You can choose to show up for your clients as a salesperson or as a consultant.
What’s the difference?
A salesperson is driven by making the sale and making it as quick as possible. Most often, the language used by a salesperson
speaks only to the needs of the salesperson and not to the needs of the client.
On the other hand, a consultant is driven to solve problems with their services. They seek to uncover if a need exists and how they
can address that need. They approach their clients with the attitude that they are seeking to help him or her solve a problem or
achieve a goal.
An agent that is acting like a salesperson will immediately book a listing appointment if a prospect says they are thinking of selling
their house.
An agent that is acting as a consultant, on the other hand, will ask key questions first before booking the right appointment. It may
be that the client needs to do market research before they can commit to an agent to sell their home. By asking key questions, this
situation would be uncovered early on. Pushing a listing presentation at the wrong time could jeopardize your chances of getting
the listing at all.
So how can you work on being a consultant versus a salesperson? Here are three actions you can take to show up as a consultant
for your clients:
1. Ask key questions and listen attentively – Focus on understanding the client’s needs first. Ask questions that will help you make
the right offer to the client. You will need to uncover specific needs as well as the timing they have in mind.
2. Be an expert in your field – Educate yourself so you can be a voice of authority in your field. Make an effort to familiarize yourself
with all details of the transaction process involved in buying and selling a home.
3. Differentiate your brand from your competitors – Create a brand promise that is unique to you and make sure you can fulfill that
promise. See yourself as an advisor and a resource for your clients.
Remember to focus on being mindful of how your actions affect your clients’ experience. If you take care of your clients, they’ll be
clients for life and provide you with referrals.
“I should not be more excited about your business than you are.” - Dan Plowman