Realty Times - Good Intentions Don't Excuse Poor Results

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Good Intentions Don't Excuse Poor Results

by Dirk Zeller

The world has changed dramatically in the last 50 years. There has been more innovation and more technological progress in the last 80 years than there were in the previous years added together since the beginning of time.

Moving at the "speed of business," our society is more results-oriented than ever before. Realtors, like other professionals, are judged by the results they get, not by their intent to provide quality service to clients.

Realtors are judged by bottom line criteria - Did the home sell? For what price? Did the home close?

Vince Lombardi said it best: "Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will all be judged by only one thing - the result."

Sellers are like any other consumers. Drivers want their cars to start every time. Computer users want their programs to work every time. Sellers want their homes to sell - no excuses. All that matters is the result, getting the job done well.

There are no rewards for good intentions. As an agent, you can't pay the mortgage with good intentions. I believe all agents desire to sell the homes that they have listed. All agents intend to do the best job for their clients. But you only get paid for the result. You provide for your family based on the results you achieve.

You also create long-term relationships and long-term referrals based on the result of a completed job, the result of a job well done. I have never heard of anyone referring an agent based on the fact that the agent was nice when the result wasn't achieved. Think about it, why would you recommend an attorney who lost your case, or a hair stylist who didn't cut your hair well, no matter how nice they were?

So why would your clients refer business to you if you didn't get their homes sold? The fact that you are a nice person is a bonus that your client will appreciate only when the job is complete.

Focus on doing the steps to ensure that you achieve the result that the client hired you to accomplish. These steps include:

Tell the truth to all of our clients. We often hope a miracle will happen such as finding a house at under market value or that our listing will get activity even though it is over priced. We are betting our commission on a long shot. In many markets nationally we are playing against the odds. Don't make them longer by not telling our clients the whole truth.

Communicate the changes today. If the marketplace has changed tell the seller. If the competitiveness has increase or there are more homes on the market, now than when the home was listed-- tell them now, don't wait. If the deal is starting to go sideways, tell the client. Tell them now before they hear it from another source. Give them fair warning that it doesn't feel right or look good so that when it does die it is not out of the blue. Rarely do deals die without signs of trouble. By helping a client face a disappointing reality, then at least you have a chance for the sale and for long-term referrals.

Marketing versus price reality. One of these two is more important. One really controls the other. Which one is it? Price. Price is truly king. The marketing is in the king's court but it is not the king! I believe we owe it to our clients to disclose this fact. We often confuse the being a nice guy with having to tell the truth about price. If the client's price is an obstacle to achieving the desired result, say so -- honestly, fairly and convincingly. Ignore that inner voice that whines, "But they won't like me." Trust me, they won't like you anyway when their homes don't sell.

Often we know they are not going to like the true price so we hedge. We don't share with conviction the real truth. I am sure doctor's would prefer not to tell their patients they have cancer, but they do it anyway. The patient needs to know. Your seller deserves to know the truth about their property, price, and expectations. The most respected professional in other fields doesn't sugar coat reality. They lay it on the line.

We all participate in a business that is pretty straight forward. We are in a competitive world and our clients expect results. We ultimately get paid from the results of our effort. In many cases, for Realtors, that isn't fair, but that is the game we are in. The bottom line is if you sell the home, you win. If you fail to sell the home, you lose. The truth is winning is a habit, so is losing.

The big question is which habit are you forming?

Published: May 3, 1999

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

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Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Dirk Zeller only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.

Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President & CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. He's the widely published author of Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies^®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, Telephone Sales for Dummies^®, and over 300 articles in print. You can get more information by visiting RealEstateChampions.com.

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