The Sales Flow

Over the past three years I've come to realize that all successful transactions have a certain flow. There's a rhythm to the entire process; a natural movement through the various stages of each deal. It's as if you can sense immediately that this is the offer that's going to be accepted. This is the house that the buyer's are meant to have.

It all starts with the client, and their acceptance of the advise you give. If they're willing to listen, and truly have the desire and patience to see the process through, they will inevitably be successful. I can think back through the list of transactions that I've closed, and in each and every one the buyer was determined, smart, and informed. They had strong opinions but were open to suggestions, and remained flexible when my advice clashed with their beliefs.

I've moved on from a few clients, which is difficult. Just as you can sense a good relationship, you can also feel a poor one. Sometimes your suggestions just go against the grain of the client. Sometimes personalities simply don't mesh. Sometimes there's just this feeling that the timing, or flow, is off; like a bad marriage that starts out great, then slowly falls apart.

There is a certain level of commitment that a client should expect from their agent. Conversely, without a similar commitment from the client, the agent will find themselves wasting a lot of time and energy. I try to keep things simple by sticking to three basic rules:

• Every new client must sit down for a one-on-one introductory meeting.
• No houses are shown until the customer produces a pre-qualification letter.
• I will not randomly send listings unless client commits to working with me.

If I can get that basic level of commitment, I know I'm off to a great start!