Help-U-Sell University – Help-U-Sell® Connect

Working with FSBOs

According to an article on CNNMoney last week, the number of homeowners selling their properties without a broker or agent has increased over the past year. One of the reasons FSBOs (for sale by owners) cite for going it on their own is to save the large commissions most brokers and agents charge.

Of course, at Help-U-Sell Real Estate, our low set fee can save FSBOs money and time and still be involved in the selling process, which is a compelling offer for some FSBOs. Others can successfully manage the sale of their homes on their own. This is something to keep in mind if you choose to market to FSBOs. The approach we advocate taking is that of a friendly resource, free of charge, unless we find a buyer for the FSBO. We are not trying to list the FSBO’s house.

Help-U-Sell Real Estate's approach to FSBOs is as a friendly resource who wants to help the seller, not to land a listing.

To assist the seller, we recommend offering the following items or services of value:
* a suggested listing price
* advice
* showing the seller’s house to buyers
* monthly sales statistics from the MLS
* following up with open house visitors

This approach goes right along with the Help-U-Sell Real Estate founding principle of serving the consumer. Even if the broker or agent never gets the FSBO’s listing, he or she could acquire buyers’ names, be hired to help the FSBO with closing, and gain a new brand advocate.

For more advice and suggested dialogue when working with FSBOs, watch Help-U-Sell University video Module 4: Lesson 1.

How have you reached out to FSBOs successfully in the past? Share your experiences with us.

Help-U-Sell University Preview: Handling Objections

One of the challenges real estate professionals have to face (and ideally overcome) every day is objections from potential clients.

In another video lesson from our training program, Help-U-Sell University, we dissect potential objections and what they really mean so that our brokers and agents can respond. You won’t find a memorized sales pitch that will magically help you “win” the client. Your client is your partner, not someone to defeat. Most objections are really requests for more information in disguise. The best response to any concern is truth as you observed it in your career.

Help-U-Sell University Objections video lesson — Help-U-Sell University's video lesson on handling objections advises to respond to client concerns with truth, research, data and your experience, not a canned script.

The video reviews possible objections to expect and how to be prepared with statistics or solutions. It also suggests a key phrase to use to tap into the reason for a client’s objection. It’s simply “help me understand…”

Before your next listing presentation or buyer consultation, write down the most common objections you’ve heard and come up with factual information you can use to help your client make a better decision.

Help-U-Sell brokers, if you would like to have access to Help-U-Sell University, contact us so that we can set up your account. If you’re not a franchisee yet, you can join the Help-U-Sell family for as little as $2,500 in up-front fees and gain access to our online and one-on-one coaching training. Learn more at our Franchise Opportunity Center.

ProCoach University Preview: Lead Management

We are wrapping up production of the video lessons for ProCoach University, our new online training tool for new and seasoned franchisees. One of the lessons covers lead management and how to effectively convert leads into clients. With the tight inventory situations many markets are facing, it’s more important than ever to cultivate and convert leads, especially seller leads.

The video begins by posing two questions you should know how to answer before starting any marketing campaign:

ProCoach University's Lead Management video lesson — Help-U-Sell Real Estate's ProCoach University video on lead management teaches brokers to start out with clear goals.

Packed into fewer than eight minutes are a list of five things you should know prior to any campaign’s kickoff (current status, where your advertising will appear and why, what it’s costing, what specific results you hope to achieve, what success will look like) and the six moments of truth in the lead management cycle. What are those half dozen revealing junctures? They’re the different phases on your way to converting an inquiry to a closing, and you need to examine each one to uncover any areas where there could be improvement.

The final segment of the video lesson looks at lead management step by step, including documenting your inquiries and keeping your lead records up to date.

Measuring against benchmarks and goals every step of the way from generation to conversion will help you to refine your generation and management system, making it more cost-effective so that you can save clients even more money.

Help-U-Sell brokers, if you would like to have access to ProCoach University, contact us so that we can set up your account. If you’re not a franchisee yet, you can join the Help-U-Sell family for as little as $2,500 in up-front fees and gain access to our online and one-on-one coaching training. Learn more at our Franchise Opportunity Center.

Help-U-Sell University Gears Up for Students

It’s back-to-school time for the kids, and Help-U-Sell University is almost ready for its students to start classes, too. We’ll officially launch it at the Success Summit, but here’s a little pre-orientation peek.

The online program consists of seven modules containing up to nine lessons each, all delivered in video form, with some audio components also. The lessons are accompanied by a print workbook and quizzes. An updated Help-U-Sell Operations Manual will be included, too. A coach will lead new franchisees through the lessons and help incorporate the information into the franchisees’ operations. Existing franchisees can learn at their own pace.

The lesson topics progress from an introduction to the Help-U-Sell Real Estate system and how to select an office location to how to court expired listings and tips on hiring buyers’ agents. Watch the lesson on creating your elevator speech on YouTube.

Help-U-Sell University is geared toward broker/owners but agents are welcome to participate.

Attendees of this November’s Success Summit will see a preview and receive the web link and a username and password to start learning immediately. We hope you can join us in Orlando. If won’t be able to attend, everyone will have access to Help-U-Sell University after the Summit.