Dave Robison

By Dave Robison

According to NAR’s report about real estate professionals, the majority of us came from admin jobs rather than sales jobs. There is a high probability that the majority of you reading this are order-takers.  The good news is you can change that. You can become a better sales person.

I admit it, I was an order-taker and learned this lesson almost 11 years ago.  I was showing a friend of mine houses so he could buy his first home.  No luck in writing an offer though because he couldn’t make up his mind and he was reluctant to put in an offer. (It was his fault, right?)   My dad came out with me to show my friend the same homes a second time around.  My dad said, “This is a great house, Kelly. Lets write an offer.”  My friend said, “Okay,” and I got my first sale. (Oops, I blamed it on my client but it was really my fault!)

What was the difference?  I was just showing homes, I was an order-taker.  My dad was a salesperson.   Here is how you can know what an order-taker will do versus someone who is a salesperson:

Example – Listing Client: “I’m not in a hurry. We don’t have to sell. We will move if that one buyer comes along.”

Order-Taker:   “Okay,  I will keep you updated with showings and whether we get any offers.”  *Tries to smile while they feel frustrated with their client.*

Salesperson:  “What do you mean by  that?”  “Tell me more about that.”  “What is your timing on when you want to move?”  (A salesperson will ask more questions so that the seller can come to a better conclusion. Being a salesperson means being a counselor, too!)

Example – Buyer Client: “Asking price is $200k,  so lets give them an offer of $100k.  I’m not in a hurry to buy, we should offer low because you never know… we might get it and I only want to buy a killer deal.”

Order-Taker: “They probably wont take it.”  Buyer Client: “I know but I just want to see what they will do and  we can come up.”  Order Taker: “Okay.”

Salesperson:  *Presents statistics on homes sold like it.* “How would you rate this home from all the others we have seen?”  “ How would you feel if someone came in and swiped it right out from under you and the bank ignored you.”  (continues with dialogue…)

Example – Agent-to-Agent: Buyers Agent: “My client likes the home; it’s the first home they have seen. Would you mind calling me back if you get any offers on it?”

Order-Taker Listing Agent:  “Sure, I’ll call you back if I get any offers on it.”

Salesperson Listing Agent: “No, I wont.”   Buyers Agent: *kind of shocked* “Why not?”  Listing Agent: “Because we are in a non-disclosure state……(listing agent continues with our non-disclosure dialogue to get buyers agent to bring an offer that night. )

If you want higher sales and you want more referrals then you will need to be a salesperson.  The salesperson will find out why people say what they say.  The salesperson will point out the darkness of the night and the light of the day.  (The worst that could happen and the best thing that could happen if the clients make the right choice.)  The salesperson also will create urgency while keeping the clients best interest in mind.

Dave Robison, known as “Utah Dave,” is a broker of Robison & Company Real Estate.