Everyone wants to close the next sale, have another offer accepted, and earn a commission. But, often times, there are hurdles or obstacles that get in the way of a quick and efficient closing. In fact, I’d say that more than half the transactions that I’ve been a part of have had at least one challenge (often a minor one) that—if not dealt with correctly—could have blown the deal. Sometimes the burdens of these challenges or the personalities of the other people on the team (the other agent, the lenders, the buyer or the seller) can really wreak havoc on your emotions.
Sellers and buyers may not respect your time; they may even be rude, or they may not see the market the way that you do. Your fellow agents can occasionally be overdramatic or difficult. Don’t worry. There’s an easy way around the problem: two simple words… “You’re fired”. (I’m not exactly sure if that would count as two words or three, since technically it is “you are fired.”) Nevertheless, the key to a quick closing is often getting all of the “crap” off of your plate. If you find yourself consumed by one specific issue and it is getting in the way of prospecting for new transactions, then you need to move on. I’m not advocating using the famous words from Mr. Trump’s “The Apprentice”, but I do advocate taking a long look at your business, and extricating yourself from the unproductive issues and clients that come your way.
When to Say “You’re Fired”
- Internet leads. If you have Internet leads and you are calling and texting and they are not getting back to you (but you see that they are looking at your emails or property alerts), try this: “Do you still want to receiving the property alerts? Are you still thinking of buying in ______? If not, I can cancel your name in my system.” Essentially you are asking to be fired. After all, why waste time on people that are not going to use your services?
- Buyers who don’t show. If you schedule property showings and your buyers continue to cancel or not show, you need to have a heart-to-heart with them. Tell them that it takes you a great deal of time to search for the properties that meet their specs, and make the appointments among other things. If the buyer prospects are not going to get on board, then spend your time identifying someone who is ready to use your services today.
- Difficult sellers. Some sellers cannot see the forest through the trees. They like their price despite the data. They do not want to make the suggested repairs, or they make what you feel to be unreasonable requests. If you cannot see a successful closing in the near future, the best option is to refer your sellers to another agent who would be eager to take the listing off your hands (and don’t forget to ask for a referral fee).
The other day someone said to me that when Sally Yates acted against President Trump’s orders, it was a smart career move on her part. Whether you agree with that or not, the point is that sometimes getting fired or laying off a client can be the most efficient way to free up your time and focus on your next closing.
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