If we try to persuade a prospective client to say yes without using an empathetic approach to find out their reason for not saying yes, we will set up a cycle of defensiveness and conflict that will result in a lack of trust.

To be successful at building the trust essential to effective business relationships, we must first understand what is important to them, what their challenges are, what success looks like to them and even what it feels like.

Without first understanding our client’s situation, and walking around in their shoes, it is unlikely we will be invited to engage with them in an authentic and meaningful way.

What would it be like if you and your clients could ‘think together’ about their real estate choices? We all know buying and selling real estate is empathetic approachcomplicated and important. Imagine if you had a relationship with each of your clients that encouraged the sharing of information, honest open communication and a high level of mutual respect.

My experience is if you can obtain that, using an empathetic approach, the process and the outcome improve significantly for everyone. There are fewer misunderstandings, more clarity, more enjoyment and usually a lot less time spent to get a great outcome.

If you want these types of relationships, create the time and the skills to learn about your prospective clients. The empathetic approach is at the foundation of every successful transactional business model.

For the summer, I will focus each week of The Nature of Real Estate blog on the skills that are essential to “Move More People” through the empathetic approach.

Please let me know what elements are most important to you.