Pre-Consultation Phone Call
PRE-CONSULTATION PHONE CALL
Hello, Mr./Mrs. _________________, I understand from _______ (i.e. your email/phone message, referral source name and relationship, website inquiry, etc.) that you are possibly needing some assistance with a future or upcoming move. Is that correct? (YES). Excellent. Then I’m glad we connected.
** Choose from the following questions based on your preferences, style, and intuition as it relates to their tone of voice and responses.
Is now the best time for us to have a conversation about your current questions and goals or would you like to schedule another time later in the day or week?
May I ask you to share with me a bit about the specifics of your situation so I can determine if our services may be a fit.
It seems that you have a lot on your plate right now and so let’s see how me and my organization/team may be of assistance in lightening the load. What is your current goal?
Where are you now in the process of relocating?
What have you done or who have you spoken with so far?
Are there any particular services you were hoping we offered when you called today?
May I ask you some specific questions in order to determine if our organization is the best possible fit for what you need/want to accomplish? (YES)
Specific questions:
(ask only those which are appropriate based on message and/or other information previously provided. Verify any information previously provided by others or left on a message).
What specific services are you needing at this time?
Where do you live now? (Get address and subdivision/complex name)
Do you own your home?
Does anyone else live with you?
Do you have any pets? If yes, how many and what type?
Have you determined where you are moving?
- If yes, where?
- If yes, have you secured your new residence at/in _____ with a lease, deposit, or purchase contract?
- If yes, what date did you do this?
- If lease, who is your point of contact there?
- If no, do you have plans to do this or are you waiting until you have more information about the relocation process first?
- If no, where are you with that process and is it something you would like to discuss with us?
- If yes, perfect. I will make a note of that.
- If no, OK. Just let us know if you change your mind.
Assuming we decide we are a fit when we meet, are you planning to hire our team to sell your home?
Are there other people who should be included in an upcoming meeting or that you would like us to provide information to on your behalf beforehand?
IF NOT A FIT
Thank you for sharing with me. I feel like I have an understanding of what you are requesting. Unfortunately, our services may not be the best fit for your circumstances.
CLARIFY WHY ONLY IF APPROPRIATE (i.e. scheduling conflict, services not offered, out of service area, etc.).
The good news is that we have a number of alternative resources that I might recommend to better assist you. Would you like me to provide you with those resources now or would you prefer I email or mail you the information? (NOW IS GOOD). Great.
I am happy to. Do you have a pen and paper handy?
MAKING AN IN-PERSON APPT
Thank you for sharing with me. I feel like I have an understanding of what you are requesting and based on the information so far, I think that our team will be able to help you.
In order to be sure, why don’t we schedule a personal meeting and go over the details and take a look at your current residence. I may even bring another team member with me who handles the ________ (i.e. real estate, move management, liquidation, administrative, etc.) component of what we do. Would that be ok with you? (YES). Great.
Let me verify your address and contact information (verify address, phone, email and spelling of name if appropriate). My next availability for an initial consultation is ____________ at _______ time or ___________________ at ___________ time. Which one works best for you? Great.
This is going to be a great meeting. You can also expect someone from my office will call you to confirm the appointment, but if something should come up you can also call us at xxx-xxx-xxxx to reschedule. We look forward to meeting with you!
Reasons you may not get information in advance:
- Difficulty hearing you (or them) on the phone
- Appointment was set by a third party (caregiver or advisor)
- Urgent situation – unable to focus on specifics
With these few exceptions, the pre-consultation conversation will serve you well as you establish a strong working relationship with the future client.
Urgency – Motivation Matrix
How you proceed with your initial consultation will depend largely on the motivation, urgency, and goals of the potential client.
We created this graph which illustrates the quadrants of motivation and urgency that clients may be experiencing at the time of the initial meeting with an agent.
The reason this was created is because so many agents at our short workshops on serving seniors told us that they had gone on “listing appointments” but didn’t get the listing. Upon further inquiry, what they were calling a listing appointment was simply a consultation in the eyes of the client.
It wasn’t that they didn’t get the listing…they simply didn’t assess the client’s level of urgency and motivation.
Urgency / Need
HIGH: Those with a high level of urgency typically “need” to make a move due to current circumstances such as health issues, safety concerns, financial constraints, or illness. Family members or caregivers are often involved and multiple points of communication are necessary.
LOW: Clients with low urgency levels are often in the research phase of decisionmaking or are considering a move for lifestyle purposes rather than due to crisis.
Motivation / Desire
HIGH: Clients who have a high motivation have usually begun to assess their options and have made a decision that moving is either in their best interests or they are looking forward to a new lifestyle.
LOW: Those with low motivation may be experiencing pressure from outside sources, are ambivalent, or are in the early phase of the decision making and information gathering process.
Some appointments are not going to lead to today business. That’s OK. We will cover that in the topic on follow up. Just remember, senior homeowners can move instantly from low to high urgency and/or motivation for a number of reasons.