More Expired Real Estate Scripts: Avoid the Traps

By Cheri Alguire

I have had an enormous response from you all about the first set of Real Estate Scripts. I had a couple of you send in more examples of objections and some that felt like they were being trapped by the expired real estate leads they were talking to.

It is true; some consumers like to set traps for unsuspecting agents. Armed with an attitude of sincerity and motivated by the opportunity to secure a new listing, every agent needs to avoid the traps set by expired home owners.

They say: “If I can’t get $XXX,000 for my house, I can’t afford to sell.”

This statement sounds innocent, but sets a major condition for taking the listing. A pre-set price without clarification or reasons is a trap to avoid. I suggest you simply reply: “I am just curious, how did you determine that price?” The objective for your curiosity is to ‘peel-back-the-onion’ or to reveal the expired seller’s motivation for having a pre-set price, not to mention the expectations that may exist with that price. Because the property has expired from the market, the price was probably rejected by the market. (But always keep in mind the possibility of location and condition as reasons for a property expiring.) Peeling back the seller’s motivation is key in determining your next step. An expired seller’s motivation for pre-selecting a price can range from: simple greed to having a second mortgage to another agent priced the home to the seller looked on-line at Zillow to the price reflects current tax assessed value to the cost of their new home or future lifestyle costs. Once you determine the motivation or reason behind the price tag, you can select your next step in successfully listing or walking away from the seller. Without peeling-back-the-onion, you may foolishly spend your time and money AND emotional energy. Avoid the trap of motivational ignorance.

They say: “How come you did not sell it while it was on the market before?”

There is nothing innocent about this statement, and it likely makes every agent cringe. This is the ‘blame trap’ and caution needs to be exercised. There are two clear directions an agent can take to avoid the pitfalls of the blame trap: One is to address the emotional feelings of failure of the expired seller. I suggest using the ‘feel-felt-found’ strategy. “I understand how you feel. I have spoken with many other sellers who have felt the same way. What they found is once we go through the factors that impact a home successfully selling, they understand why all buyers and agents may not see or show every home on the market.” “Would you be able to meet this evening or tomorrow to discuss these factors?” The second strategy is to directly address the factors or reasons all agents and buyers do not see every home. I suggest an introduction like…”There are several reasons that every buyer or agent may not see or show a home for sale. All of the reasons are related to five factors: Price, Location, Condition, Amenities, and the Exposure your home was receiving while it was on the market.” I like to follow-up this statement with a series of questions related to the results of the previous agent’s marketing. “How many showings did you have?” “How many open houses did you have?” “And, how many lookers were at the open houses?” “Did you have any second showings?” “Did you have any offers?” My intent should be clear. I am taking control of the conversation and collecting valuable information as I show real interest in the expired seller’s home. Avoid the blame trap.

They say: “Can you send me some information on your experience first?”

This request comes in many forms and I call it the ‘pre-condition trap’. It may be worded as: “Can you send me the price you think you can sell my house for before we meet?” Another way the ‘pre-condition trap’ is used is when a consumer suggests you drop off your market ahead of time. And the most common ‘pre-condition trap’ is, “how much do you charge?” In an attempt to be respectful of the seller’s wish, I immediately close for a time when they will be home, giving me the opportunity to meet them and quickly review the information they have requested. It sounds like this: “I have a brief resume of discussion points on my brokerage and my personal experience. When would you be available for twenty minutes?” Avoid the pre-condition trap.

They say: “Have you ever sold a house in my neighborhood?”

This is a challenge for the majority of agents. After all, we can only have a definitive number of sales in a year’s time. More important than the direct question is the motivation behind the question. The seller’s motivation for asking will determine your response and course of action. You may want to ask: “I am just curious, did your last agent have a lack of knowledge about your neighborhood?” Or, “Are there some benefits of living in your neighborhood we can use to market your home?” Or, “Are you asking if I can service a listing in this location?” Do not dodge the question, but do ask for clarification. Usually, only one agent will dominate a neighborhood and it is probably the expired agent. I call this the ‘statistically improbable trap’ and it can be tricky if you are not prepared. Avoid the statistically improbable trap.

They say: “How about if we just list it with you for a month and try it out?”

