We buy with our emotions and justify with our logic. To make a sale, you need to connect with your client, but you also need to know that people are more negative than you may think. The average person has 60,000 thoughts per day. Of these, 80% are estimated to be negative!
Even if you do seem charming on their doorstep, you have to break down their objections.
Something that we come back to time and time again is the excellent book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini. It outlines six ways that people can be persuaded. These are known as the ‘weapons of influence’.
We wanted to outline them to see if they could spark inspiration for your approach!
1. Reciprocity – if you give someone something, they feel obliged to return the favour
For example, if you give a potential client something for free (such as rich data, or insights into the neighbours’ property that feeds their curiosity) they will feel obliged to return the favour.
How to use it: Give more early on. An extra video, a gentle reminder, a helpful update.
2. Social proof – we look to what other people are doing to guide our own behaviour
This is where testimonials and reviews come in. If other people are giving you good reviews, potential clients are more likely to trust you and give you their instruction.
How to use it: Share testimonials, and research the client’s digital footprint. Find a connection with them and speak about likeminded people who have used your services.
3. Consistency – we want to be seen as consistent with our words and actions
If you can show a potential client that you follow through on what you say you’re doing, they are more likely to trust you with their instruction.
How to use it: Promise a proposal in a time frame, and deliver! Don’t be like other agents who don’t promise, or do and then fail to deliver.
4. Liking – we are more likely to be persuaded by someone we like
You can’t always make someone like you, but you can put them in the shoes of a similar client to them. When they hear that others in their situation have made a certain decision, they are more likely to do the same.
How to use it: Tell stories of people who had similar objections. “I worked with a customer down the road who felt like this”
5. Authority – we are more likely to comply with someone who seems like an expert
By using the right data on their property, showing your industry experience and other positive attributes unique to your agency, you can start to seal the deal as you speak and can come across as an authority to a potential client.
How to use it: Provide almost too much data. Show how much effort you have put into understanding them and the property. Show how fresh this data is and mention your understanding of the news and current climate.
6. Scarcity – we want what we can’t have
This is where urgency and deadlines can come in handy. If you can create a sense of scarcity around your service, potential clients are more likely to act fast.
If you can show a potential client that you are in high demand, they are more likely to want to work with you. This could be through past successes or even by having a waiting list.
How to use it: You could mention a busy schedule or show plenty of testimonials. You could talk about the growth of your Facebook page or simply show an uptick on a graph of your great work.
Use these techniques wisely, and you may find that you not only close more deals but that the quality of your instructions improves too!