Until they are ready – Home Buyers and Sellers don’t think need us to help guide them in their real estate transaction from the beginning of their research like they used to.
Information Gathering is Easy with Clicks
Home Sale information whether buying or selling is readily available on the internet. Before the times of digital information super highways, real estate agents were consulted on the process it takes to buy or sell a home. Today, people looking to make a move, will dive in and research to educate themselves in order to help with the direction they will proceed. A professional isn’t typically called in for counsel until much later in the steps.
Three Phase Process
In his book, “Digital Body Language”, Steven Woods explains a three-phase education process. Here is how I relate it to the real estate industry…
- Phase 1: Solution Awareness and Market Education – The home buyer or seller is on a search for information like the tank sucker fish in an aquarium, they want it all. Some will be good stuff – other won’t be, and unfortunately, they won’t know how to distinguish it. Are you in a place that the potential client will find your information and take note of your expertise? They are listening to podcasts, watching videos, reading blog posts, status streams — Be there.
- Phase 2: Solution Discovery – After the information has been researched, they begin to look for a solution to their current situation. They are looking for not only the home values but also beginning to research who they might be able to look to for help in the transaction.
- Phase 3: Solution Validation – How can they make this all work? They are ready for the consultation now. Are you going to be there when that decision is made? Often times the phases are completed without you even being aware – but when the client is ready to get serious – I hope you are “conveniently” at the right place; at the right time, all as part of your plan, of course 🙂
Cut Through the Noise
Where the real estate agent used to be the resource that the client came to for their education – it’s important today to not only help direct the client to find the information, but also be an expert that is involved in providing the information. I like how Steven Woods explains the purpose of the phases, “… it allows us to cut through much of the noise surrounding technology and information sources on the market today and concentrate on what matters: ensuring the right person receives the right message in the right format at the right time.”
