Stop Client Ghosting: The System for Getting the Next "Yes" in High-Value Real Estate

Today's podcast episode is going to be a Part 3 and that's because yesterday I was answering a listener question from Lucia in Abuja, who is a real estate professional with Rolling Stone Realty. And some of the things that we discussed in Part 1 and Part 2 stemmed from whether it is a good idea to call someone twice in a day because you're following up with that person. So yesterday I did Part 1 and Part 2 where, if I remember correctly, summary of what we said was no, it's not a good idea to call somebody twice in a day.

Because when it comes to complex real estate, complex sales scenarios, complex business scenarios, complex business context, you know, those things like that somebody is not making an answer to day-to-day. The person is not going to answer sharply. So what's the point? Why are you blowing up the person's phone? In fact, for high value items like that, if you begin, like if you're blowing up the person's phone like it's it's a tad desperate, like you end up becoming a pest.

So if it's a simple sale scenario, like it's for the sale of Ankara, then you know, of course. So if you're in the fashion space, yeah, by all means. You spoke to Madam in the morning and she said she was going to do transfer. It's now 3:00 PM. You haven't seen the transfer, boss. Madam. I say Madam, I never see your transfer. No one is OK, but then if you're talking about now, that's what something that cost maybe like,

you know, 75 for like 6 yards. But then if it's 750 million, you can't buzz somebody 9 O clock in the morning, buzz the guy again by three and buzz him again by 8:00 PM. You know, it's somehow. So those are some of the issues that we discussed. That's the reason why it's not a good idea because it's a complex sales scenario and you want to be consultative. You want to be cool, calm, like a doctor. Yeah, that's the kind of approach that you want to take when you're consulted to sales.

Then let's see, I think it was in Part 2 where we explored how you should always have, what you should be looking for is advancements when you're having these conversations. And that usually when you end up in this cycle where you call somebody, they didn't answer, text message, they don't respond. e-mail, they do not respond. You go to the office, they say, oh, guys, not on seats, but you can see his car outside. You know, all those things.

It's because you guys have not been securing advancements. You have not been getting a next clear step about what? The next conversation, excuse me, the next conversation, the next meeting, the next whatever is supposed to be. And that is one of the reasons why people ghost. So it's like back in the uni days, you're going to go and visit the babe. You know, she's not feeling you or she's not sure why you're visiting her, you know, are you a brother in Christ?

Or is it that you want something else? You know she will, she will, you know, she will start disappearing. You get to the hostel, she will tell her flap me, tell her. I say I had no deal. You know, it's that same kind of thing. It's the same thing, personal dynamics, also the same thing in business. But I want everything is clear. And then people are interested and we know what the next step is. Then that babe can say, oh,

coolie, I bear open the door. I've been expecting him. And then you're making progress because she's interested, she likes you, and you've made the next step clear now, OK, we're going on a date or we're doing this. We're doing now. It's the same thing with business. Is the person interested? You should be having conversations to be sure that you know they're really, really interested. They have a want and then they have a need.

And then you should be securing advancements at every single stage. OK, we've done this stage. Are you happy? The person says yes. You now propose the next step. The next step is we should do this. I'll be how you see them. Then you get some feedback from the person and then you move on. Next step, next step, next step. So so long as the next steps are clear, then the chances that people goes to overall starts to reduce.

And I'm not sure if it's Part 1 or Part 2, but I remember saying, and I'm going to say it again, that nothing works 100% of the time. So please don't listen to this podcast. You go and try to secure one advancement. The thing didn't work. And then you now start saying this thing doesn't work. That's no, nothing was 100% of the time. So try the goal is if before you talk to 20 people and then eighteen goes to you. If you start securing advancements, the goal is from 18 people ghosting you, maybe 16

ghost you. And then next time we're trying to bring it down, maybe 10 people are now ghosting you. You know, reducing, reducing, reducing, or rather look at it the other way. You talk to 20 people, you able to secure meetings with two. If you start using the strategy that I'm teaching you of securing advancements, you know, hopefully it will go from 2:00 to 4:00 meetings, from 4 to 6, from 6 to 8. So that's how you should look at it.

No more and try it once. And then the thing fails and then you say the thing does not work because nothing in life is 100% guaranteed. Oh, by the way, there's going to be lots of noise in the background because I'm out and about. I have some bronze in town and so it took me to NAV Valley Estate. So I have a few minutes. So I said let me just let me just make this recording before I have to move on. So any essentially that's what Part 3 is going to be about today.

We'll continue from where we spoke about because you remember yesterday I had to run off in a hurry. So I'm here now today to look at that last leg. Oh, sorry. There's one massive trailer driving by. It's a good thing I told you guys that there will be interruptions in the background. So I just let that car pass before I continue. OK, Now I don't know why we allow these massive trailers to keep driving through residential areas in Abuja and in Lagos now.

