How confident are you?
People think that you’re either born with confidence or you aren’t, but that thinking has caused a lot of us to believe the misconception.
This is definitely true when you get to industries where having to talk to others, especially over the phone, causes a lot of anxiety.
What if you say something wrong?
What if you can’t answer a question?
What if you can’t say anything at all?
We’ve all been there, even those of us who seemingly have all the confidence in the world; it’s a struggle, but it’s also something that can be overcome.
Here’s a few tips to help you build up phone confidence for better conversations with agents.
Always be prepared
Guys, I can’t stress this enough – always be prepared when calling agents!
Nothing says ‘unprofessional’ than a wholesaler calling up an agent and not already have some idea of what or how the conversation is going to go.
You have to know:
Who you’re calling
Why you’re calling
Which property you’re calling about (if you have one)
Confidence always starts with knowing what it is you’re going to do and how you’ll do it. And people can hear that over the phone!
Even if you just have an idea of the conversation, having something in place is better than having nothing at all.
Be clear and always ask questions
Tone and intent are everything.
This goes along with being prepared with what you’re going to say and being clear about your intentions. Back in the day, some wholesalers were kinda sketchy and unfortunately, their behavior set a tone for how others perceive us now.
That’s why when you’re talking to an agent, you want to be very clear about why you’re getting in contact and what value you can provide for them.
And ask questions, but not just any questions. For example:
I’m looking at this property on X and I saw that you were listed as the realtor. Is that correct?
Do you work with investors like myself?
What’s the condition of the property?
Again, you want to have your talking points ready because you’re both busy and you don’t want to waste their time or yours. But it’s also okay to ask about things you may have picked up on during your conversation.
Here’s an example – let’s say you’ve called a realtor about a property in Denver, CO. While you’re talking, the realtor mentions that they’re a Denver Nuggets fan.
If you’re a sports fan, in this case with basketball, maybe mention that you saw the last game the Nuggets played. If you once lived in Denver or in the area, mention that; make a connection.
Smile and your voice will show it
Have you ever talked to someone over the phone and just heard the smile on their face?
I know you can’t actually hear someone smiling on the other end of a phone call, but when someone has a happy tone, you can hear it and it puts the idea that they’re smiling in your head.
If your tone sounds angry or hostile, the person on the other end of the phone will hear that. And they’ll hear your nervousness, too.
So don’t just immediately jump on the phone – take a deep breath, think about how you want the conversation to go, take another breath, and make your call.
Guys, very few people get this right on the first go and for others, it takes a lot of practice before feeling completely confident, and that’s okay. Your confidence level doesn’t have to be the same as someone else’s.
And you don’t have to get on the phone without some help.
I created a cold calling script to give you a little guidance when talking to sellers, but some of these questions work with a realtor, especially if they’re representing the homeowner.
If you need more advice or a little backup, then you know what to do – click the link and join us at Astro.
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