The Single Most Costly Mistake Agents Make with Real Estate Scripts

September 21, 2017

Let’s say you decide to reward yourself after a great year by purchasing a speedy little sports car.
But what if you didn’t know how to drive a manual transmission? (Or maybe you’re just a little rusty.)
You wouldn’t “practice” on your awesome new car, would you?
Of course not, because you’d burn up the transmission, and that would be expensive.
You’d practice driving a stick shift on a car where the stakes are lower, and then move on to your new speed demon after you feel fully confident.
So let me ask you this: Do you take that same approach when you discover a new sales script?
Because practicing your scripts on your clients is equally expensive.
If you’re a salesperson who isn’t practicing your scripts BEFORE you get in front of clients, I guarantee you’re making a very costly mistake — and throwing away money!

What You Say Matters

Hopefully we all agree that what you say and how you say it both play a big role in how effective you are as a salesperson.
Knowing what to say in a given situation leads to confidence.
Not knowing what to say in a given situation leads to fear.
Fear doesn’t sell houses. Confidence does.
That’s why scripts are crucial to the success of your business.

How to Use Scripts Without Sounding Like a Robot

Some people hate the word script because they feel following a “script” strips away their individuality.
That’s only true if your script is executed poorly.
The key to using scripts effectively is learning them, internalizing them, owning them, making them sound like you.
And how do you do those things? (Hint: It’s Allen Iverson’s favorite word.)
Practice!
If you want to excel in real estate, you need to go to “real estate practice” on a regular basis.
Practicing your scripts means finding a colleague, a peer, a friend, your spouse — and role playing using the scripts you’ve learned and internalized until you’ve mastered them.
Practice does not mean “Oh, good script. I’ll try it on my appointment this afternoon.”
Whatever you do, DO NOT “practice” on your clients. It will cost you money.

Practice Breeds Confidence

The beauty of a script is that it allows you to convey confidence and ownership of your market knowledge without having to think about what you’ll say next.
If you’re thinking about what to say next, you’re not present and “in the moment” with your clients.
You aren’t fully listening and you’ll miss things they say.
When prospects get the sense you’re not fully invested in them, they’re going to choose another agent.
That’s why you should never make the costly mistake of using a script with a client until you’ve practiced it to the point of mastering it.

Action Steps:

If you’re a coaching member, a great way to practice is to take advantage of the members only private Facebook groups to join or create role playing partnerships or groups.
If you’re not a coaching member, find someone who will practice with you — ideally someone who understands what the other side of the conversation might actually say.