doing as well.  It doesn't feel good but if they won't stop then it is the only way to get rid of them.
Feb 20, 2008 12:04 AM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
Shannon-seems like the pushy salesman are making the rounds!
Feb 20, 2008 12:05 AM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
Sharon-how true. It seems these days it is all about intimidation instead of the soft sell.
Feb 20, 2008 12:06 AM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
Patricia-I like it.  Call Broker Bryant could be my new mantra.  Buying leads is probably the worst use of an agents money.
Feb 20, 2008 12:08 AM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
Dee Dee-having a DNC number doesn't seem to work either.  They will find us.  I try and remind them when they call that they are in violation of the DNC list but that doesn't usually stop their speel.
Feb 20, 2008 12:11 AM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
Joseph-oh they do hate to acutally have to do anything but press the buttons on the phone.  I can count on one hand the number of time I've actually gotten the follow-up information I asked for.
Feb 20, 2008 12:12 AM
Margaret Woda
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Crofton, MD
Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation
Every time I get a cold call, I want to reach through the phone line and wring their necks - or their supervisor's.  Doesn't anyone train these poor souls before they set 'em loose on the phone?
Feb 20, 2008 12:24 PM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
Margaret-I'm sure there only training is how to push the redial button.  Who knows what a little training might accomplish.
Feb 20, 2008 10:32 PM