Cold-Calling Scripts & Tips for Real Estate Agents
If cold calling is a part of your outreach program, these cold calling scripts will help you make these calls more efficiently and effectively.
Keeping the sales funnel full is a challenge that all real estate agents face at some point in their career. And while there are many new, innovative ways for real estate agents to get in touch with potential leads –– like email campaigns, marketing and advertising efforts, and social media posts–– cold calls still can play a big part in the lead-generation process.
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Preparing for a Cold Call
Before we get started on cold-calling specifics for real estate agents, it’s important to remember some cold-calling best practices. Whether you’re planning your first cold call or your 1,000th, it’s important to keep the basics in mind if you want to have any chance of success.
- Get in a Positive Mindset.
Cold calling is tough for many professionals. After all, calling up a stranger to pitch your services to them unannounced can be awkward. What’s more, you’re going to encounter a certain amount of negativity and rejection when you make cold calls. Be ready for this. It’s easy to get discouraged after a few negative outcomes, but the only way you can make cold calling work is if you approach each call with a positive attitude and positive energy. Otherwise, script quality is unlikely to matter much. - Have a Plan Ready.
Cold callers who enjoy the most success tend to develop a routine that works for them. Rather than cold calling a few numbers here and there throughout the day, look to create a predetermined time and place to conduct cold calls for an extended period of time. Then, have a plan in mind for how you’re going to proceed. Have your scripts ready, determine what sort of message you’ll leave on a voicemail (if any), and know when to call it quits for the day.
- Follow Telemarketing Rules & Regulations.
Certain individuals can opt out of receiving telemarketing phone calls by signing up for the national Do Not Call Registry. So make sure you follow all rules and regulations when you start cold calling.
Who, What, When, Where, & How
The effectiveness of a cold-calling campaign often depends on a combination of five factors. They are:
Who do you plan on calling?
Cold callers should make it a point to update their call lists on a regular basis. Not only is calling someone who’s recently rejected your business a waste of their time, it’s also a waste of yours. To get more specific, though, cold callers should know who their target is when they make a call as well as pertinent information about that person. Is this person a homeowner or a renter? Do they own multiple properties? If you can answer these questions before you get on a call, you’ll have a much better chance of making a connection.
What are you calling for?
There’s a big difference between calling an absentee owner and a homeowner whose neighbor just sold their home. Understand what services you plan on presenting and what the purpose of your call is.
When are you calling?
Real estate agents should know better than most that timing is crucial to striking a deal. If at all possible, then, it’s best to try to call individuals who are likely to be receptive to your message. For example, calling homeowners in neighborhoods that have seen several new home listings or sales could potentially be more productive than calling the “average” homeowner.
Where are you calling?
As we touched on above, certain real estate hotspots can occur for a variety of reasons. So it’s imperative for real estate agents to contact individuals in areas they feel are primed to benefit from their services.
How will you conduct the call?
Whether or not you’re prepared, positive, and respectful can mean the difference between unearthing a new client and missing out on a lucrative opportunity. Some other things you’ll want to keep in mind in this regard include:
- Practicing your calls before you make them each day.
- Learning your script, but not memorizing it. Remember, you want to sound like a human.
- Don’t take negative reactions personally and always act with respect and courtesy.
- Confirm who you’re talking to!
Cold Calling Scripts
Now that we’ve established the foundation for a successful cold-calling campaign, we’ll take a closer look at different scripts that real estate agents can use to get a positive reaction from potential customers.
Script #1: Renter Looking to Buy
Individuals and/or families that have a history of renting properties may be perfectly poised to make their first property purchase.
Agent: “Hello, my name is (agent’s name) and I’m with (agent’s agency). Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?
Once the lead answers, continue.
Agent: Good. I’ll get straight to the point. I’m calling you today to see if you’ve ever thought about purchasing a house in the neighborhood? I’ve had some exciting homes just enter the market, and I’m wondering if you have a few minutes to talk about purchasing a home for yourself?
If the answer is “no.”
Agent: “Thanks for your time in any case. And if you ever change your mind, you can reach me at (repeat agency name) at this number (give phone number).
If “yes.”
Agent: That’s great to hear. Like I said, I have a number of properties in the area that could be a great fit for you. Would you mind letting me know what your price range would look like –– or what you’d feel comfortable paying per month with a mortgage?
Lead responds with details. Listen to them.
Agent: I hear you loud and clear. As it happens, I have a few properties bookmarked that fit the price range you described and that are in the area. I’d love to sit down with you and discuss this in greater detail, how does (meeting time and place) sound?
Script #2: The Hot Neighborhood Renter
If you’ve recently made a couple of sales in a relatively small area, then leverage your success to make contact with other leads in the neighborhood.
At the very least, people usually want to know how much their neighbors made on a property sale.
