Before making any calls, callers must only contact leads that have been approved through the company's process. Always review contact notes before dialing — they contain critical flags that determine whether a call should be made at all.

That single question drives every call. Everything you say before it is simply building enough rapport and credibility to earn a genuine answer. Once you have it, your path is clear.

This is your first impression. Keep it simple and warm. If they confirm, move directly into your introduction without hesitation. If it's the wrong person, apologize briefly and update your records.

This statement is factual, transparent, and non-threatening. You are not claiming to have a buyer, not criticizing what happened before, and not making a pitch. You are simply explaining why you called — which is what most homeowners want to know first.

Once you ask this question — stop talking. Let silence work for you. The homeowner needs space to formulate an honest answer, and filling that silence with more words only creates noise and pressure.

Validate their experience before moving forward. Then gently probe for timing and readiness before pivoting to the agent follow-up ask.

Never attempt to diagnose why a listing expired. You do not have access to the full picture, and speculating can damage trust or misinform the seller. Your job is to redirect this important question to the qualified professional.

Pricing is the most common question callers receive and one of the most important to deflect properly. An inaccurate number — even a casual estimate — can set false expectations, undermine the agent, and damage the relationship before it begins.

Commission structures vary and are ultimately the agent's conversation to have. Attempting to answer this question — even with good intentions — can create misunderstandings or commit the agent to terms they have not agreed to.

Empathy is your most powerful tool with frustrated sellers. Acknowledge their experience genuinely before asking anything else. Never minimize what they went through or pivot too quickly to your agenda.

Not every call ends with an appointment — and that is perfectly fine. When a seller says they are no longer planning to sell, your goal shifts to understanding whether this is permanent or temporary, and leaving the door open respectfully for a future touchpoint.

Respect their relationship and never attempt to undermine it. The key question is whether they have actually signed a new listing agreement — because if they have not, there may still be an opportunity for a second conversation before they commit.

Acknowledge their loyalty without criticizing their decision. Then introduce the idea of a second opinion as a tool for the seller's own benefit — not as a competitive pitch. Frame it around protecting their interests before they commit.

Answer this question honestly and without deflecting. Homeowners have every right to ask how they were identified. A transparent, matter-of-fact answer typically diffuses the concern quickly. Always give them a clear, comfortable out if they want one.

Some homeowners will be angry before you say a single word. They may have received five calls today. Do not take it personally, do not match their energy, and do not attempt to continue the conversation.

When the homeowner shows genuine interest, this is the moment to lock in the next step. Offer two time options to make it easy to say yes — never ask open-ended questions like "when are you free?" which creates decision fatigue.

A good voicemail is brief, transparent, and non-threatening. State your name and the team name twice — once at the beginning and once at the end — so the homeowner clearly knows who called and how to reach you. Always end on a warm, pressure-free note.

After each call, assign one clear status to the contact. Accurate categorization ensures the agent knows exactly what to expect and the CRM stays clean and actionable.

Recognizing when to step back and bring in the agent is one of the most important skills a caller can develop. These are the moments where the conversation requires licensed expertise — and attempting to handle them yourself creates risk for everyone involved.

Before going live, every caller should be comfortable with each item below. Run through this checklist with your trainer or on your own — practice until each response feels natural, not rehearsed.