Most agents are overly concerned about putting too much pressure on their buyers and sellers. They rationalize that if they are too pushy, they will be perceived as just a “salesman”. In truth, by being too cautious, an agent can easily lose credibility with their clients. Human beings in general, like to follow a leader with confidence.

Salesmanship is no different. Be a great leader by being fearless. If you appear to be wishy-washy, you will create doubt in your clients’ minds, and it’s unlikely they will follow your guidance. Worst of all, if you have been using the conservative approach for the past several years, your clients have likely lost tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you are one of these agents, you must stop being afraid of being too aggressive. You may want to ask yourself: “How’s that working for my clients?” and, “How’s that working for me?” In both cases, it’s probably not working too well.

Here’s a great script you can use as a guide to help your clients understand your concern for their situation and the potential loss they could experience.

“My job as your advisor is to help you manage your risk by looking at all of the possibilities. If I don’t ask the “What if…’”, and “Is it possible…” questions, you lose a lot of money because if they happen, I’ve done you a disservice that could cost you a substantial amount of money. I would rather you feel I’m being a little pushy and end up saving you a significant sum of money, then be timid and cost you a fortune. I hope you can appreciate that I’m on your side.”