Carpe Diem - Seize Your Day - Tips From Dirk Zeller

Dirk Zeller
CEO
Real Estate Champions

One of the most identifiable characteristics of high performers is that they're action-oriented. They don't wait around to see what will happen or how things will turn out. They seize each day, wringing all the possibilities, performance, and profit possible out of every encounter.  They treat each moment as a gift. As the saying goes, that's why we call today the present!

To quote Napoleon Hill: "Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.'  Start where you stand and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along." In other words: Get to work!

If you're a newer agent, don't waste time fretting over the fact that your skills or tools are not at the level of other agents. Work with what you've got and know that your abilities will improve with use. At the worst, you'll make a mistake from which you'll learn a good lesson. Finding out early in your career what not to do delivers value that will pay off again and again in your future.

I accepted a newer agent as a coaching client a year ago. Recently, he made an exception to the policy of making a client sign a buyer's agency contract. His client was the younger sister of his wife's best friend, and so he didn't insist that the client-agency relationship be formalized in the usual manner. After three offers were written and many hours were invested, his client chose to buy through the listing agent. My client was out time and money, the result of his lack of experience.

I told him this was the best thing that could have happened to him. He had been burned by someone he never expected would let him down, and he learned a good lesson. I told him get back to work and never make that exception again!

Too many consumers feel no loyalty or obligation to agents. They have the idea that agents are well paid through commissions, but they don't seem to acknowledge that we're not paid at all if no sale occurs.

For that reason, it's very important that you work with clients who are serious about buying or selling and who agree to work exclusively with you to accomplish their real estate objectives. Otherwise, you are letting real estate shoppers waste your time.

The biggest loss that most agents experience is lost opportunity. Each time you invest in helping a prospect who fails to take action or, worse yet, leaves you for another agent, your investment results in absolutely no financial compensation. That's like a personal injury attorney losing all his cases. He will be out of business soon.

The best way to handle interruptions is to stop them from happening in the first place. Especially when you are conducting direct income-producing activities - when you are prospecting or doing lead follow-up - turn off your cell phone. Tell the receptionist to hold your calls and take messages instead.  Turn off your e-mail program so the "you've got mail" icon doesn't appear on your computer screen. Sign out of your online instant message program. Hang a sign on your office door advising that you are not to be interrupted.

Follow the same rules when you are with a client. There is nothing more impolite than an agent who handles phone calls while driving around showing clients property. At the very least, set your cell phone to vibrate rather than ring when you are in buyer interviews, showing property, or on listing appointments.

Eliminate distractions for your own good and for the good of the relationship with the client you are trying to serve.

Especially when you're making or taking transaction-servicing calls or production-support calls, you need to conduct business in the shortest time period possible. Otherwise you'll erode the time you need for high-value income-producing activities.  To keep calls short, employ these techniques:

• Establish an indication of the time available as you begin the call. For example, say something like, "I have an appointment in 15 minutes but your call was an important one and I wanted to get back to you as quickly as I could." This technique alerts the call recipient to your time limitation. It says, nicely, "Get to the point quickly." It underscores that you value the caller and made a special effort to make time for the conversation.

If you're on a time-blocked schedule everything is treated as an appointment, including times for returning phone calls, so you'll be speaking the truth. You do have another appointment in 15 minutes. This technique is particularly appropriate for prospect or client calls.

• Offer an alternative to a short phone call. If you think your client or prospect wants or needs more than a short return phone call follow the above technique but then go one step further: Assure the other person that 15 minutes should be more than enough time but, if it's not, you can schedule a phone conference when you'll be available for an appointment later in the day. I've made this offer many times, and I've rarely had to talk with the client later. We've always managed to resolve the issues during the short conversation.

• When possible, handle production-support calls with voicemail messages. You don't want to rely on voicemail with prospects, since you want to establish personal relationships that lead to face-to-face meetings. But when you're handling service calls, voicemail is a time-effective option for both you and the other party. Make a call, leave a message, and offer the option to call you back with the assurance that if your message resolves the issue then there is no need for a return call. Follow a script such as this one:

"Bob, I know that you're busy. I believe that this resolves the issue. If you agree, there is no need for you to call me back. If you do need to speak with me, I'll be available later today between 3:30 and 4:15.  Please call me then."

If you'd like more help staying on track for real estate success, check out my NEW audio series "The Champion Real Estate Agent^TM - Audio Series" here.