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If real estate TV shows have taught us anything, it’s that a sale can always be made

If you’re anything like me, you spend much of your TV time drooling over houses on HGTV. I’ve been on a house search for a few years, and while some may think of my television time as a wasted opportunity, I call it a learning session. If you work in sales or marketing, here are five things you can learn about sales from real estate TV shows.

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  1. Show multiple options

When you watch a real estate TV show, a couple is never looking at just one house. On Love it or List it, a couple has their current home redone while shopping for new houses. When the renovation is complete, they decide if they love it and want to keep it, or list it and buy one of the houses they looked at. If their host only showed them one option to buy, I bet more guests would end up keeping their existing homes.

People want to feel as if they have choices. If you show them one product, they might wonder what else is out there. Show multiple items to your customers, even if you’re simply comparing insurance plans side-by-side. If your customers understand the differences between the options they have in front of them, they’ll make better decisions. Research has shown that when you give a buyer three options at three different prices, they will more often pick the middle one because they don’t want the lowest valued product, but they may not be able to afford the highest.

  1. Don’t overload with too many options

On House Hunters, the agent or broker will show three to five houses. This isn’t just for the time constraints of a 30-60 minute show, it’s to help buyers make a decision.

While you want your clients to see every option available to them, remember that sometimes an overload of choices leads to indecision and no decision. Be their curator, that’s why they’ve hired you. If someone sees 30 houses in one month, they won’t be able to decipher between their choices. Options will blend together. Do your research to find what best suits your customers needs, and then present the options to them.

  1. Separate needs from wants

If you’ve ever watched Extreme Home Makeover, there’s no question of what the featured families need. In some cases, it’s a schoolhouse for their homeschooled children, for others it’s the separate bedrooms they’ve never had. In other cases, it’s a handicap accessible home, or a master bedroom that rewards the parents with privacy that previously seemed like a luxury.

Before you even begin showing your customers the products available to them, find out what their wants and needs are. Remember that many people confuse a want with a need. While you can’t make these decisions for your clients, hold frank discussions to decipher specifically what it is they want and need to purchase.

If you’re showing them a large-ticket item (like a house), you’ll be able to meet some needs, but maybe not the others. Present this information to them at the beginning. Then, with every product you show them, explain which needs and wants you targeted with your option. There’s no need to point out any needs you can’t provide. They’ll notice it on their own, and if they don’t, it might not be as important of a “need” as they thought.

  1. Staging can make the sale

In Designed to Sell, it’s all about staging your home before the sale. Have you noticed how prospective house buyers on real estate TV shows shy away from overly cluttered or personalized houses? In fact, many comment that they have a hard time picturing themselves in rooms without furniture.

Presentation is key. How you present a sale to a prospect makes a drastic difference on whether or not they will consider purchasing. If something is too personalized, it might turn off a buyer – even if you think you know their style or needs. Neutrality can help make a sale.

  1. Sell on a story

In Weekend Warriors, the contestants have 48 hours to renovate their home. During that time, you learn a great deal about their interpersonal dynamics, and many that most families can relate to. In other real estate TV shows, you might even learn about the person selling the house. Some stories are endearing, while others can be sad.

Sales are made on stories. If you can explain to your customer the story of what you’re selling, it’s more likely they’ll be willing to sign on the dotted line. Stories are what help people connect to you and to what you’re trying to sell.

While you’re busy watching real estate TV shows and planning out  your sales strategies, we can work for you behind the scenes. Try a free 30-day trial of Blitz Lead Manager. We  automate your systems so all your new leads and current customers are helped in a timely manner.

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lead-managerLet our automated software simplify your sales process.  Sign up for a 30-day FREE trial of our lead management software and turn more leads into customers with less work!

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What have you learned from real estate TV shows? Let us know if you have any more sales tips in the comments section!