How To Get Contact Information From Open House Visitors.

Have something REAL buyers want... knowledge works best!

1. You know more about the real estate market and the houses in it than they do.
2. You know the current inventory.
3. You know which houses are priced right and which ones aren't.
4. You know that homes built by this builder cost more than ones by that builder, and why (and whether they're worth the extra $).
5. You know if the neighborhood of your open house is out of the buyer's price range;
6. You know of alternative neighborhoods that might work for them.
   
7. You know a lot...share your wealth of knowledge and impress your prospects with business acumen.
   

Bottom line, you should, and do, have a conversational familiarity with your local real estate market.

Also... Not everyone who comes to an open house is a good prospect for you. In fact, most probably aren't, for reasons you're already aware of. Just let 'em go. Don't be rude, of course, but don't fret about getting their digits or demonstrating your expertise to them. Just let them wander thru, politely and pleasantly answer their questions, and relax. You may leave your open house with only one or two folks to follow-up with and that's okay. It's perfectly fine to cherry-pick your future clients, selecting only those with whom you have a natural rapport, who seem to be open to hearing from you again.

Here's the thing. Trying to create rapport with every warm body who walks in the door can be exhausting. And discouraging. Frankly, not everyone wants to be chatted with; in fact, most probably don't. By the end of the open house, if you've tried to build rapport with everyone who came in, you can end up an emotional mess, especially since many of them have probably rejected your advances. But if you save your emotional energy for those with whom you "click," you'll be far more charming!

So, what's the punch line?

1. Be conversationally familiar with the neighborhood, amenities and alternatives to the neighborhood of the house you're holding open and be willing to freely share your knowledge with visitors, and
2. Save your emotional energy for the visitors with whom you feel a natural rapport. Be pleasant and polite to everyone else, but don't stress yourself out trying to get contact information from them.

If you've done a good job preparing for your open house and you choose your targets wisely, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that many visitors will initiate further contact with you. Either they'll offer up their contact information voluntarily or they'll ask for yours. Focus on how you can better demonstrate to your visitors that you are the Realtor® they're looking for.

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Published: December 16, 2010