You're sitting on floor duty and a potential buyer walks in the door and ends up sitting across the conference room table from you. What's next?

Some would whip out their "Buyer Questionnaire" and interview the buyer prospect as to exactly what he's looking for in what timeframe at what price range. They'd ask if he's approved for a loan and, oh yeah, here's an exclusive buyer agency agreement that requires your signature.

I disagree with this approach.

This person is a guest in your office, so be polite and make him feel welcome. Warmly introduce yourself. Offer some coffee or refreshments and once they're comfortably settled in, just make conversation with him as you would with anyone you with whom were having a conversation.

Calmly ask for what sort of home he's looking. Take notes if you like, but it's not necessary at this point. Let him talk. Ask questions from time to time, but do not interrogate. There's plenty of time (or not) for that later. Right now your goal is to build rapport and trust and to demonstrate your expertise. Rapport and trust are best built through listening, not talking!

Here's all you really need to know during this first conversation:

1. Type of property

2. Neighborhood preferences

3. Price range

4. Timeframe

5. Must-haves (e.g., school district, RV parking, non-restrictive zoning)

After you've built a little rapport and the buyer seems to want to move forward, is it then the time to whip out the "Buyer Questionnaire"?

No. Frankly, I'm not a fan of buyer questionnaires at all. I believe you can discover everything you need to know about a buyer from having a regular conversation with him. The problem with questionnaires, aside from the fact that you don't need them, is that they're way too comprehensive.

Huh? What do I mean by "too" comprehensive?

Most people don't buy houses very often. They don't really know what they want aside from a very few "must-have" criteria (and even those are subject to change). Believe it or not, it can be counterproductive to attempt to nail down exactly what a buyer is looking for because he doesn't know! If you force him to answer your questions then he might make up answers just to please you.

Why is that a problem? Well, you might end up ruling out homes that the buyer would have liked but that didn't quite fit what he said he wanted during your interview. Another possibility is that you create expectations in your buyer's mind that you can't possibly fulfill given his price range or location preferences.

Try tossing the "Buyer Questionnaire" out the window and simply have conversations with your buyer prospects. I think you'll find this approach to be a far more productive way to build rapport and get to the next step – showing houses to your new buyer client!

Published: October 20, 2011

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Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn was a top producing real estate broker in Denver, Colorado before writing her first book in 2007. Since then, she has written several more books about the business of selling real estate including her flagship book: Sell with Soul: Creating an Extraordinary Career in Real Estate without Losing Your Friends, Your Principles or Your Self-Respect, the sequel, If You're Not Having Fun Selling Real Estate, You're Not Doing it Right and her latest, to be released in Spring 2011, Prospect with Soul for Real Estate Agents. Jennifer believes that the secret of success for real estate agents is not in aggressive marketing techniques or hard-core sales pitches, but rather in being competent in one's craft. Competence begets Confidence. And in today's world of increasingly suspicious and ad-weary consumers, having an air of self-assurance and enthusiasm will be far more effective than a slick sales campaign. Jennifer writes and speaks with this philosophy in mind. She preaches that salespeople should follow the Golden Rule in their day-to-day practice of business - treating clients and prospects respectfully, as the salesperson him or herself would like to be treated. Being competent, reliable and fair, and motivated by a true desire to earn a paycheck, not just show up at closing with hand outstretched. She is a regular contributor to several real estate newsletters and magazines, a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame and one of the industry's most popular bloggers. You can learn more about Jennifer's "soulful" philosophies at www.SellWithSoul.com. Subscribe Below to Enroll in the Daily Seduction Newsletter Mini-Clinic - Tips and Strategies to Generate Business and Referrals From Your Sphere of Influence! Your Full Name Your Email Address