Using the ALM Framework

Connection calls have three goals: secure the appointment, identify the customer’s preferred location and understand what drew them to select that particular property. Follow the ALM framework for structuring all connection calls around these objectives:

A: Appointment

Whether the lead came in as a connection, tour request, or nurture lead, your goal is to secure the appointment. If the home is unavailable, ask when they would like to see other similar homes. This question should come as soon as possible in the conversation.

In-person request: “Great, when would you like to go see the property?”

Video request: “Great, I’d be happy to get you a recorded video tour for that property or do a live video tour with you from the property so you can ask questions in real-time. What works best for you?”

L: Location

After setting a time to see the home the customer has inquired about, ask what other homes they’re interested in seeing. Establishing the customer’s preferred locations creates an opportunity to 1) find additional homes inside their search radius (either on-market or coming soon), and 2) identify restrictions to their location by asking follow-up questions. You should strive to always show more than one property to the customer per appointment. If they haven’t identified any other homes they’d like to see, ask whether you can take the liberty of finding similar homes to add to the itinerary. This helps show them you’re there for more than one listing; you’re there for their entire home search.

“Are there any other properties you’ve been looking at? I’d be happy to arrange (in-person or video) tours for those as well. Are you only interested in this area, or are you open to seeing alternative locations and neighborhoods?”

M: Motivation

Understanding the customer’s motivation to move is critical to identify homes that best fit their criteria, and most importantly, to build rapport and establish a long-term relationship. Building rapport with the customer is crucial to becoming a trusted advisor throughout the buying process. Use this time to demonstrate your skills by matching the customer’s pace and tone, and uncover what they’re looking for and why. We recommend asking the following questions about the person and their search: 

“What interests you about this property?” 

“How long have you been looking?”

“Have you seen any other properties?”

Resources

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Assessing your calls

Take the next step and watch this video to learn how to assess your connection calls. 

Practice your skills

Practice listening to a connection call here.

Download the guide

Keep this connection calls guide handy for referencing while on the phone.

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