7 Tips For Clear Communication

Good Realtors® know that clear communication is key to smooth transactions, which is why we’ll take a look at seven tips for communicating more clearly with others in today’s post. If you are interested in becoming a real estate agent, then you probably already know that in addition to a real estate license, you need to polish your interpersonal and communication skills.

At Continuing Education for Licensing, Inc. (CELI) in Texas, we offer the classes you need to obtain your real estate license for the first time or renew your license. Contact CELI today for more information, and register for the real estate licensing classes you need.

1. Practice Listening

Many people would rather talk than listen, which is a big part of why communication can be so easily messed up. Oftentimes in conversations, people are simply listening passively and waiting to respond with their next statement rather than practicing active listening. Active listening means that your focus is on what the other person is saying, so that you can respond more effectively.

Not only is this a better way to communicate, but it will also help your clients to see very quickly that you care about their needs. As a real estate agent, you want to make sure that you practice active listening with your clients so that you can locate the homes in which they are truly interested. Not only can this make them happy, but they will also be more likely to recommend you to their friends and family.

2. Learn to Read Body Language

Perhaps surprisingly, 97% of human communication is nonverbal. This means that it is crucial to focus on all the ways that others communicate with you that are nonverbal. Body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice can tell you a lot about how someone is feeling. Is your client yawning, fidgeting, or crossing their arms? Take time to make sure that they know that you are listening to them and prioritizing their needs. Practice reading body language, and pay attention to your own stance as well.

3. Don’t Fear Silence

All too often, our society reinforces the belief that silence in a conversation is a negative thing. On the contrary, there are naturally occurring pauses in conversations that allow people the opportunity to process what is being discussed. Avoid the temptation to talk through the silence to ensure that you are not interrupting someone’s train of thought.

As a Realtor®, you will find that making room for silence at appropriate points in a conversation can help many clients to better contemplate their options and feel more confident with their decisions. That confidence will help them to develop a deeper level of trust in your abilities.

4. Speak With Confidence

Whether this is your first experience as a real estate agent, or you have sold numerous homes, it’s important to think about the words that you use when talking with clients. Do you use action verbs and speak with confidence? Do you tend to use passive verbs and qualifiers? You may feel very confident in your abilities to help your clients achieve their goal of home ownership, but if you are not speaking confidently with your word choices, then you could undermine their trust in you. Avoid using fillers such as “uh” and “um,” since these tend to communicate a lack of confidence, and focus on strong verbs such as “evaluate” and “manage.”

One thing to keep in mind is that you want to be careful that you don’t communicate an overabundance of confidence as this could easily be misinterpreted as arrogance. Be sure to balance your confident speech with active listening so that your clients know that you care about helping them.

5. Ask Clarifying Questions

Some people think that asking questions is a sign of ignorance when in fact the opposite is true. Smart people frequently ask questions. The key, however, is asking clarifying questions as these show that you are paying attention and simply trying to better understand what is being said. If you ask a question that was just explained a few minutes prior, your clients might think that you weren’t paying attention to them and could consider locating a new real estate agent. Questions can be a powerful tool for clear communication when used well.

6. Be Informed

Communicating clearly with others means that you should know what you’re talking about. If there is an area of real estate in which you’re not well-versed, then take time to speak with someone who is or find another way to learn about it. While your clients might not expect you to know everything there is to know in the real estate industry, they probably won’t be too happy if you can give only vague answers about the next step in their home-buying process.

A great way to stay informed is to register for your real estate license renewal courses with CELI. We will help you find the classes you need to ensure that you are on top of the latest trends and regulations in the real estate industry.

7. Get Clarity

As a Realtor®, you will help your clients through a number of steps on their journey to buying a home. With that in mind, you will find yourself in one of two types of conversations — either explaining how to do something or why it’s important. For example, you might need to explain why they need to declutter their home in one conversation and explaining the best way to do it in another. When you know whether your goal is to inform or empower, you will communicate more clearly, and your clients will appreciate it.

At Continuing Education for Licensing, Inc. in Texas, we are here to help you obtain your real estate license. From sales agent and broker qualifying courses to license renewal requirements and more, you can find the courses you need. Not sure which classes you need? Contact us for more information and register for our online real estate courses today.