LISTENING IN ACTION

Last week I discussed the importance of listening to those you serve. Listening is such an important skill and I hope you found the tips in last week’s post helpful and informative! (If you missed last week’s article, click HERE to read it now!)

I’m not one of those coaches or consultants that is out here telling you all what to do but then not practicing what I preach. No no, I am right here with you, seeking self-improvement and finding ways to be a better businesswoman, better professional, and all-around better human. 

This week, I want to share with you an experience I had in which I was able to put my listening skills and the tips from last week to the test!

Many of you know that I wear several professional hats. I am passionate about helping you all become effective listeners and communicators, I love helping people become better versions of themselves, and I also love being in the real estate industry as a mortgage professional!

As a mortgage advisor, I have the opportunity to use my communication skills every single day! Better than that, I get to use my listening skills to really figure out what my clients are looking for and how I can best help them achieve their goals. 

I received a message from a mortgage client early last week. She was excited to announce that she and her family may have found a home that would work for them. She asked me to run some numbers and let her know how things looked. 

I got back to her with the payment amount for the home she was looking at. She was discouraged. The payment was about 600 dollars over what she was comfortable paying. No problem at all. She let me know the payment range she was comfortable with and back we went to the drawing board.

Over the next few hours, I thought a bit about the text conversation I had had with her. Normally I would have those conversations via phone but I was in the middle of my daily exercise when she was telling me about the payment amount so I couldn’t really call her at that moment!

Anyway, as I was finishing up my run and thinking about her text messages, I started to think about what she was really trying to say. So often we say what is on the surface of our thoughts, but we don’t go deeper to figure out what is really going on. My client wasn’t telling me that she couldn’t afford the payment I had given her, she was telling me she wasn’t comfortable committing to that payment, she was afraid of that commitment. As a first-time homebuyer, I don’t blame her one bit! It is a huge leap to buy your first home and when you have a family to support as well, you have to be 100% comfortable with what you commit to. 

Now, I know plenty of professionals in this industry that would have pushed back and pointed out that if you want to buy a decent house, you’re going to have a bigger payment. I completely disagree with this approach. This is a self-centered approach and shows know regard for the client. Mortgage and real estate pros – if you are only in it for the money, go ahead and respond to your clients this way 😉 (Really, just don’t do it…). The better approach is to find out what payment or situation your client needs/wants, and then help them find a way to it! 🡪Cue listening skills!!!

I never ever want to pressure a client into a situation or commitment they are not comfortable with. If they tell me they are not comfortable with a payment, we work with what is comfortable for them. It is their financial future, and they are the ones that will be making that payment. It is not for me decide if it is comfortable for them. Here’s a little tip – just because you CAN afford something, doesn’t mean you SHOULD buy it. My client was well qualified for the higher payment, but SHE wasn’t comfortable with it. Bottom line, that is what matters. We discussed what she is comfortable with and moved forward. She is happy with me, and I am happy because I know that I am helping guide her to the best decision for her situation. 

That is what business is all about. LISTENING to what your clients need and helping them attain it. 

Now that I have given you a little back story on this experience, I want to apply some of the tips from last week’s article to it (if you haven’t read last week’s post, go read it now!!).

Let’s see how I used the tips for better listening to help my client.

1. I asked questions – once we were able to connect via video chat (I was so glad she brought her kiddos and hubby, they are just the cutest family!!) I asked questions. The only way for you to figure out how to help your clients, is to dig in and ask what they need. Sometimes they don’t even know what they need or want until you start asking the questions. This is true in so many industries, not just mortgage!
2. I was receptive – remember how I was thinking about what my client was really trying to say when she panicked at that first payment amount I gave her? She was saying that she was not comfortable with that amount. She was conveying fear of that number that was so much higher than her current housing expense. This does not mean she doesn’t want to buy a home. It just means she has to keep searching for the right home for her budget. 
3. I heard with my ears but listened with my mind – It’s hard to physically listen to someone via text…but you can still read between the lines. I made sure to fully read all her text messages so I could be prepared when we did finally have a chance to talk. Then when we did connect, I listened with my mind. I was attentive to the thoughts and concerns she and her husband had and then answered their questions thoroughly. 
4. I invited them to speak – I didn’t spend the whole call talking at them. I asked them questions, I asked them to ask me questions. This helped drive the conversation and uncovered a few additional ideas and concerns that needed to be addressed. By giving them the floor, I empowered my clients to be in control of the conversation and to have the courage to freely ask their questions. Sometimes first-time buyers are scared to ask questions because they feel like they are asking too many. This happens in all kinds of situations – we seek professionals when we need assistance because they know how to answer our questions. If we already knew the information, we wouldn’t need a professional’s help. I always strive to make my clients feel like they can ask as many questions as they need to, because if they don’t ask the questions, they won’t know the answer. I think back to my first homebuying experience and wish someone had told me all the questions I didn’t know to ask. I never want my clients to feel like they didn’t have the ability to learn all they needed to learn about buying their first (or second, or fifth) home. When I serve my clients, I want them fully acquainted with the loan, consultation, or coaching service they are investing in! 

This recent experience is not unique to the real estate industry. People seeking professionals in all kinds of industries have the need to be listened to. If you are a coach, consultant, legal professional, healthcare provider, financial adviser, automotive professional, or business or salesperson of any form in any industry, YOU MUST LISTEN TO YOUR CLIENTS! 

If you want to keep people coming back to you, give them an experience that is second to none. Do this by listening to them, finding out their needs and goals, and then assisting them in achieving those needs and goals.

I hope this article has helped you understand the real-life application of the tips for being a better listener. Simply listening to your customers can make or break your relationship with them. It will also help set the tone for the experience they will have with you. It is up to you to make sure it is a great one!

Thanks for stopping by. I would love to hear from you! Head on over to our resources page HERE to connect on social media, see what I am working on, or download my FREE eBook!

Ciao for now!