"The Close," "The Trial Close," & "The Reverse Trial Close"

Sales Repertoire

Consciously or unconsciously, every successful sales(wo)man develops some variation of the following techniques:

The Close. "Sign here."

The Trial Close. "If they agree to beef up the earnest money, is it a deal?"

The Reverse Trial Close. "With all those objections, this home sure doesn't seem like a very good fit for you."

If the objections are real, simply acknowledging that -- directly and honestly -- saves everyone time.

If the objections instead are disingenuous or posturing, nothing shifts the leverage faster than agreeing that the would-be Buyer's (long) list of flaws truly are deal breakers.

P.S.: my clients know one of my favorite anecdotes about Buyer feedback.

Way back when, I got an email from a Buyer's agent detailing -- in great length -- all the flaws in my client's home: the kitchen was hopelessly dated, the floor plan felt awkward, the bedrooms were small -- and on and on.

The last line?

"My clients are very interested. Please keep me in the loop."

Fielding Buyer Objections: Hits & Misses

Wants, Needs -- & Deal Breakers

I'm currently representing Buyers who prefer at least 3 Bedrooms on one level, because they have little kids.

So, an otherwise suitable home that I previewed for them was a pass, because the kids' bedrooms were on the lower level (I was hoping the home's other strengths would offset that -- they didn't).

When I relayed the Bedroom problem to the listing agent, she suggested putting in video cameras on the lower level.

No, it didn't convince my clients -- but I give her an "A" for effort (and creativity!).

P.S.: In contrast to parents with young kids, parents of teenagers seem to prefer homes with separate wings.