Special Telephone Techniques“yeah.” Replace them with words like “well” and
“yes.” Don’t use the word “like” in this way: “I’m
like the best agent in town.” That is a poor use of
the word and makes you sound inexperienced and
uneducated. Also, avoid words that spark nega-
tive feelings. Negative words trigger bad
thoughts. For example, instead of using the word
“cost,” say “investment.” Here is a list of nega-
tive words and some suggestions on how to re-
place them:Negative Word Replacement
Cost or Price Investment
Deal or Sold Transaction
Commission Brokerage Fee
Signature or Sign Approve or Approval
Contract or Paperwork
Listing Agreement
Don’t these replacement words sound less neg-
ative? Rehearse these words so they become part
of your vocabulary when it comes time to use
them.4.Identify yourself.You’re a real estate agent, not
an actor. Some agents act like they are buyers
when they call FSBOs and then at the last mo-
ment inform the seller that they are an agent. Not
only is this bad business ethics, but you come off
as sneaky and completely untrustworthy. If you
identify yourself as an agent right away, they’ll