The ‘test-drive trap’ is very common among expired sellers and we cannot blame them for being a little cautious. After all, they may have endured a six month contract with zero showings and very little contact with their previous agent. Embrace the ‘test-drive’ with empathy and a guarantee. Here is a possible response: “I understand that you want to be cautious about entering another long contract. How would you feel about a ‘seller service guarantee’? If we do not provide the service you are expecting, we will cancel the contract --- no fees?” This response is not for every agent. If you do not intend on servicing the listing and providing a list of service points with a guarantee, then you will need to respond differently. Avoid the test-drive trap.

They say: “I am frustrated that our house has not sold yet.”

This is not an objection. This is a statement of feeling. Use empathy and paraphrase their feeling. But, do avoid the possible trap of becoming their counselor. Remember, you run a real estate business not a counseling center. You want to establish yourself as their real estate market expert, not the human emotions expert. Try this: “I understand how you feel. I have spoken with several other people that have felt the same way. They have found some comfort in understanding the current market conditions. When would you have twenty minutes for me?” This should sound familiar; it is the ‘feel-felt-found’ strategy. Avoid the counselor trap.

They say: “I don’t think our agent did their job.”

Remember OUR Code of Ethics and stay true to its spirit and avoid the ‘mud-slinging trap’ at all costs. Try a response like this: “What did your last agent do that you liked?” And follow with, “How could have the last agent improved their performance?” This is a great opportunity for you to hand-craft a marketing program for your new listing. The expired seller is giving you their personal list of dos and don’ts. What could be more valuable when listing a home? Take advantage of this opportunity. Avoid the mud-slinging trap.

They say: “My last agent was not able to sell our house in six months, what makes you think you can?”

Repeat after me: “We are not interchangeable parts!” And believe it! As many different and unique brokerages as there are, there are equally as many levels of training and agent proficiency. I like to answer this question with a simple statement: “When can we sit down and compare what you experienced over the last six months with what I am offering?” Or, “There are three basic reasons I think I can secure a buyer for your home. When can we sit down and discuss them?” Remember: Not all agents are created equal, and we all need to develop our personal Value Proposition. Avoid the interchangeable-parts trap.

They say: “My last agent did not do much to sell my house. I think I am going to try it myself.”

The ‘give-up’ trap is a signal of readiness for a hungry agent who wants to work side-by-side with a motivated seller. And treat this opportunity just that way: “It sounds like you are motivated to sell your home and have some ideas on how to get the job done. Am I right?” “Would it be all right if I stop over tonight to discuss your ideas and possibly make a plan for your home?” The key is to dignify the seller’s ideas and see if they fit your marketing plan. It may be as simple as having the seller preview the flyers, MLS input, photos and 800 recording prior to the list start date. Some sellers just want to be empowered. Do it! Avoid the give-up trap.

Tip from the Coach: When a consumer offers an objection in the form of a statement or question, the consumer has an underlying motivation, reason or concern. The key to successfully handling all objections is to reveal that consumer’s motivation.

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of Real Estate Professionals take their business to the next level of success. If you would like to submit some objections for an upcoming article, or would like to know more about Coach Cheri’s coaching programs, go to http://CoachCheri.com

Expired Real Estate Leads Scripts

By Cheri Alguire

With so many agents working on getting expired listings, my clients have been asking me to help them work on scripts during our coaching sessions for advice on how to deal with objections from expired real estate leads.

Remember, the expired listing is going to be bombarded with calls from other agents who are also trying to get the listing. It is very important to build rapport with the seller and to set an appointment. Once you are sitting with them, you will be better able to explain how you can help them get their home sold.

If you are using these scripts on the phone or even at their front door, always try to set an appointment to present your listing presentation when all decision makers can be present for as soon as possible. That same day would be great.

These are only some of the objections my coaching clients have received in the past few weeks. These are the responses we came up with to learn and use to handle those objections and questions. What kinds of objections and questions are you getting? Submit your question here http://www.prorealestatecoach.com/pages/contact-us.htm and we will get back to you on a specific response as well as include the best questions on a future Scripts posting.

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They say: “If I can’t get $xxx,000 for my house, I can’t afford to sell.”

