Ryan Serhant is giving away his real estate playbook. The top-earning real estate broker and star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York is now a published author with his new book, Sell It Like Serhant: How To Sell More, Earn More, And Become The Ultimate Sales Machine, which he calls his real estate playbook for selling absolutely anything.
Serhant drew a large crowd last month to Barnes & Noble-Lincoln Park for a Sell It Like Serhant book signing and Q&A with Daltxrealestate.com. where he shared insight from the book and answered questions from the audience.
In Sell It Like Serhant, the Texas-born real estate broker shares “Serhant Secrets” on how to become a master salesperson. Here are 12 great lessons we learned from Ryan Serhant’s book that you can use right now:
1. Work multiple deals at once
“You never wonder, ‘What’s next? Because your next deal is already in the works. It takes just as much energy to manage one ball [in the air] as it does four, five, or even six.”
2. Whenever you can, meet face to face
“Never underestimate the power of a face-to-face meeting. People often struggle to make decisions, and if they’re not in front of you it’s out of sight and out of mind.”
3. Build your confidence with an improv class
“An improv class can give you an edge — it’s a secret sales weapon. Improv builds synergy and teaches your mind to constantly fire away in a positive direction. Improv is all about yes, and taking that yes forward and adding onto it. Yes is the most essential word in any salesperson’s vocabulary.”
4. Apply some psychology to your clients
“Ask yourself, ‘What does this client need from me?’
- Is there something I can do right this second to make my client’s life easier?
- Does this person need a friend [because] this process is new to them? Do they need more handholding?
- Does your client need to be gently prodded into action? Are they only going to make a move if they think the window of opportunity to buy is about to slam shut?”
5. Really listen
“Practice listening to your clients before you talk. Think about what they are saying to you first, and be sincere when you speak. There is nothing worse than spouting a line, just to fill the silence. You sound like a bad actor who has memorized his lines.”
6. Connection first, sell later
“Never meet someone to benefit you today, meet people who can benefit your future.”
7. Showing isn’t selling
“Salespeople in my business act like tour guides. ‘This is a hallway. This is a bathroom. This is a wall. We’re walking. We’re walking.’ Spouting facts and pointing to various components of a product is not going to inspire a customer to buy. You must use your knowledge and expertise to connect a customer with a product that is the best fit for them.”
8. Block out time in your calendar specifically for follow-up
“Becoming a master of follow-up is one of the most important things a salesperson can do to increase sales. Following up is not really a fun task, so put it in your calendar so you’re forced to do it. But following up is so easy. When you incorporate follow-up into your regular sales practice, jotting off a quick and friendly email is practically effortless — and it’s free.”
9. The 3 F’s of follow-up: Follow-up is like hitting a golf ball
“Never expect people to get in touch with you. Follow up with active clients every. single. day.”
10. Follow-through sets the direction of where the ball is going to go
“Do what you say you’re going to do. Never forget you don’t just have clients; you have relationships.”
11. Follow-back is getting right back to the ball so you can hit it again
“Keep in touch with past clients. The relationship does not end at the closing. Touch base with clients you lost.”
12. Set a goal to meet new people every day
“Get in the habit of making friends everywhere you go. The more people you meet, the more business you’ll do.”
Adapted with permission from Sell It Like Serhant: How To Sell More, Earn More, And Become The Ultimate Sales Machine (Hachette, Sept. 2018).
