Know Your Audience

A week ago I set up my office in a small cafe and began my daily emails.  I overheard little shop talk at the table behind me.  It turned out, a real estate agent and a couple of buyers were searching for a new home!  I was happy to hear such an exciting discussion.

As I began working, I couldn’t help but overhear lots of pauses in the conversation.  I looked back to see a young real estate agent with a small laptop, searching the MLS database, while two elderly clients sat, squinting at the screen through their bifocals.

I tried not to stare.  Or judge the other agent.

BUT WHAT ON EARTH!  I kept asking myself, “Do these home buyers have confidence in their home search?  Are they comfortable squinting to look at a tiny dim screen in a bright coffee shop?”  I bit my tongue.  I wanted so badly to take that agent aside and say…

It doesn’t have to be like this.

There’s a way to carry on a better discussion that is tailored to these buyers.  There’s a method that brings them comfort and helps them to understand they have a key proponent on their side.  If I could have instructed that agent, I would have said…

Close that laptop!  Grab a pen and paper and sit across from your clients.  Look them in the eyes and tell them you’re here to help.  Play the 20 questions game and figure out who they are, where they want to be, where they’re coming from, why they’re moving, and when they want it to happen.  Then get on the road and bring them to homes that fit their desires.

As a Realtor, my most valuable service is REAL LIVE ONE-TO-ONE CONVERSATIONS with my clients.  The most VITAL part of my process is that little bit of time I spend in concentrated LISTENING to what they need. Those short conversations steer the big picture of how I perform, and it’s only AFTER I have a solid understanding that I will send them hand-picked listings and take them on a pre-scheduled home tour to find the home they’ve been searching for.

This is the better way!