Prospecting. Love it or hate it, it is a vital part of any realtor’s tool chest. And while there isn’t necessarily only one “correct” way to prospect, there are some misconceptions floating around that can make your job more difficult.
Here are 5 prospecting myths that may be holding you back:
1. You can avoid prospecting and still be successful.
Many realtors hope – pray even – that they can somehow get out of this important part of their business and still make it work. There are many tools you can use to make prospecting easier, but avoiding it altogether won’t make your business successful. Prospecting is an essential practice of finding and nurturing leads. It is a must in real estate. Period.
2. Prospecting and sales are the same thing.
Realtors often mistakenly lump these two into the same category. But prospecting is qualifying leads to eliminate dead ends and find those leads that are promising. It is way to whittle down your contact list so you can focus your energy on the leads that will most likely produce results, aka, sales. If you view prospecting in this light it will be less intimidating and easier to tackle.
3. Scripts make you sound canned and will turn people off.
If you read straight from a script and are completely inflexible in your questions and responses, using a script can make you sound canned. However, using a script properly will actually improve your ability to communicate with prospects. Using a well-rehearsed, flexible script that allows you to hit the important points of your presentation every time will make you a master closer.
4. Prospecting takes a lot of time.
It actually only takes a few minutes to determine if a lead is qualified. The key is to find out immediately if they want the benefits of your service and if they can afford it. If the answer is no to either (or both), you can quickly move on to the next name on your list. Ask the right questions right off the bat, and you will reduce your prospecting time enormously.
5. Prospecting is only about numbers.
Quality is definitely more important than quantity. It does you no good to spend hours cold calling a vast list of random prospects who are unlikely to want or need any real estate services. You need quality contact lists so you spend your time talking to people in the right demographic and state of mind—people motivated to sell their houses.
Prospecting is not as difficult as it seems when you have the right perspective. Get rid of the myths and start working more effectively.
For more tips on how to make your prospecting sessions more efficient and effective, contact The REDX today. We help realtors get high-octane leads in half the time.
