The “Six-Gun” Strategy

There’s an old expression in sales that states, Selling doesn’t begin until you get your first “No”.

The sales profession pays extremely well because you have to be more than a customer service professional. Once you’ve identified how to help your clients, you also have to be prepared to encourage them to move ahead with their decision, and that’s not always easy. The decision to buy or sell a home is usually one of the most important decisions a person can make, because it involves a large sum of money. It’s not uncommon for you to find a buyer the perfect home, yet they’re still resistant to placing an offer. This is due to the fear of making the wrong decision, coupled with lack of experience in the process, which can cause paralysis, even when the right decision is obvious. This is why it’s so important for an agent to not only help identify the best possible choice for their clients, but also to be prepared to use sales and negotiating skills to help their client move forward with their decision.

This is why closing the sale and overcoming objections is similar to being in a gunfight. If you come to the fight with only one bullet, say by just asking your buyer or seller to go to contract, you’re likely to lose the fight. On the other hand, if you come well prepared with multiple approaches and techniques, it’s like having your guns full of ammo. Just like a gunfighter, if you shoot once by trying one closing technique and it doesn’t work, you shoot again with another approach. You continue this process until your client is comfortable finalizing the agreement.

Knowing what approaches you can use in advance of your appointments is the same as having your guns fully loaded. If you shoot once and your buyer or seller agree to move forward, there is no need to try another approach or shoot again. But, if you shoot once and it doesn’t work, shoot again by trying another close. If that doesn’t work, keep shooting with other closes until your successful. If you run out of bullets and your client has still not agreed, they may not die like in a gunfight, but it could have a dramatic impact on the quality of their life. That’s why it’s so important to learn different techniques and come to the gunfight fully armed.