Making an emotional connection with distressed homeowners

Adept investors that can empathize with a homeowner’s hardship and help them through this difficult period in their life will undoubtedly be successful. To make this connection, focusing on the emotional benefits of your service is more important than features.

A distressed borrower that is falling behind on their mortgage payment feels vulnerable. While they are eager for options and hope, they may be leery of a stranger and potentially, a vulture looking to swoop down and profit from their misery. How do you overcome this distrust? The answer is to appeal to the homeowners emotion, not their intellect.

Emotions are the gateway for a distressed homeowner to make a decision to work with you. World renowned sales trainer Zig Ziglar explains, “People usually buy on emotion and then justify it with logic.” Sure, a short sale carries less consequences than a foreclosure, but this is an intellectual feature, and does not speak to their emotion.

Benefits are the language of emotion. Features are the language of logic. Even people who insist they make logical decisions based on features do so because that’s what makes them feel better. All benefits are emotional.

What would be a better way to sell diamonds? “This ring features a 1.4 carat, pear-shaped cut white diamond with a SI1 clarity grade and an H color rating.” Unless you’re a gemologist, this ad is gibberish.

Here is what might sell diamonds better: “Imagine that special evening when you gently slip this on her finger and stare intensely into their eyes. She peers at this symbol of your devotion, the promise of your future together, and tears begin to glisten. An adoring smile spreads across her face, and at that moment your love is sealed forever.”

The upside down or late paying homeowner has only one question to be answered, “What’s In It For Me?”. It’s not about you, or your realty, or even your expertise. It’s about them – the distressed homeowners that need your help. How will you help them solve their problem, make their lives better and most of all, how will you make them feel good?

Some examples of benefits might be…. Move on to build better memories… Get a good night’s sleep for the first time in six months… Return to you normal, day-to-day affairs… Stop the harassing phone calls…. Save your credit… Help your family… Relieve the uncertainty…

“We’ve helped 28 clients this month avoid foreclosure” is a feature, not a benefit. “We’re a member of the Better Business Bureau” is another intellectual feature that will not build emotional rapport. If you’re a Certified Distressed Property Expert or have another four-letter acronym that gives you special training to resolve hardship situations, this is another feature that will not provide tangible benefits to the homeowner. Credentials are fine, but the distressed borrower will justify their decision to work with you on emotion first, and come back to your credentials later.

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