SHOOTING THE MESSENGER… when you give someone Bad News… there is often resentment. When you tell a Seller that their home is not worth as much as they expected, there is often resentment, resistance, and anger. It becomes your fault because you are the bearer of "bad news". They "shoot the messenger". The good news is that when handled properly, you can get past this issue. In its simplest form, bad news causes grief. It is our job to help our Customers deal with this "grief".
Here is your ACTION STEP…when considering the word "grief" we usually think of something a lot more dramatic than the disappointment of "getting a low price on my home". We think of the loss of a loved one. The reality is that all bad news causes grief. Great Salespeople understand the 5 Stages of Grief. By doing so, you will better be able to help your Sellers get over their "grief".
Here are "The 5 Stages of Grief":
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
Once you understand that your Seller is going to have to go through these 5 stages, you will become much more effective at helping them through the process. Sometimes their initial reaction will be to "shoot the messenger", ie: stages #1 & #2. Your skill will come from your ability to identify what stage they are at so you can guide them to the "Acceptance" stage. Think of how much more powerful a Salesperson this makes you! NO Excuses.