As Floyd famously said, “Scripts only work when you give the prospect their half in advance.”

Imagine that. Imagine giving the prospects a listing presentation script, as if they were actors in a play, and they had to read their lines without improvising.

“Okay, NAME & NAME. Seller, here’s your script for the appointment tonight. Before we begin, let me be the Director for a minute. Please remember that when I say these words, this is what you say. All you do is follow the script and play your part. Any questions?”

And then according to the script, you would get the listing every time. Isn’t that a lovely fantasy? All you would ever have to do is get an appointment, and getting the listing would be a done deal.

Of course, the Sellers would have to agree to follow the script. And you would have to write the script (or buy one from someone) and then memorize and practice until it became second nature. You don’t want to sound canned, do you? No one wants to.

We have all been interrupted by a call from a telemarketer who was obviously reading from a script? It’s very off-putting, and I can’t imagine the amount of rejection those poor folks have to endure in the course of a day’s work calling strangers.

Back in the days of cold calling, Floyd said, (tongue-in-cheek) “If you made enough cold calls and just barked like a dog, eventually someone would invite you over.” That one always got a good laugh. Thankfully, the days of cold calling via reverse directory to home phone numbers are long gone.

Today we generate leads through relationships, referrals, networking, social media, face-to-face visits, door knocking, farming, canvassing, internet syndication, public relations and just being present in the world.

All those methods don’t require a script so much as a well-crafted approach, using your own words and style.

An approach is very different from a script. It’s more of a track to follow. It is a series of steps to follow one at a time. The words you use are not as important as what you accomplish. All you have to remember are the steps. What you say is determined by you and them and the situation and what’s already been said.

This same principle applies to your listing appointments. You don’t have to hand the prospects a word-for-word script. Floyd has created the most psychologically sound selling track for you to follow. It’s easier to learn than a script. Much easier to follow, for you and them, because it is so well-thought-out. Hundreds of thousands of successful listing appointments prove it.

Salespeople develop a routine way of conducting their listing appointments. In other words, a track. How did your routine develop? Are you following it? Is it working?

Let’s go back to the beginning of this blog, and imagine again handing your prospects a script to follow. But this time, let’s go beyond the words on the page to the end result you want.

You want a signature on a listing that is market-ready and saleable. How do you get there?

It all begins with . . . Look sharp. Take everything with you. Don’t go over to see if you can get it. Go over to see if you want it. Ring the bell, smile, pay them a compliment, take them to the kitchen table, break the ice, and . . .

FIRST - PREVIEW

Show them your agenda for the appointment. Ask for their permission to follow it. Everyone appreciates and respects the person who has a plan and takes charge. Selling is leadership.

SECOND - QUALIFY 

Ask questions about them and their plans that naturally lead to conversations. Listen, reflect, and take notes. Show them that you care about what they care about. Discover their motivations and concerns. Take your time. Summarize what they have said and trial close for the listing subject to agreement on price.

Do this before looking at the house with them. If you look at the house first, you can’t ask the tough questions.

THIRD - PRESENTATION

Sell them on you and your company before you talk price. If they aren’t convinced that you can sell their house, your opinion on price doesn’t matter, does it?

How do you know when they are sold on you and your company? Ask. “Based on everything you’ve seen so far, assuming we could agree on a price, is there anything that would prevent you from letting me handle your listing?”

Then, and only then, put on your pricing presentation. In other words, show them how you will market their home first. Then show them how to price it right.

Be prepared to give them the facts if you need to, but their price will be determined by how much time they have. Timing is the key to pricing. It is not an exact science. Cash investors will only pay wholesale, and a home listed at a wholesale price takes little or no time to sell. Recent comparable sales show what typical buyers are willing to pay and how long comparable homes take to sell. Those two numbers (wholesale and retail) show the price range and time frame.

“NAME & NAME. Seller, we could probably get 100% of the current market value if 100% of the current market time is not a problem for you. How soon do you need your money?” Once you know their time frame, the list price becomes obvious. The higher the list price, the longer it will take to sell.

When you take charge up front with a PREVIEW, show people that you care by QUALIFYING, and sell them on you and your company with your PRESENTATION, then pricing becomes three people putting their heads together to come up with the right number.

FINALLY – WRAP UP

Calculate an estimate of net based on their list price, and ask if they have any questions about it. Explain the listing documents and procedures, and ask if they have any questions. Direct their signature and pack up.

Preview. Qualify. Presentation. Wrap up. 1-2-3-4.

Let this four-part, psychologically-sound, process take all the guesswork out of what to do and in what order.

When you know what you want to accomplish, the words come easily. You will never have to worry about them not following the script. They can say anything they want (and you know they will anyway!) and whatever they say will always fit right into your plan.

Just take things one step at a time and stay on track.

The Floyd Wickman Program is specifically designed for agents in the bottom half of production. Get started today with our Digital Course.

The Floyd Wickman Team blog by Mike Pallin