Facts Tell, Stories Sell

Don't you love a good story? One where you're engaged from the minute it starts until the second it ends? I was witness to an excellent story earlier today.

A real estate agent I know asked me to come to his office to meet with prospective buyers. We set a 9AM time and I showed up a bit ahead of time. The agent informed me his "story" was going to be 90 minutes and that I could say my part thereafter. Gulp! I'd be lying if I told you that I had budgeted this much time for this meeting. I reminded myself that this was an opportunity to connect with prospects and I was intrigued how this would go.

The story began with a fictional home seller and weaved in key buying and selling components along the way. The agent told them to write down key phrases and concepts and quizzed them along the way to test their comprehension and keep them engaged. He utilized humor at the right times and kidded them on who was going to be buying the other lunch for most questions answered correctly. For the most part, I was a witness to this story and asked to confirm some points along the way. "Perfect" was my most typical response. Two hours the later, the agent's story concluded.

My turn. I had brought a 30 page printed power point to share with the prospects. How could I honestly go this route after what the agent just delivered? Midway through the agent's story, I decided I was going to pick the key 4-5 pages and present in much the same fashion as the agent in 15 minutes. Anything longer and I figured I would lose their attention. I asked them to take their pen to paper and write the 3 C's of mortgage lending. What do you suppose one of the C's is I asked? Credit was the immediate answer. Bingo! We talked high level about the key components of credit pertinent to the mortgage process. Now I'd like to you the other C's but I can't give away all my trade secrets! I did summarize the other C's and we had a good discussion on them in the process. I concluded with my thoughts on buying and interest rates. I looked at my phone and it was just after noon. 3+ hours of engagement, connection, humor and accomplishment on what just transpired.

This meeting could have easily been 60 maybe 90 minutes. How many times have you entered a meeting with a certain expectation and left with an experience that was vastly different? The agent and I could have easily delivered our material with an "us to them" approach. Instead, I took his cue to make it engaging and fun. Their process is just beginning. I'm hopeful to be a part of their homebuying journey in the coming months.

Thought for the week and beyond: "Your mind is like a parachute. It only works when it's open" - Brian Carruthers, author of Untrapped

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