Your Leads and Customers Want To Be Heard!

Want to get more engagement from your real estate leads and customers?  Learn to actively listen to what they’re saying and what they aren’t saying.  Once you learn how to apply this approach, you’ll boost lead engagement and convert more leads into clients.  Let’s dig in and start converting leads! 

To create a personal connection with your leads, actively listen without interrupting.  Forget having a script; sit back and listen.  You’ll improve engagement, increase the likelihood of converting them into a client, and build long-term relationships. I’ll explain more about these benefits in a moment.

• Improve Engagement
• Build Long-Term Relationships
• Boost Conversions

Don’t interrupt.  Just listen.  

What does it mean to truly listen to a lead?  

When you listen, without interrupting or thinking about how you’re going to respond, you gather information you would have otherwise missed.  Before you answer, give the lead your full attention and as much time as they need to fully explain what they’re looking for.

• Builds trust
• Saves time in the long run
• Improve the quality and quantity of information
• Improves our decision making and responses
• Learn personal details that build long-term relationships

Paraphrase

When the lead finishes sharing, respond by paraphrasing a key point from their story and ask questions related to that topic.  Paraphrasing lets the lead know you heard them and are interested in learning more about their needs.  Paraphrasing makes the lead feel understood and more comfortable sharing additional information.

Lead:  “I want to live in a house that isn’t close to the neighbors.”

Agent:  “I understand how you feel about not wanting your house to be close to your neighbors.  Describe what that looks like.  Do you want to live on a large lot, or can you imagine yourself living in the country?”

Paraphrase what the lead told you, gather more information, then offer advice.

What Isn’t Being Said

Another benefit of actively listening is hearing what isn’t being said.  Think about a past lead who shared a minimal amount of information (we’ve all had them!).  Focus on a piece of the lead's story and prompt them to fill in the blanks so you can serve them better.  Here’s how this type of scenario could play out if you listen intently and build on what the lead shared.

Example of a lead that shares a small amount of information:

A couple wants to live in Glenwood, has a $300,000 budget, 3 kids in elementary school, and an ailing mother-in-law who lives with the family.  

Possible takeaways:  busy family, needs to be near an elementary school, needs extra room for mother-in-law, within driving distance to a medical clinic, central to conveniences like food markets to save time.

Even though the lead didn’t tell you all of those details, reading between the lines will reveal more of their needs.  Once they finish sharing, leave 3 seconds of silence, then start asking questions based on the information you received. 

“You mentioned you have 3 kids.  How old are they?  Would it be helpful to be close to the elementary school?”  

“What kind of activities are the kids involved in?  Would it be helpful to live close to the sports arena/music hall/bowling alley?”

“Would your mother-in-law prefer an ensuite or her own floor with a kitchen, bathroom, and sitting area?”

“Is it important to be close to a medical clinic or hospital?”

Generating questions based on what the lead shared creates an emotional element of engagement that goes a long way in building trust and converting leads.

Just by listening, you can create a powerful and emotional connection with your leads.

The Future

As you converse, look for opportunities to dive deeper into the details of their lives, then beef up their CRM profiles for future engagement.  You’ll leave quite an impression when you remember a special occasion or pet’s name, for example.

Ben is 3 years old.  You ask, “What month was he born?”  The lead might share Ben’s birth date, describe his recent birthday party, and his favorite type of cake.  Add this information to your CRM with a reminder to send a birthday card each year.  “Happy birthday Ben!  I hope you enjoyed your favorite chocolate cake with loads of frosting!”

Conclusion

Active listening builds trust and connections with leads and helps grow your sales funnel.  You make the interaction about them, not about promoting yourself. Once you've gained their confidence, you can share more about what your experiences can do to help them.  Stay disciplined with this lead nurturing practice, and you'll convert more leads and generate more referrals and repeat business.