Do you dread breaking bad news to your clients?
Being a real estate agent means that you sometimes have to be the bearer of bad tidings. Unfortunately, no matter how much an offer looks like a sure thing, deals can always fall through, leaving your clients wondering what happened, why it happened, and who is to blame. And seeing that you’re usually the one telling them, they often blame you.
Giving bad news to your clients is just part of the job. Whether you’re delivering hard truths about the state of their home, telling them that they’ve set too high a price for their property, or relaying that their offer has been rejected, you need to learn how to break the news to your clients in a way that won’t leave them upset with you or losing hope that they’ll ever find/sell their home.
Use the Feedback of Others
Sometimes, the best way to deliver bad news is to get someone else to deliver it instead.
For example, in order to sell a home, you need to be able to present it in the best light possible. This can include restaging some of the interior, including taking down “art work” and clutter, rearranging furniture, or taking care of pet smells that the owners might have just gotten used to. Some clients can take offense at your observations, seeing them as criticisms of their home or taste, putting you in an awkward position. If a professional home stager is hired, they can be the ones to inform your clients what needs to be done, leaving you to focus on the important job of selling the house rather than redecorating or hiring cleaners.
Don’t Set False Expectations
The words, “This deal is a sure thing!”, should NEVER leave your mouth.
As a real estate agent, you know how fragile any deal can be, even those that look rock solid. Buyers get cold feet or financing might go south. These are perfectly understandable excuses for why a deal can fall apart and your clients will probably understand this… unless you’ve basically guaranteed them success.
Always downplay expectations when you’re talking to clients. Qualify even the most promising deal with, “Well, it looks good, but these things are never certain until the contract is signed…” Make sure that you never set up false expectations in your clients because if those false expectations aren’t met, you’re going to be the one who gets the blame. “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” should be your motto.
Always Properly Prepare Them
Educated clients are the best kind. Some less scrupulous real estate agents prefer their clients to be in the dark about the details of the business, as this gives them the power of superior knowledge. Forego the power trips and instead make sure that your clients know the details of every step of a deal. If they’re kept in the loop and understand WHY a deal has fallen through, they won’t be looking to assign blame because they’ll know exactly what happened. You don’t need to give them a masterclass in the real estate business; simply make sure they’re brought in and kept informed every step of the way.
Be Empathetic
Empathy is important. You have to remember that you work in real estate and see “sure-thing” deals fall through all the time, but your clients are new to this. This might be the first time they’ve ever tried to buy a home and are incredibly nervous about every offer they make. Having empathy for their situation and putting yourself in their shoes can go a long way towards calming them if anything goes wrong.
Inform Them About the Next Steps
Dead ends happen in life and business. What’s important is that you move on.
Whenever you have to deliver bad news to clients, make sure that you tell them what their next steps will be. You never want your clients to be wallowing in a defeat; you always want them moving forward towards a successful sale. If an offer is rejected, you can suggest that they make another one, or direct them to another house that’s similar to the one they were looking at. Just keep moving until you finally reach the end of a successful deal.
Don’t Put Yourself in a Position Where They Blame You
The best way not to be blamed for something is not to be at fault. This basically encompasses everything we’ve outlined in this article so far.
If you do something wrong and you deserve the blame then, yes, you should accept it. However, for any number of upsetting but common events like deals falling through, you should never put yourself in a position where it appears to be entirely your fault. To sum it up, always be transparent, tell the truth, never set up false expectations, be empathetic to their situation, and make sure that your clients are always “in the know” about the details of their sale.
Instill Confidence in your Clients
Of course, another way to make sure that you aren’t assigned blame is to make sure that your clients have a high opinion of you and your abilities. Presenting yourself as a professional real estate agent will help create confidence in your efforts to find or sell their home.
To do that, you need professionally designed and printed marketing materials, such as real estate business cards and stationery. At SureFactor, you can design these products with our customization tools in just a few minutes, then have them be mailed off to your business’ address. All of our real estate products come with both a 100% satisfaction guarantee a low price guarantee. Visit SureFactor’s website today and learn how we can help you create an air of professionalism and polish that will give your clients every reason to be confident in your abilities.
Break it Like a Pro
Real estate can be a stressful business and deals do fall through all the time for one reason or another. If that’s stressful for you, just imagine what it’s like for your clients! You want to learn to break bad news in a way where the blame won’t be put on you. This can be tricky, but the real estate business being what it is, you could find yourself getting plenty of practice. Break the news like a pro. Good luck!