I mean, surely this can't be a good idea. No wonder roads keep getting destroyed and things like that. And then plus these things are pollution hazards, you know, plenty of smoke and all that. So hey, what was I now? Yeah, so I think yesterday, Part 2, what I said was this, that I was going to come back and then we're going to look at, I was going to guess I was going to freestyle because The thing is I've not had, I've not sat down with the real estate professional now to agree on this course of action.

So, you know, beware. But I have had lots of sessions where I'm talking to real estate professionals in groups. You know, the most famous one being when I spoke for was at Kairos Cairos HOF or Cairos something that's the real estate firm in Abuja that you know, the band supposedly is one of the major partners in one of the major investors in. So I think my session with Cairos must have been maybe like 3 years ago. That was the biggest event that I had that's real estate wise because you know, they, they have a fairly big, OK, well let me not say big sales team.

I think they have maybe like 15/15/20 people. So yes, I've not sat down to come up with this course of action with one particular real estate professional. But in principle, you know, this approach has been agreed to when I'm talking to groups of real estate professionals, whether as you know, 15 or whether it's 22 or whether it's 33. So every business now has or every product has something called all, I call it thinking.

So I can't remember what it's called. I think it's called the buying cycle. I think it's called the buying cycle. Go and do some research and check. So every single thing has like a buying cycle. Buying cycle just means that there seems to be a standard group of activities or thought processes that people go through before they buy. So let's say now, OK, I've been talking about this car that is very sweet car, Tesla, Tesla cyber truck.

Because brothers and sisters, if you have not seen this thing, this car is mad and I've been seeing it in Abuja. The car is mad. It's a bastard car. Like the thing it, it really does look like a truck. It looks like a sci-fi thing. The angles are mad, You know, keyless entry electric car, zero to 100 kilometers in I don't know how many seconds. The car is just a beast. The car is mad. So my people say that because you don't have money doesn't mean you can't look.

So of course I've been looking and you know, it's as if that car is like 175 to 200 M that's million naira. That's how much it can cost 200 M By the way, even if I had that cash and I went to go and buy cyber truck for 200 M, my wife would cost me, if she would cost me, she would say that was my, that the money you're making is, is is making you lose some sense. So even if I have the cash, I can't go and buy, I can't go and buy Tesla cyber truck.

But our car is mad. I would like, that's a fine car, very fine car. So if you're in Abuja, yeah, check Instagram, go to some car dealers. Just go and look at it, you know, just just to see what the possibilities are like just go and salivate like I'm doing. So that was a bicycle. So people go through. In fact, that's a perfect example now. So Cybertrop now, first of all, the thing would choke my eye. Then I'll start looking on Instagram, looking on Instagram.

Then maybe I'll now go to one location, maybe like Sergei Mota in Abuja. OK, no, not Sergei Mota is one of his guys. What's the guy's name again? Somebody Lexus. Is it Kunle Lexus or something? And what the guy does is he, he remodels cars. Abuja has a crazy car culture. I only discovered that this year. But boys are just wasting money in this, in this city. I don't like they're just wasting money left, right and center.

I used to hear it before, like just was only now that I'm seeing it. So you go there, you see a physical 1, you know, you look at it, you know, things like that. So you can see that whether he's buying cars or whether he's buying real estate, people go through certain cycles, they go through certain stages, they go through certain thought processes before somebody would say, Oh yeah, I'm ready, take my 100 M, give me plot of land or take my 200 M, give me Cybertruck.

So in real estate now me, I'm guessing you real estate professionals, you'll correct me just in case I'm wrong. So my guess is this people go through like a planning and research stage, then people go through a property identification stage. You know, that's where they start looking at houses or land 111 single single. This is no more fury property identification stage, an inspection stage, then critical due diligence.

That is where people start looking at title. Who is the owner of the land? Is this seat of all? Is it customary right of occupancy? Is it this is it, this is it that you know, things like that. Then the final stage will now be transaction and closing. You know, come to the office, you know, have a glass of wine, sign documents, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and all of that. The final step, So I repeat, this is my assumption.

Real estate professionals. If I'm not correct, I give my phone number at the beginning and at the end. Oh, I didn't give my phone number this time. Yeah. If you'd love to connect with me, my name is Tavish Mahade. I'm the host of the podcast. The number is 08064662140. Call, send me a text message or send me a WhatsApp message. I'll also give the number at the end of the episode. So if you're driving, you know, don't worry.

