Confirming Appointments - Strategies
Updated
Once your ISA starts setting appointments for you, now it's time to make sure you confirm and actually end up meeting the lead successfully.
Here are some helpful tips and scripts to help maximize the number of appointments set that turn into successful meetings.
Buyer leads can sometimes be more difficult to avoid no shows or cancelations due to the simple fact that they need to make effort and drive somewhere such as the office or a listing. Listings lead are often a bit easier since you meet them typically at their own house.
Strategies
- Try not to over-qualify before meeting the lead in person. Any lead will often share bits and pieces of the full truth. Once you meet in person, shake their hand and build their trust.... only then will you find out the truth.
- Maintain something of value, and a reason to meet you in person. Your ISAs are creating a reason for the lead to meet you in person. If you remove that reason (or item of value), your conversion stats will plummet. For buyer leads, the item of value is typically either a courtesy showing at a property they want to view, or a helpful, hand-picked list of every available option matching all/most of their criteria. For seller leads, the item of value we are offering is the complementary market analysis (CMA).
- Don't give them bad news prior to meeting in person. We all know how many buyers want the 5br, 4ba, on 6 acres with views of Central Park. Trust us, we hear it all day long. If you are meeting the lead to go over the "helpful list", do call them first to tell them how crazy they are. In fact, don't call them at all. Instead, go to the meeting and present both options: 1 - homes with all their criteria and the prices they come with that is out of budget, 2 - homes closest to their requirements within their budget. And the same goes if a seller trying to sell their 1br, 1ba 400sf bungalow in the sticks of nowhere for $1.2M.
- Consider the "Courtesy Showing". Many agents refuse to show any homes without a pre-approval. Most of us made the mistake of driving around "clients" without making sure they are even eligible to buy a home. Trust me, I did it myself when I was first licensed. Consider taking a little time out for ONE showing and look at it like a buyer consultation but just at a listing instead of your office.
- Confirm and Go! - One stragegy we use that works wonders is to refrain from asking yes or no questions. For example, instead of "Hi Jim, would you still like to meet today at 4?" But instead say "Hey Jim, looking forward to meeting you. I'm on my way now.... see you in an hour"
- Consider meeting at their home. It may be out of the norm to meet a buyer at their current home, however, thing about this.... If your ISA locks down a time they say they are available to meet with you to go over a list of all options for them in person, and we set the meeting at their home, we can confirm it and no confirmation needed and there's a low chance of them not showing up. They live there! Ask support to include that as an available meeting place option if you like this idea.
Scripts
Some agents may struggle with getting in person with the appointments your ISAs are setting. We get it, and we want to help. But remember, not every appointment will end up meeting with you. It's ok. Focus on the ones who are talking to you.
Less is more prior to meeting the lead in person!! - Dont over-qualify, try not to ask for the meeting, but instead confirm and go!
Script Examples COMING SOON!