You say: “I understand your concerns. Have you looked at what you will net if you get that amount? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers including what it is costing you each month that you don’t sell and have to pay for expenses with the property. Could I stop by and explain those numbers to you later today?”

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They say: “How come you did not sell it while it was on the market before?”

You say: “With the current market we are in, there are so many houses that are similar on the market. In order to get your house to stand out on the Multiple Listing System that agents use to search for available houses for their buyers, it is important to market it so that it stands out among the rest. Can I share with you how I market homes differently on the MLS than I do for potential buyers in, say, the newspaper? Can we meet later today?”

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They say: “Can you send me some information on your experience first.”

You say: “I would be happy to get you a brochure and some information on how I can help you get your home sold. I would hate for you to miss any time on the market, however. Can I drop it off with you this evening? That way you can get your home listed again as soon as possible. What time is best for you?”

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They say: “Have you ever sold a house in my neighborhood?”

You say: “Even though I have not sold a home in your specific neighborhood, my marketing philosophy is to really market the home’s strengths. I believe one of your homes strengths is being in the (insert neighborhood name) and it’s proximity to the elementary school. What do you think are your home and neighborhood’s best features? I would love to show you how I’ll fit those strengths into my marketing materials. Can we set up a time for me to come over and explain my marketing plan later this evening?”

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They say: “How about if we just list it with you for a month and try it out?”

You say: “With today’s current marketing conditions, it is taking longer for some properties to sell with the competition on the market. Let me explain the marketing plan I would use on your property and explain what I would be doing in the first month as well as the next months after that. I am sure you will be impressed. “

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They say: “I am frustrated that our house has not sold yet.”

You say: “I understand your frustration. With the changes we have seen in the real estate market over the past year, the average days a home is listed on the market has increased. One thing that I offer is an updated market analysis on a regular basis to make sure we have your home listed at the right price even with new homes selling and new properties being listed in competition with you. To help ease your frustrations, how often would you like to receive this information while your house is listed?”

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They say: “I don’t think our agent did their job.”

You say: “I am sorry you feel that way. I know your past agent and he is a good agent. However, what would you want from your next agent that would make it a better experience?”

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They say: “My last agent was not able to sell our house in 6 months, what makes you think that you can?”

You say: “I know it is frustrating that it is taking longer to sell your home than you anticipated. I have a marketing plan that has helped me sell (insert your numbers) % of my listings and my average days on market is (insert your numbers.) What do you think would help your home sell more quickly?”

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They say: “My last agent did not do much to sell my house. I think I am going to try it myself.”

You say: “I can understand your frustrations. Sometimes it seems like it would be easier to sell it yourself because you don’t see what your agent is dong to promote your house to the other agents in your area. Can I explain what I do to promote your house in the MLS and to other agents?”


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Real Estate Coach Cheri Alguire has helped thousands of Real Estate Professionals answer tough questions from Expired Real Estate Leads like these. If you have a tough question that you have trouble answering, submit it here: http://www.prorealestatecoach.com/pages/contact-us.htm and she will email you a possible script and post the most best questions in a future Scripts posting.

What is your Value Proposition and why do you need one?

By Cheri Alguire

YOU know how special you are. YOU know that you outshine the competition. The question is: does your potential client?

Helping clients understand the value you provide to them is essential in prospecting and keeping business. Let’s face it: consumers have plenty of YOU to choose from, and national research shows that they see very little difference among you. It is therefore up to you to be able to articulate and to demonstrate what it is that makes you their best choice; what it is that makes you unique and valuable.

First, know what clients want and know that those wants may change. You must identify what consumers expect and need.
NAR data from 2008 states that today’s buyers and sellers are selecting agents for a number of select reasons:

• They want a quick response.
• They want expert advice and guidance.
• They want a skilled negotiator.
• They want accurate market knowledge.
• They want a “track record.” (Reputation matters.)
• They want someone they can trust.

If you are able to show clients that you have expertise and skill in all of these areas, you have begun to prove your value.

In addition, a good buyer’s interview will help you determine your clients’ individual wants and needs. Listening is a key component in this step. If you can then paraphrase back to the clients what they have described, they become convinced that you know and understand them, and what’s more: that you are willing to accept their “requirements” and work accordingly on their behalf. (Also, be prepared to be flexible because those “must haves” might suddenly shift to “would be nice to haves,” while entirely new criteria surface as primary.)

