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On the previous articles we have focused on persuasion as a tool for achieving targets inside the real estate sector. Persuading in an effective way implies the implementation of certain general rules, which must come from the real estate agent.

We have defined persuasion as an ability, which must be developed and maximized as any other real estate resource.

The following recommendations linked to persuasion inside the real estate sector, may be considered as individual qualities of the real estate professional.

Every member from the organizational structure of a real estate must strengthen those qualities and abilities in order to get better results. If they do not count with them, they need to achieve them, in order to get better levels of productivity.

These are personal qualities that can be transferred to the professional background; they are similar to resilience and proactivity which result very important in some circumstances.

These are not tricks”, nor tips on persuasion. These are general rules in order to persuade in an effective way and they come from psychology studies and experts on this subject. They might seem basic, but they are useful and effective.

General rules to persuade inside the real estate sector.

• Persuasion implies reciprocity.

When a person does something for us, we normally feel obliged to do something for that person. This is an evolutionary mechanism; we help each other in order to survive as species.

Reciprocity can be taken advantage of for the favour of other. By showing some consideration to the others, a person can ask in return things that the other might be able to provide. From this perspective, we can evaluate persuasion as a favour exchange (not a balanced one).

RECIPROCITY OBLIGES THE PERSUADED PERSON!

The organizational structure of the real estate is not a static system. On the contrary, it is known to show a high level of dynamism inside the interpersonal relations.

The members of the real estate team must not only collaborate on commercial targets or set objectives; they must collaborate with each other, without making any abuses.

• Persistency is essential when persuading.

The person who is ready to keep asking for things and shows the value of his enquiry is actually the persuader.

The same happened with many historical persons who persuaded masses of people, showing their persistency on their efforts and messages.

Abraham Lincoln lost his mother, three sons, a daughter, his fiancée, his business and 8 separate elections before becoming the president of the United States.

RESILIENCE COMBINED WITH PERSISTENCY ARE ESSENTIAL TO PERSUADE!

The property recruiter of the real estate does not manage to consider the wishes of all the real estate agents, who want gorgeous properties at lower prices for their clients.

However, the real estate recruiter must persist on his intent to achieve the recruitment of properties that adjust to the necessities of the real estate.

• A sincere compliment achieves the persuasion.

Human beings are conditioned by the compliments and this is not a problem of the ego. We tend to trust persons with whom we have good feelings and with whom we share positive synergies.

Persuading others through a sincere compliment requires only a minute of attention. Better results are obtained from the compliments targeting those elements that normally do not receive too much attention.

A persuasive real estate manager or the real estate leader must always pays attention to details and he must be able to observe when a compliment might become a motivator element for the professional.

• Set persuading expectancies.

Huge part of the persuading process is managing the expectancies of the others to judge based on their good sense.

The real estate manager who promises an increase of 20% on the sales during the first three months and manages to achieve an increase of a 30%, he will be compensated.

On the other hand, if the same real estate manager who promises an increase of 40% on the property sale during the same period and he manages to get only a 35%, he will definitely be punished.

Most of the times, persuasion sustains comprehension and goes beyond the others´ expectancies.

• Never assume anything.

It is not recommendable to assume what the others need. We must always offer a personalized added value.

A real estate does not target its resources towards the segmentation of clients, as it assumes that some people might not have any interest on buying a property, or they might not have the needed money.

It is counterproductive to presume what others need or want to buy. The real estate must focus on offering its real estate products and services and then, the clients will take their decision of buying certain properties or not.

A professional real estate agent must never assume that a client does not count with the necessary economic resources in order to buy a property.

Even if the agent asks about the client´s budget in order to buy a property, it is better to leave a certain range to the possibility that a client might get the money for buying the property.

• Create scarcity is a key element when persuading.

Apart from the necessities of a human being, almost everything has a value on a relative scale; we desire things because other people want those things. If you pretend someone wants what you already have, you need to show that thing to appear like a scarcity, even if that thing is you.

This is how you satisfy the necessity for the desire of an object (symbolic or material) of the others. This can be applied to buying a property, as to a client who only wants to be attended by a certain real estate agent.

If a client wants to buy a property with pool, it is not always recommended to visit many properties with private pools.

Speaking in terms of business, the selection of properties that do not have a private pool might become more effective, in order to get to sell the properties with a higher benefit.

• Improve an emergency that could strengthen persuasion.

The professional of the real estate sector must be able to stimulate a sense of emergency on the persons, so they can actuate immediately.

If we are not enough motivated to desire something just now, it is less probable we might get the motivation later on.

We need to persuade people just now and the example of the emergency are really good strategies when negotiating a property.

“The price of the property is excellent and the house´s qualities are good. There are many other clients interested on this property. If you delay too much your decision, there will be another person who is going to take it”.

In terms of psychology, the change of the previous phrase to “another person is more than likely to buy it” will not be effective at all. Moreover, “more than likely” is the only thing that is sure, as sooner or later, the property is going to be sold.

• Images are becoming reality.

What we see is much more powerful than what we hear, basically because the majority of the population shows a trend of their mental process towards what is visual.

It is important to improve the first impressions and the way they are presented.

Generating images linked to positive experiences eases the level of persuasion for a long term.

• Saying the truth is a way of persuasion.

Sometimes, the easiest way to persuade someone is by telling him/her things that no one would. Although truth is relative, and understanding life depends on many variables, when a person confronts with a well-argued truth, the latter is taken as a fact.

Using truth as a way to persuade people is something complex, even if results might surprise in a positive way.

“Obviously, this property is beyond the reach of your possibilities”.

• Create a relation.

Human beings tend towards alike people or people who think like them. This goes beyond our decisions and behaviours.

By emphasizing the behaviours of others (body language, speaking patters, etc.) we can create a sense of relation up to the point where that person feels comfortable with us and he/she might become open to our suggestions and recommendations.

All these persuading rules can be applied to any sector of the real estate, right in the latter´s organizational structure.

They can also be applied to the interpersonal relations among the members of the real estate team, external collaborators or clients.

Source: Cialdini, Robert B,Ph.D. (2006) Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. HarperCollins Publishers (New York).