Cold Calls

This is the Day to Play Offensive

Building New Relationships with Quality Agents

There are two things a Realtor must do and this is also true of Loan Officers. Each day a Realtor’s existing database of clients is being marketed to by another agent. Often from the same company. It is a free-for-all with few rules of etiquette.

Today, a Loan officer woke up and said, “I need more agents.” Those agents he/she is going to target are your preferred agents. That LO is going to test how strong your relationships are with your agents. And you, will be doing the same. It is a game of takeaway.

In other words, an LO has to play OFFENSIVE, go after new agent relationships and DEFENSIVE, protect those that you have.

Today, Cold Call Tuesday is playing Offensive. It is about building new relationships with quality agents. It is the beginning of a lifetime of referrals. Will you get some “no thank you” from some agents? Of course. But you will persist. In golf you may never get a hole in one, but you play on. In any sport you will not score on every opportunity, but you play on. As long as we realize, there will be losses, and there will be wins, we persevere.

GAME PLAN FOR COLD CALL TUESDAY
It is simple. Identify 10 agents that you would like to meet. You will reach out to each of them today and ask them a question or two. Have courage, be brave. Someone will say yes to you. 

The Dialogue

“Hello Sally, I am Bob with USA Mortgage, and had a quick question to ask you about 2019………we are surveying agents for some training initiatives we are doing in 2020.

Would you say…building inspections, seller servicing, or landing a lead pipeline was consistently the most challenging thing you faced in 2019?”

“hm… wow… big question… I would say it was…”
“As a follow up to your comment, BUILDING INSPECTIONS….what is your experience with sellers do pre-inspections prior to entering the market?”
“hmmm… we don’t do that..”

“If I could ask you this last question…we are having a workshop at our office (or I am conducting it online next Tuesday at 10) on the topic ‘Cutting the inspection resolution time in half” …would you be receptive to attending it?”

“As a follow up to your comments about SELLER SERVICING…..what is your experience with sellers being receptive to price shifts within….say….the first 5 days….is that what you normally experience?”
“um.. not really”

“If I could ask you this last question…….we are having a workshop “Getting listing sold faster – mastering seller servicing” …would you be receptive to attending that event (or it is online)?”

“As a follow up to your comment about LEAD GENERATION in 2019….have you been able to land any ….. call it……single lead source that is creating perhaps 10 or more referrals in 2019………so, is that a challenge you or most agents face?”
“I don’t have any single source sending me leads…”

“If I could ask you this……….we are having a workshop, “Creating Winning Lead Systems” seminar…..it is coming up soon….would you be receptive to attending it …”

“Sally…thank you for taking a minute to speak with me…..would it be ok if I sent you a note about our upcoming event and an invitation…..”
“yes, sure thing.”
“Oh, I did want to mention that tomorrow, Wednesday at 9 30….we have a great training webinar….just 15 minutes….. it will be on (state the topic of the webinar – you will receive the webinar announcement for Wednesday sometime on Monday).

Hey, thanks for your time! I look forward to seeing at one of our equipping workshops. ”

The Summary

Keep in mind, this is just a framework of the conversation. Based on how it is going, feel free to book a sit down this week if the rapport is there. However, this first call is the first step. The second step in the game of OFFENSE is sending the thank you note. Then on Accolade Wednesday, click on their FACEBOOK, comment on something they posted. (see Accolade Wednesday for more insight on building the agent relationship)

This will work! This is how relationships begin. Ask a question. Provide value. Ask for nothing at this point. Be a giver. You will bear the fruit of a winning relationship. But we have to give and nurture the relationship – in order to receive.