Agent: Hello, my name is (agent’s name) with (agent’s agency.) Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?
Lead confirms name.
Hi, (lead’s name). You live at (lead’s address), correct?
Lead confirms address.
Agent: Great. I just wanted to call you today to let you know that I’ve managed to help sell a few properties in your area recently. (You may consider mentioning them here.) The neighborhood is really moving in a positive direction, and I wanted to gauge your interest in potentially selling your house. Now could be a great time to sell your home and cash in on a seller’s market. Are you free to discuss this for a few minutes?
If lead is not interested in selling.
Agent: I completely understand. If you change your mind, I’m always happy to talk. You can reach me at (give phone number). Have a great day.
If lead has considered selling.
Agent: I see. Well, like I said, we’ve had a lot of success in your neighborhood lately. Do you have a figure in mind that you’d be willing to sell your property for?
Listen to what the lead says.
Agent: That’s great to hear. I actually have a few prospects lined up who would be very interested in your home at that price. Can we schedule a meeting? How does (meeting place and time) sound?
Script #3: Multiple-Property Owners
Multiple-property owners are fantastic potential leads for real estate agents because they may decide to sell or purchase new properties on a regular basis. Reach out to these individuals and offer your services!
Agent: Hello, my name is (agent’s name) from (agent’s agency). I was hoping you may have a few minutes to talk today. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?
Lead confirms their identity.
Agent: Hi, (lead’s name). I’ll get straight to the point. I was reviewing my files this morning and I couldn’t help but notice that your name came up a few times. Do you have any interest in selling one of your current properties?
OR
Do you have any interest in purchasing a new property in my area?
If no.
Agent: No worries. I just wanted to touch base with you and introduce myself. If you ever do have any property needs, you can always contact me here (give phone number). Thanks for your time.
If “yes” to selling.
Agent: That’s good to know. I actually have a few buyers that may be interested. Do you have a price in mind for that property?
If “yes” to buying.
Agent: That’s good to know. I actually have a few properties that may be of interest to you. Did you have a specific neighborhood or price range in mind?
Listen to the response.
Agent: Perfect. I don’t want to take up any more of your time today. When can we schedule an in-person meeting? Does (time and place for meeting) work for you?
Script #4: Listed FSBO
Properties listed for-sale-by-owner should grab the attention of any real estate agent.
You can use this script to break the ice with a motivated seller.
Agent: Hello, my name is (agent’s name) with (agent’s agency). Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?
Confirm lead’s name.
Hi, (lead’s name). You live at (lead’s address), correct?
Confirm lead’s address.
Agent: Good. I work in the area and I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve listed your property for sale. I was wondering if you’d had any luck so far?
If “yes.”
Agent: Well, I’m glad to hear it. Congratulations. If you ever need help with another property in the future, you can always reach me at (give phone number).
If “no.”
Agent: I’m sorry to hear that. It’s a tough market right now. Would you mind if I asked what your asking price is?
Listen to the answer.
Agent: I see. Well, I’ve got some good news for you. It turns out that I have a few prospects who could be interested in your property for that price. Do you have a few minutes this week to sit down in person?
Script #5: Expired Listings / Former Listings
After a certain amount of time, for-sale listings will expire.
What’s more, some property owners may take their home off the market if they have trouble selling it. Fortunately, savvy real estate agents can use this information to identify potential leads.
Agent: Hello, my name is (agent’s name) from (agent’s agency).Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?
Confirm lead’s name.
Hi, (lead’s name). You live at (lead’s address), correct?
Confirm lead’s address.
Agent: Great. I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk. I saw that your listing just expired. Did you manage to have any luck selling it?
If “yes.”
Agent: Oh, that’s good to know. I’m happy to hear that. If you have any other property needs, you can always reach me at (give phone number).
If “no.”
Agent: I’m sorry to hear that. If you’re still interested in selling it, I may be able to help you out. Would you mind letting me know what price you had in mind?
Listen to the response.
Agent: Thanks for sharing that with me. As it happens, I may have a few prospects who are interested in your property. Are you free to sit down to discuss this further? How about (meeting time and place)?
Final Thoughts from Haines
Cold calling is just as much an art as it is a science. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments, to customize your script, or to improvise if the situation calls for it. It’s more important to make a connection with a lead than to follow a script anyway!
We hope you find this guide useful moving forward. At Haines, we work with real estate professionals just like you all the time, and our Criss+Cross platform is designed to help agents:
- Find detailed property and homeowner information on every residential and commercial property in your market.
- Identify owner-occupied properties or absentee owners.
- Find renters of single-family homes or apartment dwellers to target as potential first time home buyers.
- Search by subdivision, zip code, and radius.
- And much more!
We’d love to assist your agency in any way that we can. Contact us here for more information or fill out the form below to get a demo!
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