Second, remember: it’s not about you. It’s about them.

A useful motto here for the real estate professional is: “check your values at the door.” You may take their criteria and show the clients the best of the best in that price range, only to find out that they are solely comfortable with homes more modest or unassuming. You may be appalled to discover that their top choice is across from an apartment complex or major highway, but if you remain non-judgmental and validate their reasons, you have proven your value as a listener to their needs. On the other hand, if you try to argue them out of their first choice or convince them they are wrong, (because obviously you are the expert!) then you risk alienating the clients you are supposed to serve, if not lose them all together.

Finally, know and verbalize exactly why clients should work with you.
And P.S. the answer isn’t “because I give good service.” You’d better give good service: that’s a bottom-line expectation of all consumers! What do you do above-and-beyond service?

Jeffrey J. Fox, in HOW TO BECOME A RAINMAKER, reminds us that we should always be able to answer the question, “Why should this customer do business with us?” Make it your mission to be able to answer that question for your business--the same way every time. And make the answer true.

That is a value proposition that sells.

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of Super Small Business Owners, Realtors, Coaches, and moms figure out their Value Proposition. If you would like help with your Value Proposition check out part 10 of the 17-Part eCourse at http://RealEstateBusinessPlanningGuide.com or contact us today at http://www.CheriAlguire.com

Time to Review Your Goals and Business Plan

By Cheri Alguire

It is the end of the first quarter and time to check the score.

Just as planning your goals for the coming year should always begin with a look back at the year in review, so planning your business for the rest of this year should take a look back at the first quarter. Business planning isn’t just a numbers game, but also an accounting and analysis of the year’s overall progress.

Begin by asking the hard questions:
• What happened in your business this past year? Past quarter?
• Did you meet your goals? If not, why not?
• How did you accomplish your successful goals?
• Where did your business come from?

From there, analyze the specific sources of success or failure.
• Were your lead systems facilitating your goals?
• Did the number of listings support the number of closed transactions?

And yes, now analyze the numbers: closed sales, closed commissions, expenses, how many listings taken, how many listings sold, how many active? Quantify where the business came from in comparison to your goals: how many sales from sphere? Referrals? Websites? Print media? Signs? Other lead-generating systems?

Also take a look at the team. Who do you have working with you and what are their roles? Did they support last year’s business? Did they reach their goals? Were their goals congruous with your business plan? And let’s not forget that important last count: the one where you evaluate yourself, including how many hours you worked per week and how much vacation time you took during the course of the year or quarter.

Think of this business in review task as a report to imaginary shareholders in the business. They would need a reminder of last year’s goals, a comparison to the actual numbers, an analysis of the year’s operations and relative success, and an evaluation, ultimately, of your business strategy. The success of the past year forms the basis of your business plan for the next. You are able to determine if you need to completely overhaul your “to-do” list or merely fine-tune it. You are able to focus on the past year’s strengths in order to maximize their results for the future. You are also able to isolate weaknesses or “misses” and problem-solve them to a positive resolution.

The business “flashback” in review cannot be ignored if you hope to continue to grow your business into tomorrow. The necessary steps to planning for that future can only happen once you’ve seen what came before. That is when you learn not just from your mistakes, but from your successes. It’s then you can set the new goal and create the plan. It’s then you can focus your time and resources. It’s then you can make accountability a part of the process. It’s then you can move forward with the confidence that you have planned for an incredible year ahead.

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Coach Cheri Alguire helps Real Estate Professionals, even those who hate numbers, analyze and understand the numbers in order to create a more profitable business. Find out more at http://www.prorealestatecoach.com/ or http://www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningGuide.com/

Adapting an Expired Prospecting Plan to Fit Your DiSC Style

We are all different. Why shouldn’t our Expired Listing Plan be different?

In the past, I have taken some time to talk about how to adjust a generic Expired Prospecting Plan to make it fit for your area in my article A Tale of Three Agents. I reference them in this article so click here to read that article first.

The next way I encourage you to adjust an Expired Plan after you have adapted it to fit your Market Area is by customizing it to fit your STYLE.

