Closing the Sale
Good salespeople know that timing is a crucial tool for keeping the process moving. Being too pushy at the outset can cause clients to balk, but neglecting to move in when the client needs a nudge can prove just as disastrous. In addition, market conditions may require agents and their clients to move fast and make a quick decision to lock down the right home. To stay on track, agents must work to build and maintain a sense of urgency. But that sense of urgency must be based on genuine consideration of that client’s specific needs.
Agents should continue to ask closing questions to narrow the choices after every showing, as well as step in to create that sense of urgency — when appropriate.
“From a listing perspective, creating urgency seems to be the best closing strategy,” McNamee says. “With the low inventory levels today, it’s not hard to create a fear of loss.”
If a client needs to close in 60 days, for example, Fiorito explains that making the decision sooner means getting financing buttoned up and closing before their deadline. If a client is price conscious, an agent can stress the importance of moving quickly to lock an offer in now in order to avoid paying more later.
Once the client has narrowed their choices down to a few finalists, it’s time to choose a home and commit. At this point, agents shouldn’t be afraid to move in to close the sale; if they’ve done their job correctly, they’ve already helped their client narrow their options down to a few great choices. They can then move the client along with language like, “I think it’s time to put an offer on this. Do you want me to write this up?”
Once the client has decided on a home, the next step is to get it on paper. Agents should build on their clients’ excitement to keep the process moving.
“Why look at five more places if they love one property?” Ryan says. “It’s about being quick on the draw when a client finds one they like.”
Post closing, continuous relationship building activities are what help the top-performing agents earn referrals. This is where all of that initial relationship building pays off – if the client is happy with their service and their new home, then they’re more likely to refer their agent. But it is not a one-way street – agents do their own part to keep client relationships alive by reaching out periodically.
“I keep in touch with clients and other agents through social media and texting; we are constantly in touch,” Fiorito says. “It’s very different from years past, where I would only talk to clients by phone or email while in the office. These days, it’s constant contact, even if I’m at the pool with the kids.”
Agents who follow the steps of the sales process have a solid foundation upon which to build their own methods. The art of selling in the real estate world is a delicate balance between tried-and-true sales tactics and the people skills required to support clients through one of the biggest financial decisions in their lives. The individual agent’s final touch is to customize the process as only they can, creating an experience unlike any other for the client.
