Prepping clients

Hey all you future 4X’ers out there.  I hope you are having a super day!  Today we are going to tackle something that I think is a major game changer for REAL ESTATE Agents.  Client Preparation…

Prepping your clients so that they know what to expect can make a huge difference in your business.

This is great subject matter to cover today.  I am glad that my wife suggested this.  Prepping your clients.

This is more important than you know.  Setting Expectations.  Take the time to create clarity on the process, on expectations, on what they are expected to do or not do is so, so, so, important.

I am going to cover just 2 areas that I suggest you take the time to go over with your clients in detail so that they have the appropriate expectations and are prepared properly.  With Sellers and Buyers.

The Listing Meeting

Once we get all the paperwork done and rooms are measured and we have gone over the data sheet etc…the last thing that we do is go into “Prep Mode”.  We have a system for this and you 4X’ers will get this…

First we talk about showing protocol.  We talk about our expectations for them in order for all of us to get the best possible result.  We talk about how showing requests come to us and then we discuss how we all want to handle how showing requests are done.  Through email?  Text? Phone Messages etc?  We talk about how their shifts work, and School Schedules etc. to nail down proper protocols so that everyone is prepared, and we are communicating properly with the other agent.  We talk about the conversations that we will be having with the Selling Agents.  We talk about how we handle open houses and how they should prepare for that.  We talk about how we will be reporting to them and the frequency of that reporting.

We talk about some of the paperwork that we use for offers so that they understand the different disclosure requirements that we must make during the offer process.  We talk about what to expect with the photography process etc.  We talk about whether or not they should being present for showings.  We talk about letting us know when we need to stock up the brochures.  We talk about scheduling the first open house… We talk about the listing launch and the timing for that as another example.  We have to have a talk about the numbers.  We need to know the numbers.  We need to understand their plan after they sell.  We need to ensure that the plan has a chance of coming together.

Then after an offer is accepted  – talk them through the process.  Prepare them for what is to happen next…then once all conditions are removed and the contract is now firm…what is the process for closing procedures and what is expected of them.

Every one of you operate your business differently or have certain systems.  Let your clients know about those systems.  Help them understand that if they are always going to hear from Susie for showing requests then that is how it is going to be so that they aren’t surprised when “Susie from your office calls them”.

Whatever had to happen in order for that person to make the crucial decision to contract with you to sell their home, now will be solidified.  When people are selling their homes they are talking to everyone about the fact that they are selling their home.  Family Members, Friends, and Work Friends etc. and this is when it is fresh.  If they feel that you have everything in control…you take care of the details…you talk about the plan with them…and create protocols to either eliminate the aggravating parts of the process or at least prep them for the parts of the process that aren’t so much fun.

They need to feel that they are in good hands and that you have all of the details covered.

Working with Buyers

There is a definite process that works well with Buyers in order to serve them well at the level that they need. They have a certain expectation in their minds before getting into a relationship with you that may need to be tweeked.  So having a preparation conversation with them, once you get into the process, is of utmost importance.

We meet with Buyers before going out and showing them homes in order to get the plan set. We need to understand how to help them at the highest level and ensure we can help them make a great decision.  There is a process.  We sit down with them and have them commit to us as well.  This is important.  Why would you put people in your car and start driving them around without some sort of commitment?  They need to understand how valuable you are to them and how much you value your time.  You serve people well and you can only serve so many people well at any given time.  So if they are going to be on the list of people that you serve, you need to know that they are committed to you.

What are the protocols if any of us see a For Sale By Owner home?  What do we do when, what they are looking for is in a certain area where there are no listings?  You may have to do some extra work to help you Buyer to find them what they want in the area or complex that they want.  How should they handle things when they attend open houses on the weekends while you are working open houses for your seller clients? That needs to be discussed.  It’s a lot easier to have that discussion if you have committed to each other…DO you agree?

When they are on the internet and they see a property that they think that they may like, how should that be handled?  What should they expect from you?  How often will you be talking or communicating?  When are the best times for them to look at homes?  How much notice do you need in order to properly prepare?  Do they understand the process that you need to go through in order to make appointments?  If they are looking at homes that have tenants in them that produces another complication.  Who are all the decision makers?  Do we have a good discussion about how financing works and help them navigate through that?

We go into detail in the 4X Formula Real Estate course because this is part of being a 4X Agent.  WE are professionals.  We are accountable.  We manage our time well.  We are organized. WE are Consistent.  We operate Intentionally.  We get a lot of referrals because we Build Relationships.  The big underline to all of that is we build Trust with out clients.

When you take the time to prepare your clients for the process.  Train them on how you do things.  Teach your clients their role in the process to help move things along more seamlessly and with less complications – – and then SERVE them Well and rise to the expectation that you set at the outset of the relationship…When you do that and do that right – TRUST is built.  They now know that they are in good hands.  They begin to think of you as the best Real Estate Professional that they have ever dealt with.  You become that in their eyes.  And you earned it.  If you do a good job of properly preparing your clients.

These are the little things.  These are the minor adjustments.  These are the systems that you will develop over time to create the DREAM REAL ESTATE business.  This is the stuff that successful agents do.  After a while it becomes habit.  But it has to be done intentionally in the beginning.  Start your business correctly and you will experience less stress and complications.  I am not saying that those things will be eliminated but you certainly will minimize the complications and issues that a lot of Real Estate Agents talk about all the time.

You know the coffee talk war stories that you hear in the office?  Buyers are Liars.  My seller is a stubborn jerk.  My Seller is frustrated with me and I don’t know why.  If someone begins a statement like….”My Buyer thought that…. OR “My Seller EXPECTED me to….” – then you know that they have not properly prepped their clients.  This happens all the time.  50% of the Frustrations that we all face in our businesses can be avoided by simply prepping our clients properly in the beginning.

I hope this got your thinking a little bit today about another aspect of being a Real Estate professional that you don’t really hear people talk about.  I believe that these are some of the little things that get ignored but are crucial to the over-all success of the Real Estate professional.

I hope you found value today in this episode.  Keep coming back.  We are working hard to get the course ready for you.  Go to 4xformula.com to learn more about our course.  Get on the waiting list…it is free.  Take the first FREE Training which will be launched very soon or by the time you are listening to this, it may be launched already…That will give you a taste of what our course is going to cover.

In the meantime, go out there and Make a GREAT DAY!!