When I say style, I mean Behavioral Styles. All of the clients I work with are given a DiSC Profile. This helps me as a coach to understand who they are and for the Realtor to understand and build off their strengths.

I am sure many of you are familiar with DiSC, but if you are not or would like more information, log on to www.DiSCForRealEstate.com and click on the “What is DiSC” tab.

I am going to give a very brief overview before going on to explain how my clients have adapted their Expired Programs to fit their styles.

The DiSC® model provides nonjudgmental language for exploring behavioral issues across four primary dimensions:

Dominance: Direct and Decisive.

D’s are strong-willed, strong-minded people who like accepting challenges, taking action, and getting immediate results.

Influence: Optimistic and Outgoing.

I’s are “people people” who like participating on teams, sharing ideas, and energizing and entertaining others.

Steadiness: Sympathetic and Cooperative.

S’s are helpful people who like working behind the scenes, performing in consistent and predictable ways, and being good listeners.

Conscientiousness: Concerned and Correct.

C’s are sticklers for quality and like planning ahead, employing systematic approaches, and checking and re-checking for accuracy.

Most agents I work with usually come up with a primary and secondary style.

Many agents come up with High “Ds” as one of their two highest styles. Although being a High D is great when it comes to running a team, or closing a buyer, it can be intimidating to prospects early on and can be perceived as being pushy. In this case I encourage them to turn down their”D” and concentrate on the other highest style.

Remember the three agents I told you about in A Tale of Three Agents? They were the City Agent, the Suburb Agent and the Rural Agent? They all have different styles.

Based on what I told you about the City Agent’s Expired Plan, can you guess what style he is? Remember:

He is on the phone calling Expired Listings every day from 9:30 am to 10 am without fail. His intention with the phone calls is to see if the homeowner is still interested in selling their home and to make an appointment to come out, that day if possible.

After making phone calls, setting appointments and talking to those that are home; this City Agent then spends 30 minutes making up packets to drop off at the homes that he was not able to talk to.

City Agent is a High C.

Conscientiousness: Concerned and Correct.

C’s are sticklers for quality and like planning ahead, employing systematic approaches.

He does the same thing at the same time everyday without fail. He is very accurate, very precious and a very good agent.

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How about Suburban Agent? What style do you think she is based on the way she adapted her Expired Plan to fit her style as well as her market area. Remember she is the one that:

Uploads the picture, creates the card that then is printed in her handwriting and sent that day. She then sends out a post card through the same system 3 days later and another card 3 days after that. She continues with cards weekly for four more weeks and then puts them on a monthly card and postcard campaign which is automated through this system.

Suburban Agent is a High “S”

Steadiness: Sympathetic and Cooperative.

S’s are helpful people, performing in consistent and predictable ways, and are good listeners.

She created a system that she can put in motion that seems to be very personal, but is totally automated.

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So how the marketing person for Rural Agent?

Remember the marketing person:

She has a number of different scripts to use when she calls, but she never uses them. She was born and raised in the small rural community and knows most of the people (or some mutual acquaintance anyway!) in the tri-county area. She just calls them starts to chat with them, builds report and sets the appointment for the lead agent.

She chats with the neighbors when dropping off packets and even gets listing appointment through the neighbors who she builds report with.

She is probably the biggest “I” I have ever met

Influence: Optimistic and Outgoing.

I’s are “people people” who like energizing and entertaining others.

She has really put her natural gift of gab to work!

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Which of the four styles do you think best describes you? How can you customize your Expired Plan so that it will really play off your strengths?

I run come across so many agents that are trying to fit into molds and read scripts and send letters that is not who they are. Trying to do this business like someone you are not is not going to allow you to reach your full potential. Who are you and how can you create your business around THAT style.

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I also want to touch on just briefly is how to customize your Expired Plan to fit the style of your prospects.

I just outlined for you the four DiSC Styles and encouraged you to draw from your strengths. I also encourage you to adapt your style to better relate to your prospect’s style.

Now I don’t want to confuse anyone so let me clarify that a person’s style is not influenced by if they live in the city, the suburbs or a rural area. You cannot assume that because your prospect lives in a certain neighborhood and that your accountant lives in that neighborhood, therefore all people in that neighborhood must be High “Cs” You must not generalize like this.

