Three Secrets For Talking To Sellers On The Telephone

In this short article, I want to highlight three tips for fielding seller’s phone calls in response to your marketing efforts.

When your phone rings, realize that the seller has overcome a lot just to pick up the phone and call. He has chosen to call you from among all of the other investor’s who have ads out there right now. That’s good news – your marketing is working!

The first rule is… ANSWER YOUR PHONE! Too many investors spend their hard earned money on marketing and then let the calls go to voice mail. Trust me, when a motivated seller calls, the last thing they want is your recorded voice asking them to leave a message. Many callers will simply hang up. A real, live person makes all the difference. Just following this one tip alone will put money in your pocket.

Second, don’t start out by grilling the seller. If they don’t say much at first, a few simple, non-threatening questions about the property will get them talking. Let them go on for a few minutes, and often you will find them telling you their story without being asked.

If they have talked a long time, and you still aren’t sure about their level of motivation, simply ask, “Why are you selling?” This is usually enough to get them to tell you everything you need to know. Most people WANT to tell their story – believe me, it’s true!

Finally, if the information you have gathered indicates that there is a deal there, don’t let the call end without securing a commitment from the caller. In other words, in the parlance of all good salesmen everywhere, ASK FOR THE ORDER!

That doesn’t mean negotiate the sale of the house on the phone. That you want to do in person. What I mean is, get an appointment with the seller before you hang up. If at all possible, make the appointment NOW. Say, “Mr. Seller, I’m free for the next couple of hours. Would it work for you if I came over right now to see if we can work this out for you?”

Believe me, very few other investors are going to offer this kind of speed, and if the seller is truly motivated speed is what they’re after.

To recap, when a seller calls answer your phone, let them tell you their story, and get a commitment before hanging up.

Tom Dunn is a successful real estate investor and author. For more on beginning real estate investing, visit DealFiles.com.