How to design a better plan for prospecting

Raw sales skills are something that most agents are lacking. In fact, many struggle daily to find a balance between prospecting efficiently and pushing the envelope too far with potential future clients.

Aaron Wittenstein of the wildly popular Facebook group Lead Gen, Scripts, and Objections has been optimizing the Facebook Live feature for several weeks to document his prospecting ritual.

Wittenstein works for Keller Williams NY Realty in Westchester, New York. The dials are real, the language is not G-rated, and the rejections are brutal. The end result makes you feel like you have a front row seat from the cubicle next door.

Wittenstein was generous enough to share a few insights with me about jumping in head first in the Q-and-A below. But first, here are some prospecting terms that might be helpful along the way.

Helpful prospecting lingo:

Circle prospecting: Contacting homeowners in a radius from your last most recent sell or list in the area.

Geo farming: Targeting a specific neighborhood to gain listing leads.

Expired farming: Targeting recently expired listings to attempt to relist the property.

Buyer prospecting: Targeting areas for buyers ( Mainly rentals)

FSBO (for sale by owner) prospecting: Contacting anyone who is trying to sell a home without the assistance of an agent. Trying to convince them to use an agent to find success.

Squeeze page: A web page (aka landing page) that is dedicated to capturing information about the potential client. Often contains valuable information that can only be obtained by entering contact information.

Incubation: Any potential customer who is not ready to buy or sell at this time but needs to be contacted.

Direct mail: Sending a letter, postcard or other mailer items to the area that you are farming. Typically has a call to action.

Facebook Live helps Wittenstein model prospecting techniques for a captive audience.

What are the best times for lead generation?    

Anytime that you can commit to doing it. Time blocking and management are critical to finding success with these methods. 

I started filming myself for accountability. I never had any idea this would take off the way it has.

The comments from the agents I’m helping are just great. I even had someone tell me they were listening to my podcast in the shower the other day. I would have never guessed this would reach as many people as it has.   

(If you follow the group, you will note that Wittenstein knocks his calls out in the morning, while Greg McDaniel, of McDaniel Callahan Team for J. Rockcliff Realtors, usually starts circle prospecting in the late afternoon/early evening.)      

[Tweet “When is the best time for prospecting? ‘Anytime you can commit to doing it’ – Aaron Wittenstien”]

How is this Facebook group different from other real estate prospecting groups?

I think where we stand out is that we are real agents talking to real potential clients. We are not motivational coaches who have not sold homes in a few years. We are actual working agents who are sharing our successes and failures to help others get better at prospecting.   

Members of the group can look for role playing partners to practice scripts and share failures and successes. The group is unique because it is jammed packed with a practical strategy for anyone looking to up their prospecting game.

But what about the do-not-call list?

Any calling plan/strategy should be discussed with your broker.  

[Tweet “Any calling plan/strategy should be discussed with your broker. “]

What tools are you using right now to keep organized?

SEIZE the Market. This all-in-one platform online tool set has everything that a serious prospector needs. Features include auto-dialers, email drip campaigns and a plethora of other tools necessary for prospecting success.  

Greg McDaniel also uses Mojo Dialer to help manage calls.

Greg McDaniel calls neighborhoods with “good news” about recent home sales when he is prospecting.

What kinds of resources can agents find in your group?

Watch live dialing for practical information, then dig into the file’s section of our group and discover a virtual treasure trove of scripts, schedules, letters and agreements that members have shared.

Curated information that is easy to download and follow.

(Agents, remember to review any marketing materials with your managing broker to make sure it adheres to state regulations.)

How can I stand out when contacting expireds?

Be honest, and keep the conversation light. Humor works. One of my favorite conversation starters is “How in the world did your house not sell?”

Remember: Every agent is contacting the homeowner asking for an opportunity to sell. Very few are asking why the homeowner was not successful.

via GIPHY

What do you think is the most important thing that new and seasoned agents should know before jumping into the phone prospecting techniques your group documents?

“They need to know their ‘why,’ and it must be bigger than the ‘no’s’ on the other side.” – Aaron Wittenstien

Why are you calling? “I call to take care of my family.” If you are not motivated to make the calls to further your career or to benefit your family, you will not have what it takes to handle the rejection that comes with this method of gathering leads.

If you are nervous or scared, then you have not figured out your “why.”

If you are considering jumping into the depths of prospecting, do not go in without a plan. It takes a great deal of tenacity to put yourself out there, face rejection and try to connect with people in a world where individuals actually take pride in how they hang up on a sales person.

There are numerous resources to help you accomplish your cold calling prospecting goals in an efficient and professional manner. Arm yourself, rally your spirit of free enterprise and never give up.

[Tweet “To prospect successfully, arm yourself, rally your spirit of free enterprise and never give up.”]

Feel free to share any prospecting tips or tools in the comments section below. Join in the fun at Lead Gen Scripts and Objections.

By day, Rachael Hite helps agents develop their business. By night, she’s tweeting for listingdepot.com.

Email Rachael Hite.