If, however, you call someone on the phone or meet them when you drop off a packet, pay attention to what people say and how they say it.

Do they talk fast and vibrantly?

Are they more systematic in their responses?

Are they very precise in their answers?

If you are a High “I” and talking loud and fast and the prospect on the other side of the door or telephone is slower speaking, more exact in their word choice, how much rapport are you building. While I encourage you to be yourself, I also encourage you to tone down extremes if you don’t seem to be connecting with people.

People Reading can be one of the most effective sales tools I work on with my clients. Using the DiSC Styles in People Reading is beneficial whether you are working with Expired Listings, FSBOs, sellers, buyers, everyone. To build rapport, it is import to listen, observe and adjust your presentation in order to build rapport. Remember, it is about them, not all about you.

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Real Estate Coach Cheri Alguire helps Real Estate Agents get more listings and make money in any type of market. To find out more about her Expired Real Estate Leads Program visit http://expiredrealestateleads.com/ or visit http://www.prorealestatecoach.com/ to find out about her Real Estate Coaching Programs.

A Tale of Three Agents: How to Adapt a Real Estate Expired plan to Work in Your Market Area

By Cheri Alguire

When you as a Real Estate Agent adapt an Expired plan to your Market Area, you need to adjust that plan to fit “where” you are working expireds.

Before I give you examples of three clients that have modified Expired Plans to meet their areas, I want to make sure everyone is clear on what the goal of working expired listings is: “getting the listing appointment.” Now, actually getting the listing at a marketable price and then selling that listing are two other articles, but here we are going to be talking about “getting your foot in the door.” I have three clients in total different market areas that use three totally different approaches.

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The City Agent:
The first Realtor is located in the city. He uses the ExpiredRealEstateLeads.com program to locate the Expired Listings every morning. (Let me stress how important it is to work Expired Listings daily. It is crucial to contact them right away. A large percentage of Expireds will relist immediately. If you are only working Expireds on say a weekly basis, you will not be able to get your foot in the door simply because you are too late.)

This City Agent works Expireds in areas that he farms and is very familiar with. There are also a very large percentage of homes in his area that ARE NOT on the Do Not Call list. This agent is on the phone calling Expired Listings every day from 9:30 am to 10 am without fail. His intention with the phone calls is to see if the homeowner is still interested in selling their home and to make an appointment to come out, that day if possible.

After making phone calls, setting appointments and talking to those that are home; this City Agent then spends 30 minutes making up packets to drop off at the homes that he was not able to talk to. In these packets he includes some marketing materials about himself, some market update information about the current conditions in the area in their price range, and personal letter about why he wants to list their property and why he thinks he can sell it.

Between 4-5 pm, this City Agent then drops off these packets hoping to run into home owners that are getting home from work. Because traffic and parking are an issue and his market area and neighborhood are condensed, he creates a plan and walks the packets to the front doors of the 4-5 Expired listings for the day.

Now there is continued follow up that he does if he is not able to get an appointment right away, he will follow up two days later with a phone call to make sure they received the packet and weekly phone calls for the next two weeks along with one other mailing that first week and then weekly mailings for the next five weeks.

Using this approach gets this City Agent 3-4 listing appointments a week and 1-2 sellable listings.

Would this kind of approach work in your area?


The Suburban Agent:
The second client I am going to tell you about lives in an upper middle class suburban area in the Midwest. This Suburban Agent’s area is very different than the first one I told you about. 99% of the homes are on the Do Not Call List and calling just is not something that works for her area.

Many of the neighborhoods have a no soliciting policy and even if they don’t have a formal posted ordinance regarding door knocking, it is something that is frowned upon and not something that works in her area.

This Suburban Agent also looks up the Expireds through ExpiredRealEstateLeads.com daily, but what she does is makes a list of the homes and drives by them taking a picture of the front of the house.

Because so many agents are sending the same thing, including information about themselves and the company and a standard cover letter, she has found the way for her to stick out is to send a greeting card in an envelope that is personally addressed to the homeowner.

The greeting card is in an envelope that gets opened and the card has a photo of their house on the front. On the inside is a handwritten note that is personally addressed to the homeowner that says simply “I want to sell your house, and I think I can. I know you will be getting a lot of mailings form numerous other agents, but I would love to meet with you to show you why I am different. Please call me so we can set up a time to meet. I look forward to meeting you.” And she signs her name and includes a copy of her business card.

