November 24, 2020
Hassan Riggs
The BANTAR Principle finally explained
When I first started my career in sales I was working as an Inside Sales Agent for a small real estate team in the suburbs of Chicago.
And although everything about sales was weird to me at the time, one thing seemed as odd as a toilet sitting between two movie theaters seats….Scripts.
Scripts just didn’t make any sense to me at the time, “you hired me because I’m a good communicator, why do I need a script” I lamented again and again.
I was convinced that scripts sounded too robotic, like they were receiving automated texts from an auto responder, but for a variety of reasons (most of those reasons being ‘I need this job’) I ultimately conformed to the rules of the team. And you know what?
I was dead wrong!
The scripts turned out to be the most effective sales tools I would ever learn, they are proven conversational frameworks that yield results predictably.
As for the “robotic” part, I’ve come to learn that the very best scripts allow you to have extremely fluid conversations and simply act as a skeleton or framework that you can use to steer the conversation back on track and ultimately lead to a better conversion rate.
When there's a lull or the lead just responds back with a closed answer, you simply type in the next question on your script and get the dialogue flowing again.
No person understands this better than Hassan Riggs, the founder and CEO of Smart Alto. Hassan also started as an ISA but ultimately reached a level of success that few ISAs ever will, setting over 10,000 appointments during his tenure.
And throughout all of that experience, he was able to develop and refine the most perfect real estate script.
We call it BANTAR and just like other great scripts it’s meant to act as the backbone of a fluid conversation and give a structure that makes sense to everyone involved, the ISA, the lead and the agent (you) who will ultimately go on the appointment created by the script.
(Watch Hassan explain how to qualify leads and grow sales with the BANTAR Principle).
Unlike other great scripts, it’s deceivingly simple and borderline minimalistic but also incredibly effective at disguising qualifying questions as more friendly rapport building points.
Let’s unpack it step by step. BUT keep in mind, our best ISAs don’t always go in order; they allow the conversation to flow organically and unpack BANTAR in a very smooth unscripted way.
Description: Finding out your clients budget is extremely important, but you can’t just come out and ask them their budget. That comes off as harsh and interrogating. Instead our ISAs use a great deal of tact and fluidity when asking this qualifying question.
Example: “What price range are you most comfortable searching in?”
Why it’s so important: In real estate if you don’t know your clients budget you can’t do virtually anything for them, it’s a critical part of their search and vitally important for you to create an open rapport.
Description: Here our ISAs find out who the final shot-caller really is.
Example: “When we finally find the right home for you, is there anyone else who needs to agree before we can move forward?”
Why it’s so important: Have you ever shown a client 30 plus homes just to find out it’s their parents who will be paying for the home and their dad will have to sign off before you can write an offer?
It’s a massive waste of time and a huge frustration for everyone involved, especially when that home they finally love has multiple offers and will be sold by the end of the day.
This simple question gives you back that wasted time and saves you the frustration.
Description: The “dream home” conversation.
Example: “How many bedrooms do you need?”
Why it’s so important: Knowing the ins and outs of your lead’s needs, wants and expectations arms you with everything you’ll need to deliver high quality service all while leveraging their motivations to keep the process running smoothly.
You’ll discover their motivations, level set expectations and figure out exactly what’s needed to make them happy and close the deal.
Description: This helps you determine when you need to be in touch.
Example: “In a perfect world when are you moving into your new home?”
Why it’s so important: You’re going to follow up with someone buying a home next month far more frequently than someone buying a home next year, right?
This question allows you to properly plan the best follow up process imaginable for your leads giving you full control of your pipeline and allowing you to accurately predict your future business.
Description: The only three things that matter in real estate, location, location, location.
Example: “The home you clicked on is located in Springfield, is that the only city you’re looking in?”
Why it’s so important: First of all you need to know if you can even service this lead, right?
Most licenses stop at state lines and most agents refuse to drive more than 45 minutes to a showing.
Additionally, you need to ask yourself some hard questions: are you knowledgeable in this area and can provide unique value to the client?
Description: Is there another agent in the picture, do they need a lender?
Example: “I don't want to step on anyone’s toes, so I must ask: are you working with another agent?”
Why it’s so important: Look, you’re a professional and you deserve to be treated as such.
You’re not a showing assistant for your lead’s uncle Jim Bob who they’ll ultimately be working with.
This is exactly the type of thing you need to know upfront if you want to get the most money out of your time and effort.
Additionally asking if someone has been pre-approved is off putting and tacky. Instead, ask whether they’re working with a lender. Trust me, if they’re not working with a lender then you can bet they have not been pre-approved. And if they have, then they’ll tell you.
When you hire Smart Alto to follow up with your real estate leads, you can rest assured that only the best ISAs will be following up with your leads and they’ll be using a conversational skeleton that does two things for you.
Created by Hassan Riggs, the founder and CEO of Smart Alto, the BANTAR Principle is more than a script, it’s the model of a perfect conversation that our ISAs follow to deliver highly qualified 15 minute phone appointments directly on your calendar.
The BANTAR method is a true secret formula that is guaranteed to give you the leg up in your market, schedule a demo today and start receiving BANTAR qualified leads tomorrow!
The Smart Alto Appointment Setting System guarantees your team never misses another sales opportunity.