Important To Establish Credibility When Prospecting

Let's face it, when we're using the phone to sell to someone we've never met or spoken with before, we have a credibility issue.

Prospects need to be sold on the fact that you can deliver what you promise before they'll get very interested in other aspects of your offer. Therefore, it's important when prospecting to determine how much of an issue your credibility is with them.

Watch for questions such as, "How long have you been selling real estate?"

"What is your experience in dealing with Sellers in my neighborhood?"

"What kind of results have you gotten?"

"Who else have you worked with?"

"What do you know about______?"

These questions indicate that they need to be sold on your capabilities.  Here are some ideas.

1. Ask credibility-related questions. Early in the call, you might want to bring this issue out into the open.  Ask, "Have you ever had experience with REALTOR® who didn't deliver what was promised?" Get specifics. They'll tell you exactly what happened, which will give you an idea of what concerns you might need to address.

2. Use third-party examples.  When explaining what you can do, speak in terms of "our customers/clients say...," "People who use my services tell me that...", and, "One feature that is popular with my customers/clients is..."

3. Use actual testimonials. Use names of other customers/clients. (Make sure you have permission.)  Have names and numbers available that the prospects can call. This is the strongest form of credibility building.