ALISO VIEJO, CA, April 4, 2007 – Missing the basic philosophy of selling? Scared of prospecting face to face? Crippled by the fear of online marketing?  These all cause reluctance to charge forward and work with the seller and this fear of prospecting can diminish an agent’s ability to succeed in the real estate industry. 
           
There are several reasons real estate agents are often reluctant to prospect:

1. Past bad experiences including being the object of a hard sell tactic, being approached at an inappropriate time, people who just didn’t want to take no for an answer, etc.



2. Preoccupied with the fear of being too pushy or rude and determine there is never just the right time to make prospecting contacts.



3. An experience of feeling personally rejected for your efforts in prospecting. 



4. Feeling that calling on family and friends will be perceived as exploiting them.  Because human beings have a strong need for approval and acceptance, it is uncomfortable when we place ourselves in an arena where rejection is possible.  



5. Always find yourself getting ready to get ready.  Because you do not want to be caught without the right answer, you never feel prepared enough to call. 

Procrastination and time-wasting always seem to creep in and to cut them off professionals should prepare themselves by getting psyched up for the prospecting call.  There are many motivational seminars and self-help tapes and books available, but you have to make the decision to take action.
 
The challenge is that many real estate professionals, incorrectly, believe that prospecting is beneath them.  They fear that their image is at risk and worry about losing credibility.  The last thing that they want is to be known as a stereotypical sales person.  

Stop right there. You will not be jeopardizing your relationship with friends and family. Overcoming all of the previously noted obstacles is easy when you focus on others and how you can fill an important need in their life.  You need to see prospecting as an introductory step rather than a final goal.  When that happens prospecting becomes a comfortable, everyday habit rather than a dreaded chore. 
 
Prospecting is all about engaging people in a dialogue about their needs, but to do that you must begin by simply getting to know the other person, asking non-threatening questions about them, noting things in their environment and expressing interest in that individual.  After that, move on to focus on identifying the customer’s real estate needs by asking the right open-ended questions instead of boasting about your listings or sales track record.   The old saying really is true:  “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  

Gaining the right skills and overcoming reluctance are but two small sections of the 16-hour Accredited Seller Agency (ASR) Course.  To gain the edge visit www.selleragency.com.