Talking to Sellers on the phone help

[Senay Baraki]

I have been talking to many sellers that call from yellow letter or bandit signs the last few months. The problem is that I am not doing a good job of finding out how motivated they are. When I do meet them they are always wanting retail price for their abandoned property. My questions is should I use a better script or should I just talk to them and figure out if they are willing to sell at a discount for a cash offer? What works best for you guys?

[Rick H.]

Not to start another major debate about script vs no-script, I suggest you at least use a 'Lead Sheet' that organizes the information that you collect over the phone. 

Your most powerful skill is not in power talking but power listening. Listen for telltale signs of distress. Ask people open-ended questions that may lead to emotional responses.

Example: "After selling, what are your plans? Going to stay in the neighborhood or have another plan in mind?"

This will cause them to take a moment and respond with some thought. If they talk about relocating out of state, help them visualize what that we be like, with your help. If they say they're staying local, why would they even consider selling? 

If they're coy and guarded, then you better find out why they're calling in the first place. If you get too many calls, your marketing is too broad and must be filtered to only attract motivated sellers and REPELL the others. You can do that with a system of hoops and hurdles that self selects and causes the tire-biters to drop out.