It’s less about what you say; it’s more about what you do.
As real estate agents, your first priority is, of course, making sales. Before you can do that, you will need to establish a good relationship with your clients.
But the question is, how do you build that? Through effective communication, of course!
Aside from using the correct words, you’ll realize that there’s more things that make up good communication than you think.
Let’s dive in!
| Effective communication tips to establish relationships & make more sales |
Before we talk about communicating with others, we first have to look deep within ourselves.
One main characteristic that’s crucial to develop as agents – or even just as humans – is empathy.
What is empathy?
It’s the ability to understand and share the emotions and struggles of another, as if they were your own.
It involves putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, and experiencing their feelings as though you were going through them yourself.
Why is empathy important to have as a real estate agent?
In the context of real estate, empathy is not just about being aware of a client’s emotional state.
It’s also about demonstrating genuine concern for their needs, desires, and overall well-being.
If you can’t empathize for them, how can you understand their worries and needs?
Being able to put yourself in your clients’ shoes is a superpower that you should harness so that you can better pinpoint what it is they truly need.
This is your first stepping stone to build trust between your clients.
We’ll get into how to build that trust and why it’s important below.
3 effective communication tips
Tip #1 : Build trust
As we’ve mentioned, in order to establish great client relationships, the most important thing is to build trust.
Why is this important?
1. Builds loyalty
If people trust you, they will most likely become a repeat client and come back to you in the future.
2. Increases credibility
People will feel confident in your ability to help them, hence allowing them to recommend your services to other people.
3. They feel comfortable with you
Just like your regular relationships outside of work, people are more likely to open up to people who they can trust.
This gives you an opportunity to further understand what they need, making it easier for you to meet those needs.
How do you establish trust among your clients?
- Be honest and transparent
- Be authentically you
- Show sincere interest through asking questions
As we go on, you’ll realize that the best way to connect with your clients is through non-verbal communication.
Let’s move into the next tip:
Tip #2: Actively listen
The best (and most overlooked) way to ensure you provide the best services to your clients is to listen attentively.
Why should we do this?
1. Understand their needs
Through active listening, we can truly understand what they need from us, rather than what we think they need.
2. Know how to solve their problem
Once we fully understand their problems and concerns, we can come up with relevant solutions.
This will also make them feel heard and understood.
3. Avoid miscommunication
Asking for clarification and reiterating what they’ve said can minimize potential miscommunications.
How to actively listen to your clients?
- Don’t interrupt
- Use non-verbal movements to show that you’re listening (eg. nodding, eye contact, smiling)
- Summarize what you’ve heard to show that you’ve captured their thoughts
Last but not least, the most important element is to pay attention. To what exactly?
Let’s dive in:
Tip #3: Pay attention to non-verbal cues
Facial expressions, body language, and eye contact can show you what words cannot express.
Why is it important to pay attention?
1. Have an idea of how they’re feeling
Non-verbal cues are often more telling than words.
Understanding these unspoken signals helps you respond more effectively.
2. Helps show that you’re tuned in
When you respond appropriately to these non-verbal cues, you’re showing your client that you’re fully engaged.
Clients feel more comfortable and valued when they know you’re truly listening.
How do you show you’re paying attention?
- Play close attention to their body language
- Use positive facial expressions
- If there’s discomfort, ask how they’re feeling
55% of communication is non-verbal.
Only 38% is vocal.
Now that you’re learning to develop your communication skills, you’re on the road to establishing better client relationships!
Keep in mind that to become the best real estate agent for your clients, you should have the mindset of bringing value to your clients.
Instead of thinking, How do I close this deal?
Instead, think: How can I help?
Remember: your main goal is to bring value.
Some helpful reminders:
- You are communicating with humans just like yourself.
- Show up authentically. People can sense it.
- Seek to provide value!
- Follow up, and they’ll keep coming back.
*This topic was presented in IQI’s Terrific Tuesday session. IQI Warriors can access and watch this full talk on IQI Academy.
We hope these communication tips can help improve your work as a real estate agent!
How do you want to show up as a better real estate agent today?
In IQI, we encourage our agents to become the best in their field, with free trainings and educational content updated daily. Join IQI and become part of a company that makes your growth a priority!