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Takeaways:
- There are differences between aggressive and assertive.
- Learn the proper way to marry your skills with an appropriate amount of assertiveness.
In real estate, one of the required skills that often gets forgotten is the art of the conversation. If you have a polished presentation package with good solutions, then you need to be assertive about it to ensure your message is coming across clearly to your listeners.
Let’s use the example of selling presentations. If you are losing listings and you know that you have all the proper information, data, tools and solutions in your offer, then perhaps you are either too passive or too aggressive with your message?
You must understand that being “assertive” is a good thing. People often confuse being assertive with being aggressive. Do not confuse the two. Here are a few examples of each.
Assertive:
- Being confident.
- Having knowledge of your topic inside out.
- Fully believing in your offer.
Aggressive:
- Behaving like a bully or being too forceful.
- Talking down to your listener.
A person who is aggressive in their communication is viewed as a bully. You don’t want to come across as a bully or a know-it-all who talks down to clients.
You might recall that many sales presentations you witnessed over the past decades were carried out aggressively. That doesn’t work in today’s world.
Aggressive salespeople are seen as self-serving. They are the bullies who don’t care about the needs of the consumer.
The best position to take with your clients is the middle road — being assertive in your communication without offending the other person. You can be assertive and still care about the other person’s feelings, needs and desires.
Being assertive in your conversations is all about knowing what to say, when and how to say it.
When you are offering clear benefits and solutions for others, show them the level of confidence and knowledge that you possess. After all, you are a professional, and that is something people needing assistance will certainly appreciate.
People selling a home do have an issue, and they need your assistance. They want answers, so be confident and assertive because what you have does work, and you share it by responding with solutions.
Be a good listener at the same time. Indicate to them that you do understand their situation and offer solutions in answer to the problems they express to you. Follow through during the entire process right up to closing and even after that.
Using the proper level of assertiveness is one step in the fine art of communication and negotiation. This tool is crucial and is rarely taught and often neglected.
If you spend some time working on being assertive, you will see results. Once you see the results, it will be a “win-win” for you and your clients.
Jim Messner is the business coach and manager of business development at Royal LePage Integrity Real Estate located in the Greater Calgary, Alberta, area of Canada. He loves networking — follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
