If You’re Looking to Find Qualified Buyers You’re Already on the Wrong Track
08. Sep, 2010 
5 Comments
In this difficult market a big question everyone is asking is “How can I find buyers who are qualified”. No doubt this is an important question. However, if you find yourself asking this question your mind is 100% focused on the wrong thing. The question you should be asking yourself is not how you can find qualified buyers, but rather — How can I get qualified buyers to find me?
This will seem like a small, nit-picky difference. It’s not. Here’s why:
Finding a qualified buyer, doesn’t mean that buyer will work with you. Far from it. Identifying that qualified prospect is just the start of your “battle” to win their business. To end up collecting a commission check you still need to pass through the buyers five “litmus” tests. They are:
- Buyers Litmus Test #1: Is the agent qualified and skilled at his job?
- Buyers Litmus Test #2: Does the agent know the local area like the back of his hand?
- Buyers Litmus Test #3: Will it be enjoyable enough to work with this agent?
- Buyers Litmus Test #4: Can the agent demonstrate that he understands my needs, desires, restrictions and limitations?
- Buyers Litmus Test #5: Is the agent persuasive and a strong enough negotiator to drive the best deal possible for me?
If you pass these “litmus tests” then you make it to the next step – the “consideration set.” This is the group of agents from whom the “winner” will be selected. Passing these screens takes work and while it brings you somewhat closer to getting the business, you’re still far from victory.
The problem with this is that most agents spend large chunks of their available time each week sifting through the general populous trying to identify qualified buyers. This is a huge waste of time, as you usually won’t win the business when you’re trying to pass these litmus tests as an unknown. Instead of selecting you (an unproven and unknown quantity) they’ll usually opt to be represented by someone they’re already connected to in some way – a neighbor, their 3rd cousin once removed or their husbands colleague’s spouse.
But, what if you could pass these litmus tests with flying colors, BEFORE a qualified buyer has ever met you in person? And, even better, what if you could become their “preferred” agent of choice without even having had a first meeting?
Impossible? Actually quite the contrary.
This is exactly what is happening every day of the week to top producers. They have qualified buyers calling them, out of the blue, requesting to work with them. Unconsciously, over years of trial and error, they’ve created a dynamic that brings them a steady stream of buyers in both good economies as well as bad.
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gonna send this to my mom
thanks
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Helpful blog, bookmarked the website with hopes to read more!