Do you know if your client becomes dissatisfied? Do you care? Here’s a truism:
The customer doesn’t know what he’s getting–until he doesn’t.
That’s a marketing ‘saying’, and I’m sure we’ve all bought something that we thought was different from what we got. It happened to me last year as I was trying to create a new website. Two guys promised me a stupendous site. It actually started out well–and sputtered and died soon after! After much ado with the credit card company, I got my money back. The customer doesn’t know what he’s getting….until he doesn’t. (and then, boy, is he mad!)
Why do Salespeople Do That?
We all hate to be ‘bait and switched’. Why then, do salespeople do it? Because
- We are afraid if we tell the truth, we won’t get the business
- Others do it, so we do it, too
- We don’t realize we’re hurting ourselves in the long run by ruining long-term relationships
- It’s easier to do the old pie in the sky and worry about the rest later
- A few of us just don’t know any better!
Brokers: Listen Up……..
Do you know if your client becomes dissatisfied? How do you know your client is ecstatic–or unhappy? Why do you care? Recently, I read an article written by a coach about “what I wished I’d known as a new agent.” One of the points was that the broker didn’t tell the new agent the truth about the business: how much money new agents on average make, expenses, and time to get started, etc. Do you think you got the ‘straight scoop’ as a new agent? How would the broker know if you weren’t satisfied later on? It’s the same thing with your clients. If you don’t ask (via surveys), you won’t know!
Too many times, I think, brokers (interviewers) give a ‘pie in the sky’ view of real estate sales, reflecting item #1 above. They’re afraid if they tell the truth, the agent won’t join.
If Only I’d Known
New agents: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. In What They Don’t Teach You in Pre-License School, I provide dozens of tips and 77 interview questions to ask brokers to break through the smoke and mirrors and get to the real nitty-gritty. Think about it this way. You don’t want to become a manipulative, bait and switch salesperson, do you? So, you don’t want to go to work for that pie-in-the-sky, you too can make $500,000 in real estate working part-time kind of broker, do you?
Long-Term Relationships is the Name of the Game
tell the truth attractively.
That should be the mantra, in my opinion, of both salespeople and brokers. Bonus: Our customers would trust us much more, too!
So, are you learning to ‘tell the truth attractively’? Or, are you simply skirting issues or making up answers? This will come back to bite you, just like the broker ‘stories’ ultimately hurt the new agent.
Who’s Your Partner in your Success?
Are you trying to ‘go it alone? After all, real estate is an ‘independent’ business, right? But, studies show that virtually no one success alone. Why? Because we don’t see ourselves as others see us. We sometimes need some coaching, mentoring, or even a kick in the pants! If you’re at the point in your career where you’re ready to break through that ceiling of achievement, check out our one-on-one unique coaching program, Career Achievement.
Request a complimentary consultation here.
