How to answer the phone

Question

When a lead calls, how should I answer the phone?

"Hello this is Brian, how may I help you?"

or

"NAME OF COMPANY, this is Brian, how may I help you?"

Is it better to NOT mention that I am a company?  Or is it better to just tell them your company name and name?  I keep hearing that when a potential lead hears a company name, it may scare them off.

Please help!

John Jackson · Answer

@Brian Gibbons  has some solid input on this...

I personally do this...

I use my cell phone number (except for bandit signs)...shocker!!!

People call me and I answer.."Hello this is John"

Now I could answer, Hello this is John with Leasing to Buy and We buy Houses, but it confuses them.

But whatever...

If it's a seller, they got my number so they know they are calling John.

I could also answer.."Thank you for calling Leasing to Buy"

Doesn't really matter at the end of the day...

As far as whether you are a company or not...

in 11 years of doing this schtick I've never worried about that!

Find something else to worry about..like..how will you sign up for Obamacare before midnight?!

Brian Gibbons · Answer

Hi @Brian Stone, I use this...

Hi I'm Brian with Studio City Property Solutions, we solve problems, how may help you today?

Uh, what do you do?

Well fisrt of all I need to ask you some easy questions, ok?  Whats your first name?  TONY

Tony, I need your number of your cell in case we get cut of, is that ok?

Yeah,  ok 707 444 5677707 444 5677

So you are trying to sell your property or trying to buy a property?

.....

Heres my property lead sheet,

http://www.biggerpockets.com/files/user/REISkills/file/seller-property-info-form

Good luck!

Brian P. · Answer

How about a friendly "Hi, this is Brian, who am I talking to? This is Bill Smith, Well hi again Bill, what can I do for you today?" and away we go. Gave up all the formal crap years and years ago.

Misty W. · Answer

You'll probably get both answers, but I have our service answer with our company name. They are going to find out you are a company at some point, and they could feel that you have not been forthcoming if it takes too long. I just prefer to be open and honest. They are either motivated or not. The quicker they know I'm an investor, the less time I waste.

I know people that have decided not to mention it and then when it comes up they lose the deal (especially in lease options), so they just wasted 45 minutes talking to someone. I just don't see the point, if they don't want to work with an investor, I want to know immediately. Most will just gloss right over it because you take control of the conversation immediately by asking them questions. They usually don't even remember the name of the company that you said because the conversation moves on so fast.

Brian Gibbons · Answer

Best business book about running a small but lean business was "Swim with the Sharks" by Harvey Mc Kay

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie...

I used this book to build a shop of 35 employees.  No better book for day to day offense and defense activities.

Robert Davidson · Answer

I agree with Rick that how you answer is critical. If you use an answering service, someone once suggested to me that I call the service periodically to test the way they handle calls.  I was using a well known, expensive,  national answering service and when I called a few times I learned that they weren't always using the script and a few of the people came across as curt and impatient.  I reported that to my contact person at the service but a month later the same results occurred.  I no longer use that service.

Rick H. · Answer

I have a pet peeve about people who call me and ask, 'who is this?' so I've made a point to beat them to the punch and answer: "The Suburban Group. This is Rick."

In my early days, I once answered the phone and a friend chided me about how I answered so I've been sensitive to coming across as very professional.

Nowadays, I have a sophisticated phone system that vets the type of caller and routes them accordingly. Lead calls go to my call center with scripted operators because I don't want to be interrupted by callers who have no clue what they want. The call center has been trained to ask questions that sort outs whether someone is an heir or person in charge, for example.

The main thing I learned is that how you answer the phone is important in setting the tone for the rest of the call. I suggest practicing smiling and answering the phone in front of a small mirror, as I was taught, as callers can sense the smile that translates into them getting the help they want.

Brit Foshee · Answer

@Brian Stone  I find people are looking more for "personal" than they are for "professional".  When sellers are in a situation like probate, they are use to speak to "professionals" who are normally trying to take advantage of them.

Bryan L. · Answer

IMHO, all of the "branding" stuff is over-blown.  Sellers don't really care who you are or what your company name is - they just want to sell their house.  Just use your name.

Chavel Diaz Jr · Answer

@John Jackson , yeah I know I'm a little delayed in my response but the advice is so direct, so true, and so funny...

Late...

How to answer the phone

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