Our Deepest Fear

There is a discussion going on right now on GeekEstateBlog which is talking about how to Qualify Your Prospects To Convert More Leads. In this blog post the writer used a script as an example on how one might best talk to a web prospect.

The blog post is receiving some fiery comments from the real estate community because many believe that scripts dehumanize the real estate buying process, and it turns real estate brokers into nothing more then greedy sales people who want to manipulate the buyer and force them somehow to buy a property that perhaps they don’t really want.

So the argument I am making is how scripts can be useful, and I compared them to good real estate web design. I hope you find this useful, and I am interested in reading your thoughts on the subject.

Can real estate scripts be compared to a well designed real estate web site?

I raised a question last night on Twitter that compared scripts to a well designed real estate web site. We design our sites to interact with our potential customers that we have never seen, never meet. We position elements on the pages to attract the most attention, to call consumers to action. We are playing on the emotional process of buying a home by using imagery both in our carefully worded content, and the use of multimedia. We use years of statistic research and our understanding of online consumer behavior to do one thing, produce leads. And if our web site is not producing leads, then we need to fire it and get a new one. I think most would agree with this so far.

Once you have it down, then that successful design can be duplicated for each real estate broker or brokerage. Is this a genuine approach to real estate? Or are we falling into another trap of impersonal service? We design our sites to be a honey pot; the consumer can’t help themselves but dive in.

How is a good real estate website any different then a script?

We are doing something online that can produce predictable results. Scripts do the same thing. It allows people to have an idea in their mind, a roadmap in a sense, on how a conversation might go. Does it always go according to the script? Ask those that use them, the conversations rarely go according to plan. But instead of tripping all over themselves in the conversation, it will help you flow much better, and help answer the questions the customer is asking.

The argument I received back was that “a well designed site changes to meet brand, geo, and consumer expectations, so it is a service to the consumer, it is not a script.”

I responded with, “a script can also be changed to meet brand, geo and consumer expectations as well to meet their expectations.”

Lets face it, it is impossible to design a website to meet every consumer’s wants and needs. We are publishing content that appeals to the widest audience possible and that will bring us predictable results. How is this not an impersonal approach?

So for everyone that is looking to pick up a boulder and stone real estate brokers that utilize scripts, are we being hypocritical for using similar strategies online under a different banner?

Why do we use scripts anyways?

Scripts have their purpose; they can be used as a foundation to help brokers sharpen their conversation skills. Those brokers who are lazy and read directly off of them, yeah… throw a rock! But those that use them as learning tool and then improvise and elaborate on them with their real world experiences, I say they are now one up on the competition.

Linsey Planeta said this in her comment, “We all have scripts for everything we do – we just may not call them ‘scripts’. We learn what works – not just for ourselves – but what serves our family, our children, our clients. There’s a reason we take parenting classes, or read books on relationships, etc. Sometimes just rollin’ with the stuff on the tip of our tongue isn’t always the wisest course of action. Call it a script. Call it skills. Let’s not get stuck in semantics. I want authentic dealings as much as the next guy. Learning what to say, and how to listen, is part of providing great service. Because I think of what to say before I speak doesn’t make me less authentic and sincere in my dealings.”

I agree with her comment 100%! Sometimes just rolling with whatever comes to mind is NOT very wise. Did you hear what happened when that guy from First Horizon made a tongue in cheek comment about suing before asking questions? I bet everyone in the company wished he had a script in front of him, what was he thinking!?

I also agree with Kevin Lotrell who said, “So, if being scripted results in positive results by having a defined, truthful process, then I’m 100% behind it. The days of learning lots of closes, gimmicks and silly phrases are gone. Going deep, understanding their needs through a detailed set of scripted questions wins every time.”

Absolutely!

What is the bottom line here?

Well, let’s not forget what the bottom line really is to brokers and brokerages, it is to sell real estate. That is your job. What good does it do us to have 20 listings that are overpriced, but because we are friends with the sellers, we are afraid to tell them they are overpriced. You know what’s going to happen? Their house might not ever sell. What good are you doing anybody being passive about it?

Chances are they will have to re-list with a broker that used their conversation skills to convince them a price decrease was in order, then it will sell and you will be left standing outside in the rain without a paycheck. You should have rehearsed some conversations in your mind or wrote them down to help your sellers realize they were overpriced! A logical way to do this is to create a script for yourself to navigate through this touchy subject. You have to be careful what you say here, don’t just wing it!

Jim Alvino, a Small Business Certified Marketing Consultant, told me recently that, “If you wing your sales presentation, you get winged results,” and I couldnt agree more.

Scripts don’t kill real estate, people kill real estate.

Scripts didn’t get us into this huge housing mess, consumer GREED got us into this mess. During the boom years anybody could sell a house, it didn’t take any skill. Houses with a single photo of a toilet in the MLS would sell because it seemed like a good investment. That’s what made real estate a joke, all these wanabee brokers jumping into the business to make an easy buck, and consumer greed buying up everything they could to flip it 30 days later. It’s not so easy anymore, and the number of brokers in the business has dropped off a cliff.

Now it’s back to pure skill.

Conversation skills should be top priority if you want to make it in this business. If you want to carry a good conversation you need to know your subject matter and be passionate about what you do. You have to learn to be a people person. Listening more then you talk, and tailoring your service to each individual. Whatever vehicle brokers decide to use to achieve this, whether it is scripted or impromptu, it can be sincere both ways, or it can be BS both ways, it’s up to you.

So what do you think?

I am looking forward to your response.