The Suburban Agent uploads the picture, creates the card that then is printed in her handwriting and sent that day and it costs her less than a dollar, plus the cost of the stamp.

If you think this type of approach might work in your area, you can check out that postal card system for Realtors at www.CardsforRealEstate.com

Now, like the City Agent, this Suburban Agent doesn’t just make that first initial contact and leave it at that. She sends out a post card through the same system 3 days later and another card 3 days after that. She continues with cards weekly for four more weeks and then puts them on a monthly card and postcard campaign which is automated through this system.

A couple of years ago in her area it would have been considered a waste of money and time to continue to follow up with this lead for a year. However, she has found that many homeowners in her area have decided to pull their home off the market for a period of time before putting it back on the market. This Suburban Agent is going on 4-6 listing appointments a week and over half of them have been expired for over 3 months.

Would this kind of approach work in your area?


The Rural Agent:
The last client of mine I want to tell you about today lives in a rural area in the North West. This Rural Agent has actually hired a marketing person that gets compensated just for getting listing appointments. That is her only responsibility on the team five days a week and she rarely goes a day without getting at least one listing appointment, usually it is 2 or 3. That is 10-15 listing appointments a week.

How many of you on the call are drooling over the thought of having someone else doing all of your prospecting so all you had to do is go out and do the listing presentation and sign listing agreements all day?

Like I mentioned, she does this in a rural area so door knocking would definitely not work in this area. Because she is such a high volume agent in a sparsely populated area, she does cover several counties in order to hit her production goals.

Again, the thing all three of these agents have in common is that they keep up the Expired Program Daily. (Five Days a week) Every new Expired that comes up on the ExpiredRealEstateLeads.com System that is not on the Do Not Call List (about half of them in her area are) gets a phone call with the goal again of setting that listing appointment for the lead agent.

Now the marketing person on this team has a number of different scripts to use when she calls, but she never uses them. She was born and raised in a small rural community and knows most of the people (or some mutual acquaintance anyway!) in the tri-county area. She just calls them, starts to chat with them, builds rapport and sets the appointment for the lead agent.

If she is not able to reach the people by phone, she begins compiling a packet that again includes information about the team, a sampling of the marketing materials they use and a personal handwritten note to the seller.

This person then maps out the homes that Expired that day and right after lunch, begins to drive to each of the homes she was not able to talk to that day and personal drops off a packet. Again, her hope is to run into the seller and set that appointment. She has even received calls to set up listing appointments after she has run into the neighbors while out there, chats with them for a while and ends with a half joking remark to the neighbors telling them to encourage the sellers to call them if they are serious about getting their home sold. She even gets the neighbors working for her!

Again, she has a follow up plan in place to follow up the next day with a phone call to make sure they received the information, another mailing 3 days later, and again three days after that. Weekly calls and mailings for the first six week if the property does not relist or they inform her they would like wait for an extended period of time and then she just puts them on her monthly Lead Farm Mailing after that and never takes them off. She figures they will sell someday and if not, she has enough rapport with them after the personal contact that she might get (and has gotten) referrals from them.

How many of you think this type of approach might work in your area?

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I gave you examples of three very different areas. I tried to choose areas that would represent the majority. But if I didn’t describe your area, what could you do to a standard marketing plan that would make it fit your area better?

I work with an agent that works in very elite areas that have household help that open their mail for them and discard any junk mail. She also uses the personal greeting card system with a very short personal handwritten message inside.

I work with agents in resort and second home markets that have owners that live in other states. Most of their contact is done through high quality mailings.

I have another agent in a very high tech area so his mailings direct them to his website where most of the expireds decide to email him and set up a listing presentation.
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What might work in your area? Take out a piece of paper and take 20-30 seconds to describe your market area and list one thing that you might want to try in your market area.
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Real Estate Coach Cheri Alguire helps Real Estate Agents get more listings and make money in any type of market. To find out more about her Expired Real Estate Leads Program visit http://expiredrealestateleads.com/ or visit http://www.prorealestatecoach.com/ to find out about her Real Estate Coaching Programs.