

	Sales	Search the Directory:

The Art Of Cold Calling

I know, don't groan. You have to do them if you want to get properties and make money. Believe me, I used to hate cold calling. For those of you that have read our book, "Who Makes It Happen: Back On The Road To Success With Creative Real Estate", remember it used to take me an hour to get on the phone and then after 30 minutes I was ready to hang up.

I've learned over time to not think of telephoning as cold calling, but how I can help a seller or buyer. I realize if I make so many calls, I will get so many responses, and I don't take a no personally. It's their loss. Let them continue to pay to run their ads and six months from now when I call out of a paper or web list and they are still there, maybe then they will listen. There are too many people I can help. I refuse to worry about the ones that won't listen.

So, the first step is to get in the frame of mind that you are offering help. Next, let the seller do the talking. You listen. How do I do that, you say? Well, when I call on a home and someone answers (as opposed to leaving my message), I ask is the home still available? Great, my name is Susan, who am I speaking with? George, tell me about your home? This gets the seller talking. I just guide him/her with how many square feet, garage, etc. For those that have purchased our manual, this form is in the Seller section. You want to get as much information as possible. What they don't tell you ask. The last question I ask is, George, it sounds like a beautiful home, why are you selling? Then let him/her talk. This question tells you how motivated he/she is. Is he/she moving into a new home, relocating or just putting out feelers.

Next I ask the pricing information, how much are they asking for the house? How did they arrive at that price? Comps? Have they had any offers? If no offers, ask them why they think they haven't had any offers?

Next I ask about financing information. What are the payments? Any second mortgages? Are their payments current? Any CC&R's? What they paid for the home? Many times when I ask, "What did they pay for the home?, I get, "it's none of your business". Well, I say to the seller, this helps me decide if a Lease Purchase is workable, and it is a matter of public record.

Always be sure to check on-line or with public records that the person you spoke to is the individual who has the authority to deal.

Finally, I ask about Lease Purchasing and tell them the advantages. Some will say yes, can you send me some information? Others will say, no, I need to sell. I'll say, that's fine, why don't I send you some information so you have it on hand as another option if you need it. Always, follow up.

Remember, relax and pick up that phone. Otherwise, the deal and the money won't come your way. And remember, you can always consult!

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

MORE RESOURCES:

RELATED ARTICLES

How To Dramatically Improve Sales Closing Ratios
A closing question asks for a final decision. A trial-closing question is one that asks prospects for an opinion.

Where to Find Mannequins for Sale
Any time a clothing store opens or expands, they must buy mannequins. There are many different places to find a mannequin for sale, including the Internet, companies that mass produce mannequins, and businesses that make unique mannequins one at a time.

Caring - The Secret Sales Strategy
Sales information resource Just Sell, calls caring "sales love". Here's the meaning:Sales love ('sAlz - luv): noun: 1: unselfish and loyal care for the good of a customer, prospect, reseller, and/or team member.

Another Warm Lead
Saturday morning, I sat in my pajamas, sipping strong, black coffee and petting Ms. Kitty Cat.

Just Ask!
Instilling urgency in a prospective customer can make the difference between achieving a sale and losing it altogether. If your prospects cannot vividly see personal benefits from taking action, there will never be the sense of urgency needed to follow your suggestions.

Lazy Man's Way To Get Customers
No matter how big or small your business is and no matter how high or low sales are right now, there is something you need, badly. And that is a selling system.

Customer Service Revival
Value is in the Eye of the BeholderSales today is filled with stereotypes. The "sleazy car salesman", the "annoying telemarketer", and the ever-present "pushy commission salesman".

Turn Your Wisdom Into a Workshop
The Technical Revolution has done a lot for us -- we merely have to pick up a phone or send an email to conduct business. Yet, there still is no substitute for live, personal appearances when you want your teaching to count, and that's why I love workshops.

Sell More Products and Services with Testimonials
Testimonials are all-important to sell anything. You may already have testimonials for your new book and service, but do you have testimonials for other promotional pieces? Next time you check out a Web site, notice the testimonials.

An Introduction to Mannequins
Just about every clothing store uses mannequins. There are many types of mannequins made of different materials including wood, wax, fiberglass, and plastic.

How to Acquire More Leads
The most effective prospecting techniques were revealed in the August 1st, 2002, issue of TIP (URL at end of article) that resulted from a survey of financial advisors earning over $200,000 annually.Here's how they rated the following techniques: 100.

15 Ways To Get Really Motivated
First, recognize that motivation is an inside job.� The word motivate means to impel, inspire, hope, stimulate, incite, propel, spur, goad, move, induce, prompt, instigate, fire, provoke, actuate, cause, egg on, drive, excite, and to trigger.

12 Handy Tips for Generating Leads through Cold-Calling
Cold calling can be a great way to generate quality leads. You get to speak to the gatekeepers and stakeholders, and you get a great insight into their requirements and influences.

How Many Ways Do You Have To Justify Your Price?
If you were selling a mansion, and you were selling it for 25 cents, some wiseacre would inevitably respond, "It costs too much."When that happens, are you prepared?As an excercise, make a list of 20 "reasons why" your services are worth your fees.

Top 10 Ways to Sell your Product or Service While you Sleep - Part 2
Part one of this article is available at www.bookcoaching.

How To Get Face To Face Over The Phone
One disadvantage of selling by telephone is the lack of face to face contact.When you are sitting with a prospect it is much easier to read there body language.

How to Write Effective Selling Proposals
Depending upon how much you enjoy writing, writing sales proposals can be a joy, purgatory, or something in between. However, if you sell a complex product or one that involves the delivery of professional services, learning how to write effective selling proposals can be critical to your success.

Stop Telemarketers, Do Not Call List or Not
American consumers have spoken and have done so loudly registering 50 million telephone numbers with the FTC's National Do-Not-Call list since the registry debuted in July.This new telemarketing sales rule, which was scheduled to take effect October 1st, recently encountered two legal battles which could diminish the rule's intent - to allow consumers to fight back against annoying telemarketing calls.

Secrets to Buying Without Being Sold
Have you ever asked yourself, now how did I let that guy sell me on something that I had no real need for at the time? Do you ever get a sneaking suspicion that your probably not going to really use whatever it is that your buying in the way that it was presented? If this is true which is often the case, then why in the heck do we give up our hard earned money for something that until we heard some sales spiel, we really had no need or want to have.Please allow me to expose what marketers do to us on a regular basis in an effort to develop those perceived wants, needs and desires in us which drive us to buy what is being offered.

Marketing Conversations, And Conversation Stoppers
Where many marketing conversations get off-track are the ones you have with yourself, before you even pick up the phone or initiate the handshake. As independent professionals, usually at the helm of solo businesses, we sometimes find ourselves facing daunting internal obstacles as we try to begin our day's marketing activity.