Ask the Expert: Buyers and A.C.E.S.
The following post originally appeared in The Florida Weekly
By Dennis J. Giannetti, MS
Chief Training Officer—Lang Realty
Question: How do I help a buyer find properties more efficiently?
Answer:
A lot of agents will spend a significant amount of time showing buyers’ property, often with no tangible results or contract at the end of the process. This often happens for one of a few reasons. For example:
Accepting generic search criteria based on features only. For example: “I want a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage with a fence for $275,000.
Not asking questions to help the buyers clarify their emotional connection to their logical requests. For example: “You mentioned a fence in the back yard, is that for privacy or do you have pets, or...”
Not knowing WHY a buyer is choosing to move or the time frame they MUST make this move.
Not following a proven showing process
To simplify and make the buyer process more efficient, we will use the A.C.E.S process:
A.C.E.S.
A Assess what the client is looking for through the use of questions.
It’s not what you say that matters it is what you ask that matters to them
C Categorize the conversation from features to benefits.
How would you use a fourth bedroom? Would you like a community pool so you can meet neighbors, or prefer the privacy of your own pool?
E Evaluate the categories to the product
Understand that the benefits of property features are emotional connections to the property as whole. Don’t show a product that a buyer won’t connect with.
S Select the product (s) that meet the evaluation criteria/standards
Be prepared to know everything, but don’t show everything. Showing more confuses a buyer, but showing them what they will connect to gives them clarity. And buyers with clarity make decisions!