Bye. By the time you get to the end, you know, unpack your car will probably be the end. So you can write things down. So if I'm wrong, real estate professionals send me a message and tell me that Mister Tav, you know, you actually are wrong. So I'm assuming that the typical buying cycle for real estate professionals is #1 planning and research. You know, you start thinking, is it Maitama? Is it Guzapi? Is it Lucky Phase 2?

Lucky phase 4, Is it Banana Island, is it Echo Atlantic, you know all those sorts of things and then you start talking to one or two people. Then property identification, that is when you have gone beyond is it a good idea? Now they think it's a good idea. Now you're talking to two or three Realtors and then you start fixing that meeting that oh, OK, let's go to Banana Island Monday, 8:00 AM. You look at it, say I don't like it.

Then you fix another appointment let's go to Echo Atlantic Wednesday, 6:00 PM. So that's the identification, identification and inspection stage, then critical due diligence That's why they'll start asking questions. I like this plot of land, who owns it and it's Lagos State government. How are they passing it out, how are they doing it? What's the offer, what is legal framework because you know, people ask these kinds of questions because you know you're going to go and buy plots of land, you know, hundreds of millions.

Nobody wants to be in that situation where you drop money and then you know, next thing you start hearing or monilly, you know we are the sons of the land or you gave the money to the wrong person or the person who pretended to sell this thing to you. The person is on that EFCC investigation and you know all of that rubbish. So that's a due due diligence. Then transaction and closing. Then after that title perfection, title perfection.

That's in case the title is not too smooth. So for those of you who have had parents passed recently and you know, Popsy or Mumsy had a piece of land, then you have to go to the lawyer and you have to go to the registry, you know, to start processing this paper. So you know what I'm talking about. Those are all those steps. So today what we're talking about is how you do secure investments. From what I've said now, I've spoken about four, maybe 5

distinct stages that people are going to go through. So you as a real estate professional, Lucia, and then also Mr. Jackson, who called in live. So Lucia and Jackson, you know, be paying attention. Now, when you are accompanying people through all these stages, what you are doing is you're asking them questions to learn about them, learn about their wants, learn about their needs, what do they desire? Then you're also trying to answer whatever questions that they have, you know, to move the deal along because it is rare for somebody to just show up today and say, do you have a piece of land in Metama that is worth 500 M?

And then you say yes. And then they say where's your bank account? And they transferred the money. Yes, those sorts of things do happen, but it is extremely rare. So stop hoping on that kind of thing. Would be nice if that kind of thing happens every day, but it doesn't. Typical thing is people will be asking you plenty of questions. You too, Lucia and Jackson Jackson be asking them questions. So and then at the end of each stage, remember these are different stages.

You should be asking questions or making proposals so that you can transition to the next stage, the transition. That is where people start ghosting you. Somebody goes and they see a piece of land, they smile. They say that The thing is OK, in your mind, you feel as if yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They're interested. Yeah. You feel as if you're you're making progress. And then you get sloppy and the guy says, ah, correct.

Nice one, nice one, nice one. You know, we go young. We go young at the com, At the com. Let me talk to wifey, you know, that kind of thing. And then person disappears. You didn't handle the transition well. You didn't agree or as to what the next step is support is going to be. Now that is an advancement and that is part of what I was arguing about in yesterday's episodes. Part 1 and then Part 2. So today's Part 3. So now let us pretend that you are the planning and at the research stage.

So they've asked questions you 2 you're asking about their budget. Why do you want to buy real estate? These are that you try and get a sense of their timelines. And please real estate professionals, you guys don't ask about timelines and it's a Nigerian thing. Nigerians will ask about timelines, but you need to ask, you know, when do you need this for? Is there any specific project that you're planning towards? You know, you need to ask all these questions because it helps you to to pace your, your follow up or follow through.

So timeline is really, really important. You know when now that some of us who come from some industries where timeline is a given, like in the wedding space, you know, the timeline is a given because you know, you just well, you have to know when are you getting married? Have you booked the hall? You know where those kind of questions. But in other fields, since the timeline is not a given, maybe like selling cars, like if I go and look at let's say now I have 200 M cash in my hand and I want to go and buy this Tesla cyber truck.

I can assure you, excuse me, whoever it is that I go and meet and the person has the truck, the Tesla cyber truck, I can assure you there is no car dealer in Abuja who's going to come out and ask me straight up that OK, cool. Yeah, you like the car, You seem interested. Nobody's going to come out and ask me some simple questions like OK, this is going to be a cash outright purchase or are you considering financing? None of them will ask because nobody wants to be too pushy.

