The first call with a seller
The first call has one job: find out whether there is a reason and a timeline. Everything else can wait for the second call.
Open by naming why you are calling
Say who you are and reference what the owner told us he/she was thinking. Being vague about why you are on the phone reads as a cold call, and the owner will treat it as one even though it is not.
Then stop talking. The single most common mistake on a first call is filling the silence with a pitch before you know what the person wants.
Establish reason, timeline, condition — in that order
Reason first, because it is what everything else hangs off. "What is making you think about selling?" gets you further in one question than five minutes of qualifying.
Timeline second. A date changes what you should offer and how hard to push.
Condition third, and gently. An owner who is embarrassed about the state of a house will minimise it, and pressing early makes him/her defensive for the rest of the call.
What ends the call early
Leading with your offer. You have not earned the right to a number yet and it makes the whole call transactional.
Arguing with the asking price on the first call. Note it and move on; you will not talk anyone down in the first ten minutes and trying costs you the second conversation.
Not booking a next step. A call that ends with "I will think about it" and no agreed follow-up is a call you will have to start again from scratch.
Questions people ask
How quickly should I call a new lead?
The same day, and preferably within the hour. Interest decays fast, and on an exclusive lead speed is the one advantage that is entirely within your control.
What if the seller does not remember saying he/she wanted to sell?
Treat it as a normal first conversation rather than a correction. Recap what we recorded, ask whether it is still the case, and either way you have your answer in a sentence.
How many times should I follow up before giving up?
More than you want to. Most people stop after two attempts, which is roughly where the contactable portion of any lead pool starts being reached.
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