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Cold calling in real estate isn’t the same as other types of sales. Discover tested tips on how to be successful in a unique market.

Selling real estate — and especially timeshares — requires a different approach than other types of sales. Cold calling in real estate sales, in particular, presents a challenge because you’re asking people to spend a lot of money, often on a luxury. Things like insurance and retirement plans are things people need, but timeshares aren’t usually top-of-list for most consumers.

Still, cold calling in real estate remains an effective way to drum up leads and build the relationships it takes to make a sale. Once you master the modern technique of selling timeshares over the phone, you might even find you have more business than you’re ready to handle—always a good problem to have!

cold calling in real estate

What to avoid in cold calling for timeshare sales

Sometimes knowing what *not* to do is the most helpful first step in learning something unfamiliar. There are plenty of “don’ts” when it comes to cold calling in real estate, and abstaining from these practices will help you establish a connection with the customer—a necessary step in closing any deal.

First and foremost—don’t mislead anyone! This might seem like common sense, but over the years timeshares have developed a reputation of being risky purchases because many customers didn’t understand all the fine print. As a result, people are skeptical from the start of a sales call. Ease their worries by stating clearly at the beginning of the call what you’re offering and be sure you don’t sell them something you can’t deliver.


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Second, don’t use high-pressure sales tactics. Cold calling in real estate is difficult enough without making the customer feel anxious or rushed. Remember, you’re building a relationship before you’re selling a product, and to do that, there needs to be trust. Build that trust through patience and listening to the customer’s needs.

Another thing to avoid is going into a call without a plan. In fact, consider using a script for cold calling so you remain succinct and don’t forget any important details. Winging it will almost certainly result in a lost sale.

cold calling in real estate

The benefits of a CRM in cold calling

Cold calling in real estate is also more effective if you use CRM software to reach out to and follow up with your prospects. Besides being an effective way to compile all the data about your leads, most software also allows you to do things like filtering and segmenting so you can see who is looking for what, what their timeline is, and all the interactions you’ve had with the prospects.

The real value here is that you don’t just have a list of names and phone numbers or a notebook full of scribbles that you have to translate into useful information. CRM software helps you keep track of warm leads, people you want to reach out to at a later date, and those that have fallen through.

This is especially useful with timeshares because you’ve likely got properties and customers in many different parts of the country, which can make keeping track of sales leads difficult. A CRM centralizes your data, can be set to automatically follow up through e-mail, and can run reports to help you see which properties are selling well and which are not.

cold calling in real estate

Learning a modern technique

If you’ve been in this business a while, retraining yourself for cold calling can be tough. The first thing you’ll want to do is to make sure you’re talking to people new to the industry. That may sound a little backward, but they’ll have a better grasp on new technologies and sales pitches for a market that has changed considerably over the years. And the learning won’t all be one-sided; you’ll surely have plenty of wisdom to bestow upon them as well.

Recognize, also, that the days of high-pressure, in-person sales pitches for timeshares are waning. Many properties are available online or over the phone, and many people are going those routes. Take advantage by increasing your cold calling activity and letting customers know that, unlike in the past, there’s no requirement to attend a pitch.

If there are courses or seminars you can take that will help you learn the new technology, that might be useful as well. Modern sales techniques rely on new software, so it’s good to stay abreast of what’s going on.

Finally, remember to always be learning. If you feel like you’ve been doing this long enough and there’s nothing more you can learn, you’re selling yourself short on skills and strategies that might be useful to you. Keep talking to people, keep an open mind, and most of all, keep at it. Perseverance is, after all, the most valuable tool you’ll find in any sales industry.


Talk to more people with state-of-the-art outbound phone technology from Call Logic. Sign up for our free trial now!


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