Terri Johnson, CRS

SCRIPTS for FORD calls

5 Step Calling Process:

  1. Salutation
  2. FORD
  3. Purpose of my call
  4. FORD
  5. Get off the phone (2-3 min)

For making the call orleaving a message:

  • HI there xxx, I was thinking about you all today and just thought I’d call on the off chance I’d catch you OR I knew you’d be at work but wanted to make sure I let you know I was thinking about you. Hope all is well. (throw in something personal you know about them, the kids, things they like to do, etc) I always love hearing from you but please don’t feel you have to call back. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you. Talk to you soon.
  • HI there XXX, sorry I missed you, I drove through your area and made me wonder how you all are doing. (throw in something personal you know about them, the kids, things they like to do, etc) I always love hearing from you but please don’t feel you have to call back. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you. Talk to you soon.
  • Hi there XXX, surely by now you received my letter asking for all your birthdays and such. When you have a minute please take the time to get that info to me. You can call, email or simply drop it back in the mail. I sure do appreciate it. We’ll talk soon.
  • Hi there XXX, I was, 1) at a Giants game and thought of you, 2) saw the Westminster Dog Show and thought of (their dogs name), you get the point. The more personal stuff you know the more you can communicate on a personal level. Just wanted you to know that you crossed my mind. Hope all is well. We’ll talk soon.
  • Hi there XXX, this is Terri, (FORD) how are the girls doing? They must be growing so fast? I just wanted to call and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving (Holiday Season). Hope you guys do something fun over Christmas time. I’d love to hear from you either by phone or email but if you don’t have time I certainly understand, we are all so busy. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you. Take care …
  • It’s been way too long call:

Hi there XXX, this is Terri Johnson, I am so embarrassed I almost didn’t make this call. Today you all were on my mind and it dawned on me that I had not actually spoken to you in XXX … as ashamed as I am, not another minute was going to pass. How are/is (FORD info here – the kids, hubby, wife, job, etc) Well I certainly don’t want to keep you, just had to hear your voice and let you know I was thinking of you.

IF this is a message close with: I’d love to hear from you either by phone or email but if you don’t have time I certainly understand, we are all so busy. Take care and I promise to keep in touch

  • Holiday calls:

Hi there XXX, this is Terri Johnson. How are you all doing this wonderful fall? I wanted to personally call and: (depending on when you actually make the call)

-Wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving & holiday season

-Wish you all a very happy holiday season

-Wish you all a very Merry Christmas

-Wish you a happy new year and see how your holidays were

(Let them talk, telling you all about the family, the things they are doing or did, how everyone is)

(Chit chat about what they have told you)

(if leaving a message)

Skip to … sorry I missed you

Well I certainly don’t want to take way too much of your time. It’s been so great catching up a little bit. You all take care and we’ll talk again soon.

Or (if leaving a message)

I’m so sorry I missed you, knowing we are all so busy, please don’t feel like you have to call back, just wanted you to know that I was thinking about you. We’ll catch up soon.

New Year call:

  1. Salutation Hi there XXXX, this is Terri or Terri Johnson (if it’s been a while)
  2. FORD I thought about you today and thought I'd pick up the phone and call (or if it has been a long time, be honest and say)
  3. I hesitated to call out of embarrassment since it's been XXX since we've spoken but then I thought, nope, pick up the phone and call, so I did.
  4. Purpose of my call Happy New Year!
  5. FORD How were your holidays (then simply sit and listen and take notes, they'll give you several reasons that you can call again in the coming year while talking about their family, kids, friends, etc)
  6. Get off the phone (2-3 minutes, remember, we don't want them to dread our calls)

Overpriced listing visit (best face to face):

Mr & Mrs. Seller, I have to apologize for misleading you and allowing you to think that your house would sell for the price we listed at. Although I clearly showed you where the current market value was on that day, I let emotion overtake me when you said that you “need” to get X for the home. Allowing you to take charge of the process and leaving me to make the decision that I’d take the listing at a price I knew I couldn’t sell it at.

I brought with me again today, where the market sits currently and thought we ought to look over it once again. If we cannot come to terms on fair market value I’ll have to relinquish the listing and again apologize for wasting your time.

There is nothing more discouraging than having your home on the market and having no offers and/or showings. And rest assured, when the time comes that your motivation changes, I will be here to serve you. The only time I have done my job is when the house has sold and the title transferred at the county.

Every month there seems to be something that you can use for as lead in to a call.

  • Jan – Feb: Happy New Year
  • Mar-Apr: Spring break, St Patrick’s Day, Easter if that is appropriate, baseball season
  • May Jun: Mother’s Day, summer plans
  • July: 4th
  • Aug-Sep: schools back in, last minute summer plans, football season
  • Oct: Halloween
  • Nov: Veterans Days, Thanksgiving, holidays around the corner
  • Dec: Christmas, holidays, another year has passed

Seller Process:

Pre-Listing Interview: after asking #15

Whether or not you’re interviewing others is actually irrelevant. I’d just like to be first. At the risk of sounding arrogant, when I’m first I can set the bar and ask you to be sure that any other agents meet or exceed my level of service.

10-Step Seller Process: Step #5

The process I use is a process of elimination vs a process of selection. Most agents will ask exactly what you are looking for and search by the criteria that you give them.

I on the other hand want to make sure that you miss nothing. Therefore, I put every possibility in the funnel and we begin to eliminate those homes that will not work for you. Thus again, assuring that you miss nothing.

Buyer Process:

Buyer/Broker Representation Agreement: after handing them the Buyer Packet you have prepared you alerted them that your Agency and Buyer Broker Agreement were in there and that you’d discuss that later.

After step 10 we circle back around to the Agency Disclosure, assuring them that you have a fiduciary responsibility to them.

Now it’s time to explain the Buyer Broker Agreement that you require:

This agreement is our agreement that you are working exclusively with me as your buyer’s agent. It’s kind of like the agreement you have with the company you work for. You show up for work and do your job and you get paid for that work. In the same way, I am committed to finding you your next home and I will get compensated for doing this.

In most cases, this compensation is paid by the seller of the home you choose but in the event that it is not, you are agreeing that you will make sure that I am compensated for the completion of your transaction.