Clients want to hear what REALTORS® know

Tom Ferry

Successful REALTORS® have a core belief system that drives them to operate at a higher standard, according to real estate coach Tom Ferry, who’s based in California.

Author of Life! By Design, Ferry said, “After working with hundreds of successful REALTORS®, I’ve found that they have a set of standards, values or beliefs that motivate them.”

Four values common to successful REALTORS are:

Viewing their business as a solution to others’ problems

Some REALTORS® see their business as a traditional business with a belief that its purpose is to identify a problem, create a solution and make a profit for the business.

“The REALTOR® who sees his business as having a unique solution to a consumer’s problem is motivated by helping consumers,” Ferry said. “Once you have a unique solution, you want to offer it as often as you can.”

Fear of consequences

Fear of what can happen can drive an agent’s performance, either to jump-start his business or change what he’s doing. “Sometimes you have to become disgusted to feel the need to change, otherwise the consequences aren’t painful enough,” he added.

Ferry said learning how to talk with buyers and sellers helps REALTORS® regain their “swagger.” “When you learn what to say, your confidence goes up and your belief that you can sell increases,” he added. “Successful REALTORS® have learned a key presentation and they’re confident in talking with clients. The two worst words an agent can use in today’s market are ‘I think’,” Ferry said. “Clients want to hear what you know, not what you think. Only speak about facts, statistics and things you can prove. No more puffery sales talk. It’s subtle shifts in conversations that cause a REALTOR® to be great.”

Stopping addicted behavior

Big producers have learned to give up the attachments, Ferry said. “Too many agents are addicted to what other people will say if they do something different. They’re unwilling to do what they need to because of the status quo. Top agents go out and do what they believe is best for business and don’t worry if they upset a few people along the way,” he added.

“On your death bed, you don’t want to be wishing you would have done something differently. You want to live your life doing everything you can. You can break out of mediocrity to become the person who sells $1 million or more a year,” Ferry said.

A cause that inspires them

Ferry said he worked with a REALTOR® who felt moved to do something significant for her church, so she purchased land next to the church and built a safe place for children to be after school. She grew her business to more than $1 million and uses some of her real estate profits to fund this facility. Another REALTOR® he’s coached had a building built for the YMCA to honor the memory of her son. She channeled her energy to this cause.

“There’s something special when a top producer gets a cause and makes a shift,” Ferry said. “That connection will make a difference.”