The #1 Sales Mistake Your Making That's Costing You $$$
Sharran Srivatsaa breaks down why the current market is skills-based, not momentum-based, and what specific communication and selling techniques separate the 30% of agents closing deals from the 70% who aren't. Loan officers will find actionable frameworks for deepening agent partnerships through voicemail integration and open house follow-up. Best listened to with a real estate agent partner — the episode is explicitly designed to be shared with them.
Sales is not a numbers game — it's a skills game, and one conversation handled with precision beats a hundred cold contacts with no technique.
Takeaways you can run this week
- Replace 'Have you ever had any thoughts of selling?' with the Game Plan Frame: 'Has anyone taken the time to sit down and walk you through what it takes to sell a home in today's market?' — then follow with 'Why don't we get together for a cup of coffee, and before your coffee gets cold I'll walk you through the seven or eight things that are important in today's market.'
- Pull your last 10–30 weeks of open house sign-in sheets, then text each name: 'Are you still interested in buying a home in [City]?' — if they ask who you are, reply with your name, the address ('the one with the big red door'), a selfie, and ask the question again; if they ghost, text a photo of an off-market property and repeat the question.
- Before an agent goes on a listing appointment, record a voicemail for them to play in front of the seller: 'Hey [Agent], this is [your name]. We have 32 pre-qualified buyers in the $X–$Y range who need to buy in the next 60–90 days. As soon as your clients are ready for pre-marketing, let me know.' The agent plays it live in the appointment — no other LO does this.
- After an agent's open house, call the sign-in list yourself using the Middleman Frame: 'Hi, I'm [name], a mortgage lender with [company]. [Agent name] asked me to reach out to his private clients to see if I could help you dial in financing.' This gives you live leads and the agent feels supported.
- When an objection surfaces in any conversation, respond with just 'How do you mean?' before attempting to handle it — this forces the prospect to reveal what they actually heard so you know which objection you're actually solving.
- Switch pre-listing package delivery: place materials in a plain manila envelope, write 'Please do not open until our meeting tomorrow' on the back, slide it under the door, then text: 'Just dropped something off for our meeting tomorrow — can you let me know when you get it? See you at 4.' This confirms the appointment without a weak 'just checking in' text.
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GET FREE ACCESSThe playbook
- 1. Before the listing appointment: call your LO partner and ask them to record a voicemail citing the number of pre-qualified buyers they have in the seller's price range.
- 2. Prepare a manila envelope with a title public record/property profile report and 2–3 testimonials. Write 'Do not open until our meeting' on the back.
- 3. Drop the envelope at the door, then text the client: 'Just dropped something off — let me know when you get it. See you at [time].' Wait for confirmation.
- 4. At the appointment, skip the home tour first. Sit down and ask: 'Where can we sit down and strategize?'
- 5. Ask: 'Do you have the envelope I dropped off? Did you open it?' — then use either answer to build rapport and open the package together.
- 6. Midway through the appointment, play the LO voicemail as proof of a qualified buyer pool attached to the listing.
- 7. If a competitor agent quoted a higher price, explain 'buying the listing,' then tell the seller: 'Call that agent and say you'll go with them at that price on one condition — if they ask for a price adjustment at any point, the listing is automatically canceled.'
Worth quoting
“I could door knock four doors and get 12 deals. That is the skill.”
“All conversion happens in conversation — but branding alone does not start a conversation.”
Best for
LOs who have agent relationships but function as a vendor rather than an integrated partner, and want concrete scripts to change that dynamic immediately.