What would you do in this scenario?

A new agent talked with me today about a scenario he is running into when calling homeowners who are selling without the aid of a real estate agent.

The scenario is quite common and goes something like this... the agent calls the homeowner and as soon as he identifies himself as a real estate agent the seller's attitude turns hostile (resistance) and let's the agent know in no uncertain terms what he/she thinks about real estate agents. Either that or the homeowner hangs up without another word.

I recommended that the agent simply move on to the next call. What would you do in this scenario? -AZBroker

Hmmm... I guess it would depend. If I was "very" interested in the property and/or the seller I would back off and try a different approach at a later date.

If I wasn't that concerned I might push my luck right then and there. ;) -Jolly Roger

The Telemarketer Bash! (No, it's not an uproarious party :D )

I don't think it would be too far from the truth to say telemarketers across the board experience this type of behavior from call recipients. It comes with the phone. ;)

What a coincidence; I just now received a telemarketing call and as soon as she told me she was with a HVAC company (sales call) I told her I didn't take telemarketing calls, good bye and hung up the phone. (And I'm in a good mood. :) )

How would I respond to this type of behavior? First, I'd realize that people have common knee-jerk reactions, like mine above, to telemarketers. I'd also keep in mind that sometimes people's behavior just stinks. They may have their reasons but their behavior still stinks. Either way I would remember this and not let it get to me. (see... thick skin)

Second, I'd move on to the next call as fresh and sparkly as I was when I made the previous call and the call before that, and so on. -SalesGuy

It looks like we are on the same page. Thanks guys for the great input. :) -AZBroker

What is his purpose in making the call? If he's trying to "get the listing", then I'd say yes, move on, there's nothing to be gained because this prospect has already decided they are NOT interested in using an agent.

On the other hand, if he's calling because he has a possible buyer--he might want to say that FIRST and identify himself as a real estate agent SECOND. Of course if the seller doesn't even want to sell to someone represented by an agent, then it won't matter :( . In that case, though, trying back in 2-3 months might be more successful.:)

[not an expert in real estate--just thinking about this from the FYBO's mindset] -Terri Zwierzynski

This comment just triggered a memory for me.

I tried for a brief time selling my product completely over the telephone. I quickly learned that the only way to make progress was in "baby steps." Never ask for too much at any one time. On my first call I would only give them a 30 second teaser and ask if I could send them my brochure. Because saying yes is not any harder than saying no, many would say yes. On my next call, I would follow up on the brochure. Often this took several calls because the they had not looked at it, yet...etc. I would only ask for permission to call again. By the end of this process, they had spoken to me several times on the phone and began to feel like they knew me.

I don't really know if this has much bearing on the original question, but the reason I am reminded of this experience is by your reaction to this interrupting telemarketing call. One time, I was on the phone with a client (who had been recruited through this cold calling technique) and he put me on hold for a minute. When he came back, he was grumbling about those darn no-good telemarketers...

Apparently I did it so gradually (moving slowly from A to B to C to D and then the sale) that he did not even realize (or remember) that I recruited him through telemarketing.

The moral of this story, I guess, is that you need to find something that is painless for your prospect to say YES to when asking for (or even hinting for) the listing will be a big fat NO. Think BABY STEPS.

Can you create a useful tool for FISBOS (besides the cliched market analysis)? Is there some way you can help THEM sell their house? Can you make yourself useful to them in some other way in the hopes that down the road, if they are not successful on their own, they will remember your helpfulness kindly or consider you an ally?

Be genuine in your helpfulness. I am a firm believer that what you put out comes back to you. You can never have too much good PR (even if it doesn't lead to a listing today, it is still a good investment).

If someone hangs up or cuts you off immediately. Thank them (if they are still on the line) and move on. I thank them because I hold myself above their rudeness and if I allow myself to be lowered to their level, it ruins me for the next call. -RainMaker

Terri and RainMaker, thank you for your responses. -AZBroker

Wonderful post, RM--all of it. You have great insight. What one learns from you is the vast difference between processing and relating. -Gary Boye

Hey...I don't know what happened to my post (I replied to this post a couple hours ago..)

Thank you, Gary.

Actually I have a joke with a friend of mine that has somehow become my life philosophy. It stems from my possession of pens of unknown origin (ok, I'm a pen thief, but no one's perfect.) I am also hopelessly absent-minded, and often leave my own pens behind. We call this The Great Pen Continuum. You give to The Continuum. You take from The Continuum. The Continuum sustains us.

This friend and I often get into deep philosophical discussions about child rearing and life etc. Invariably in the middle of a talk, one of us will have an enlightened moment and announce that it all boils down to the Great Pen Continuum! (Giving and Receiving.) Oddly enough...it seems to be so. :rolleyes: -RainMaker

Are you saying that the salesperson didn't do anything to provoke the seller except say he was a real estate agent? -bridger480

Yes. That was enough to trip the seller's trigger. Some people's children. :rolleyes: -AZBroker

Albert Einstein - "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." -bridger480

RainMaker - why don't you patent or trade mark it under Life, Inc. [ink - get it]. Gary's right - U R good! -MitchM

What I meant by "trigger" was some people are just waiting to go off. The agent isn't the problem but the agent can be the trigger. :( -AZBroker

Cute idea. I'd have to think about that one. Just what I need... ANOTHER brilliant patent/idea that isn't paying the bills! :p -RainMaker

To offer some objectivity (although I am not justifying rudeness in any way--which is childish nonsense), selling a house can be a big event to an owner (while it is everyday stuff to the realtor).

Here are some things that COULD be going on behind the scenes:
--This is the only (or biggest) asset this seller has ever owned, and represents possibly their only opportunity to receive a meaningful chunk of cash.
....you are someone who wants to take a big chunk of it.
--Something unpleasant has occurred and they are reluctantly selling.
....you are benefiting from their misery.
--Their next move has already strapped them financially and they will be needing every penny they can pull from their sale
....your commission will break them.
--They just hung up the phone with mother-in-law who couldn't resist a resounding "I told you so..." for not calling their 2nd cousin who is a realtor.
...You called at the worst possible moment.
--Some other realtor just called 30 seconds before you did.
...you called at the 2nd worst possible moment.

People are just people. They are not all cool and sophisticated (like us on SP :p ) They have lives. They have problems. They have preconceived ideas that salespeople are the enemy. When someone is rude, I try to remember that I don't have all the facts--just a 2 minute snapshot. (and, of course, that they are suffering enough already by NOT choosing me to assist them! ) -RainMaker

Oops! Oh yeah, one more possible reason...

---They are a total jack a** and just did you the biggest favor of your lifetime by sparing you the torture of having to work with them! ;) -RainMaker

Like SG said, "They may have their reasons but their behavior still stinks." -AZBroker

True, but it's the challenge of sales that makes it so lucrative (and probably one of your reasons for choosing this field). If it were easy, we could pay the $6/hour Walmarters to do it for us. :) -RainMaker

Being someone's wipping post or allowing others to treat you poorly is not what I consider to be the "challenge of sales". Abuse is abuse. -AZBroker

Agreed. But it goes with the territory. We cannot control what others do; only how we react to it. -RainMaker

Exactly. That is the reason I posed the question, to see how others in that situation would respond. -AZBroker

So...I've brought you right back to square one....that was helpful, huh? :rolleyes: (Contact me anytime you want to get nowhere fast...that is my specialty!) -RainMaker