The power of the phone call
Real estate trainers continuously talk about the importance of making personal contact with our prospects. My husband related a non-real estate example that I thought was worth passing along. So here's his story in Chuck's own words-
"I am in charge of the delivery of our neighborhood newsletter to about 1200 residents. I have 15 wonderful volunteers, who, rain or shine, show up on the assigned Saturday morning each quarter to pick up their packet of newsletters and deliver them. about a week and a half ahead of time I send out a reminder e-mail. Occasionally there will be a volunteer that I don't hear back from. So at the start of the next week I phone them.""I had an interesting experience today while doing that. One of my long-standing deliverers (we'll call her Mary) had not responded to either e-mail. So I gave Mary a call. When she answered the phone I identified myself as being 'Chuck from the neighborhood newsletter.' I followed that with a comment about the unseasonably cold weather and then shut up. Mary volunteered "I didn't miss getting your e-mails but I put them aside." I said that delivery was the upcoming Saturday and she said that, yes, she would be happy to deliver her regular route."
"Then...she volunteered to do two additional services without my having asked. She said, "I can do a second route if you need me to. Also, do you still need volunteers to staple the newsletter?" It was as if she had been waiting for me to call so that she could volunteer to do extra! I got goosebumps!"
I'm pretty sure human nature is the same whether people are being contacted about volunteer work or contacted about buying or selling a home. Wouldn't it be thrilling to any of us to be making that call and getting a response such as-
"Yes, Janine, I would like to get an updated Market Snapshot on my property. And by the way, my husband has been transferred to Phoenix. So, we need you to come and list the house and sell it. Also, we don't know any agents in Phoenix. So we need you to refer us to somebody you would trust there. You know us pretty well and are more likely to match us up with an agent who has your personal and professional approach to things."
Sure, I already 'knew' this...but this was a good reminder that phoning a prospect isn't just for my benefit in getting more business. My customers are counting on me to be the professional...to remind them of important real estate priorities that will help their present and future life.
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