Yesterday evening when I explained to a friend I could not attend the weekly Friday late afternoon get together as I had just received another residential listing referral, he said “Go make some money.” When we are in sales, we often hear this phrase or a similar phrase. Yet what I have discovered and learned with over five (5) decades of sales experience, is first one has to make a relationship.
For example, last night I received a call from a REALTOR® located in Maricopa County. This professional real estate agent had a client here in Kingman who wanted to sell a residential property. The agent asked if I work in Kingman and I responded yes.
Then I did ask for the location because Kingman AZ mailing addresses extend north to almost Dolan Springs/Meadview, south to Wikieup and East to the Mohave/Yavapai County Line. I learned the address and told the agent to give me an hour or so and I would write up a competitive market analysis. I also assured the referring real estate agent I would not reach out to the seller.
The CMA was sent. I received a return phone call and learned the agent had share the CMA and my phone number with his client. He actually said “I liked that you were GRI, a pricing strategy advisor and that you live in the area.” A telephone appointment has been scheduled with the seller this coming Monday. This relationship was created in less than two hours with the end result that I probably will secure the residential listing provided I make a relationship with the seller.
After all these years in sales, I take nothing for granted.
In the past month, I have had several other initial client meetings where “Making Relationships” was the first priority. How this happens for me is because I have lived by these words for nearly 30 years “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” (President Teddy Roosevelt) In my first two decades of sales I did not know this quote, but I believed in making relationships first and then I make money.
So my advice is to consider when having that initial face to face meeting with a real estate client or just a phone call (of course you must answer your phone) focus on making the relationship by being emotionally intelligent, employing active listening skills and demonstrating a caring attitude. You just may be surprised by the results.
Remember these two sales axioms that have guided me:
#1 People buy from people they know and trust.
#2 People buy on emotion first, justified by logic.
P.S. I sent a thank you note to this referring professional real estate agent in this morning's mail.
#LetsGetBackToRealConversations #WeDoThingsDifferently
Leanne M Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent Who Goes the Extra Mile Because Life Begins Where the Pavement Ends.
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