What about help?

In the last 2 posts, we’ve been talking about how your language affects your interaction with buyers and sellers, as well as wealth attraction. Now I want to talk about the dirtiest 4 letter word in real estate – HELP.

When sending direct response letters to sellers, the most commonly used word is ‘help’:

-I can help you with your problem.
-We specialize in helping people get out from under their debt.
-Do you need help dealing with your mortgage company?

Think about the connotation ‘help’ has on someone in a truly desperate situation…

They’ve gotten in over their head. They are taking it out on their family and friends. They’re embarrassed and ashamed.

And (for guys anyway), we don’t want to be reminded that we need ‘help’. We don’t want to acknowledge that there’s a problem that we can’t fix. (If we could, there wouldn’t be a desperate situation to write to, would there?)

So instead of: “I can help” or “We specialize in helping sellers just like you”

Say: “We offer assistance to good families like yours who may have gotten in over their heads.” Or “Allow me to assist you in working through your current situation.”

It changes the way the seller perceives themselves and in turn, the way they look at you.

So watch your mouth from now on! Your portfolio is depending on it!

Now that we’ve talked about your mouth, next time we’ll get into the seller’s heads even more…

“What’d He Just Say?”

The Power of Vocabulary (Part 2)

We've already talked about how the words you use can influence your bank account (Friday, January 25^th). Well, today we're going to discuss how these same words can influence your home-buying prospects as well as your motivated sellers!

Remember our word list from last time? Three of the words in the "Instead of" column were 'budget', 'afford' and 'help'.

These are three of the most powerful words you NEVER want to say to a buyer or seller! Why? Let's look at the first two as they apply to buyers – budget and afford.

Home buyers for the most part are getting hammered each day by people telling them they aren't qualified for a loan. The Federal Reserve is making it harder to get loans and the criteria used for approval is changing almost daily!

Now, a buyer comes to see one of your properties...Think about the connotation that the word 'budget' has. After being told 'no' forever, don't you think that your buyer has their defenses up, are squeamish about even looking for a home to live in? But they need to live SOMEWHERE, and now you ask them about their budget? It's almost a dirty word!

So instead of: What's your budget for the monthly payment?" or "How much can you afford each month?"

Say: "What dollar amount are you looking to stay within for your monthly payment?"

See how it gives the buyer a different feeling? You want to work WITH them, and you want to be on THEIR SIDE. A simple statement that creates a common ground.

Next time we'll talk about the dirtiest 4 letter word in real estate – help.