Then none of them is also going to ask. So how soon would you like to take delivery of this vehicle? Nobody will ask, but these are OK questions to ask people. OK, so you're looking at it seems like you're interested. So is this going to be a cash purchase or do you want to explore finance? And yes, financing options are some of you say I'm talking grammar, it doesn't apply. And look, it applies in Nigeria. When I was in secondary school,

my mom has the last SUV my mom she bought when I was secondary school, that's how she bought it. It was car, it was car financing through her own bank and it was Elisa de Motors that she bought you through. So the reason why at least why I don't have Elisa de Motors are still, you know, like that because you know, I'm in Abuja now and I've only seen Eliza de Motors one building, but in Lagos they have a problem presence.

So the reason why Eliza de Motors is big is because they have a well thought out sales process and they're following these things. So they're asking people these questions. OK Madam, you like this car? Is it cash you transferred beam or is it financing or is financing? These are the options that we have available. This is how much you will drop down now. You will drop this one first. You can see that that's an advancement, next step, next step, next stage, next stage.

So that if you're calling to follow up, sorry, follow through. There's a specific thing you're asking. Madame, This is Kunle from Elisa de Motors. You were over at the dealership last week, Wednesday. You said that you were interested in financing on the Soso so and so model. Is that correct? You say yes, OK, I have been able to speak to Accounts manager. If I remember correctly. You say you're with Access Bank. Yes, that's correct.

And we access these and these and these are the options that we have available. Madam, would you like to come over to the office or should I send one of our agents to you so that we can start looking at financing packages? You can say how you're moving the conversation. Small, small, small, small, small. Some of you say what I'm saying is grandma or it doesn't apply to it applies to Niger. There are companies doing it.

It's just that at the level that you're operating at, you haven't seen anybody doing it. So anyway, I bet you nobody's going to ask me when would you like to take delivery of this car or how soon do you want this car or this car that you're buying? Is it for you or for Madam? OK, if it's for Madam, when are you targeting? Are you targeting Christmas? Are you targeting her birthday? Oh, by the way, even if you have 200 MI, don't think you should buy cyber truck for your wife or because I haven't seen any woman that seems to like cyber truck.

But then again, women listening to this podcast right now, if you have 200 M and you want to buy cyber truck for your your boyfriend or your husband, don't buy. First of all, don't buy for your boyfriend. You would be stupid. I'm repeating you would be stupid. If you're buying 200 M gift for somebody who is just boyfriend, you'll be madness. Don't let me hear that, I'll disown you. So for your husband now if you want to buy a sabotage and for him, yeah, sure, no problem.

It's a good idea because we boys guy, that guy is sweet. Go help us. What was I? What I was trying to say basically was there's nobody in Abuja that is going to ask me when do you want to take delivery. So real estate professionals, you need to start asking timeline questions. The person wants to buy a piece of land, OK, Is it because he wants to flip? When does he want to Philip? Does he want to build when he's interested in doing ground breaking ceremony, when he's interested in moving ahead time wise, things like that.

It gives you a sense of how quickly you know you're to to pursue some people because you're talking to someone and based on all the answers the person is giving, it looks like that timeline is in another two years kind of person. You know that you can't take it easy. You can't be cool. Call them in January, call them in March, you know, call them in August, then maybe next year. You cannot pick up the pace. And of course the person who it looks like the person's timeline is 2 months, that's the kind of person that you're close marking them.

You call them first week of February 2 times, maybe third week of February, you know, 2 times, then you know, you pick up the pace with those kind of people. So back to where I was so planning and research stage. So you guys are having those questions what their intentions, their budgets, their interests, you know, their timelines. Then if it looks like the meeting goes well, that is where you guys drop the ball. You ask them, are you still interested in moving ahead?

You ask for feedback, you know, like that. For those who say yes, you now propose the next step, which is let us schedule a site visit so we can show you some of the inventory that we have at so, so, so and so real estate and then keep quiet. And then you hear some people will say yes. In that case, you have an advancement. Good. When you're calling the person now, especially since the person has agreed in the past, the person is more likely to pick your call because they agreed that this is the next step.

Even if they don't pick the call, but then they see your text message. They're polite human beings. They will now respond, that's sorry, Agatha, I was out of town. I had to go and attend my uncle's burial. Please give me, you know, three weeks, let me get out myself or they will respond because you had an advancement. But if you finished the first meeting, you didn't ask them whether they're interested because some people are interested.

Some people are just curious. You ask so that the person who just goes to say, I know my wife was saying that, you know, one day we should invest in real estate and you know, I think it's a good idea. So I just say, let me come in and talk to you. People ask by people are real estate professionals and you're in the estate. That kind of person who has already used his own mouth to say it was just curious. That's not the kind of person that you start calling twice a day or twice a week.

I don't think you even call him twice a month. I think you call him every other month, but maybe you collect his e-mail address. