Why Consulting is Key

By Kathleen Black

While things are slowly but surely getting back to normal, many of us still find ourselves in remote markets. Due to being remote, we need to take a systematic and process driven approach to our businesses. The consultant’s approach will help with our remote struggles and guide our businesses to a streamlined place with the help of systems and processes. This help will bring clarity and allow us to adapt to any situation we may be faced with. A Consultant seeks to establish a need and educate a client. This allows the client to self-discover their best course of action and come to a logical conclusion. We use the consultant’s approach across our entire network. We choose to take the approach of the consultant opposed to the “pushy salesperson” the public anticipates from us. The next 3 sections will help you take the consultant’s approach toward your business, in order to succeed with the ever changing market. Ground Yourself in your Own Principles To be a successful consultant, you need to be grounded in your own principles. Consultants are all about being as neutral as possible and being able to be advocates for those around them. A consultant will believe that no matter what, whether the client chooses them or not, they have already won. Consultants come and share all of their information. They know they don’t hide anything from clients, they don’t hide the truth about the pros and cons of their decisions. Instead, they allow their clients to pick the best solution for their problem. A consultant wins either way, because at the end of the day, they were honest, truthful and did their absolute best to keep their clients happy and informed. The Consultant’s Approach vs. The Salesperson’s Approach In order to adapt the consultant’s approach toward your business, you’ll need to review your current approach with clients. The adviser and consultant approaches allow Real Estate agents to guide their clients through the process with the utmost confidence. They know they’re analytical, and that they offer wisdom and knowledge that they’ve integrated for their client to feel like they’re covered, and that they’ve done they’re due diligence. The salespersons approach makes Real Estate agents feel like they’re a bully, and to push people to say yes. They only use information to push a sale, not to benefit the client or share knowledge and wisdom. Consultants seek to educate the client and allow them to self discover, or decide, what is the best course of action The “pushy salesperson” contrasts this as they seek to have a predetermined outcome and push the client until they achieve this outcome. Be Responsive Consultants always know their outcomes. Their outcome is always to listen and connect with their client, to create comfort and trust by educating and to present the options to the client and then get out of their way. Right now, the consultant is not going to start at step one, and if they want to move forward after a consultation, great; if not, you need to address their problems and objections. The consultant is not going to get in between the client and the outcome they desire. Your job is to provide options to go one step forward at a time. All consultants are responsive right now. When people are experiencing fear, or stress, it’s important for us to be as responsive as possible. As a salesperson, your decisions will be based on fear, stress and negativity. As a consultant, you will feel at ease and calm when your decisions are based on being responsive.

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Kathleen Black, KBCC