Top 3 Tips and Tricks for Cold Calling

Copyright (c) 2013 David Bramante

Are you using real estate CRM software and starting to cold call? Do you want to know the top 3 tips and tricks for cold calling?When you first start cold calling, whether you're a new agent starting your marketing or an experienced agent hungry to drum up more business, there are major tips and tricks for correctly connecting with would be clients on the phones. Here are the top notes we'd give you when you're on the phones... and when you're getting frustrated and/or losing focus, remember the expression "the phones are magic" and keep at it.

BE KIND - When I first started cold calling, I was super aggressive because I wanted to generate business quickly. Now looking back, I see I that I was a little over the top in trying to convince people that I was young, hungry and ready to go. I wouldn't ever take no for an answer and as a result, I might have pissed off a few property owners. I didn't lose business but cold calling is a mind game like golf, and you don't want to go into a negative mind set, either because you get sad or even when a property is blunt, rude and hangs up on you. Being aggressive on the phones is a waste of time and energy, and you don't want to form bad habits... like being obnoxious. But don't act like mister nice guy, be mister nice guy. For all you 20 something wannabe wall street millionaires, the old money that does a lot of business is super polished, sophisticated and in it for the long haul... so they don't have to act aggressive when they don't get what they want on the phones, or mean spirited when someone tells them to f*** off or hangs up to them. The old me would call back and tell them what time it is, but it's not the right way to do it. Be kind, think long term.

LISTEN UP - Following up on rule 1, you need to listen to what people say and hear what they are telling you. It's the difference between listening and hearing. So assuming your mister nice guy on the phones finally, when you ask "do you have time to talk?" or "do you want to sell?" and the answer is no... listen up and say "ok no problem, when should i call you back?" or "do you mind if I keep in touch with you in 3-6 months?" They answer is always, "no problem, give me a call then." And when an owner says they don't want to sell, this is a SUPER clear message that you need to listen to. There's an expression that "buyers are liars" and "sellers are yellers." This is really true for property owners that you are trying to get a listing from. When they say they don't want to sell, that probably means they don't want to sell within the next 3-6 months (assuming no major life changes), so don't try to convince them to sell... hear what they're saying and move on. The reverse is true as well, if an owner says they're interested in selling but are difficult to wrangle... chances are they will sell the property either through you or a competitor in the next 6-18 months. Keep tracking them! Listen up to everything they say. Hear what they're telling you. There's hardly any subtext to these conversations, and make sure to keep notes.

BE IMPORTANT - How do get the attention of property owners? How do you get the attention of the ladies in the bar? Peacocking if you've read the book, The Game. Well, you could start colding callling off your CRM by wearing red leather suits and snazzy alligator shoes... but that's not going to help you out in this situation. It's you, the owner and the phones. So the only "peacocking" you can do is be super relevant and be important to the owner by telling them things they really want to know, like "the building next door just sold." Granted, that's a pretty horrible and cliche example but it does work. If you could call with that info then you'll have great conversations. When I know a building just sold by another broker (aka "OBR") or even better was sold by me, then I light up the phones for the owners in that pocket (typically a 1/2 mile radius). If you were a property owner and I called you and told you that a) "your property is on fire!" b) "all your tenants moved out, why?" or c) "every single building around you sold to Donald Sterling, why didn't yours?" ...all of a sudden I'm the most important broker they've talked to today. So the point is have to have valuable information that matters when you call, or you might just be wasting everyone's time, your's and the owners.

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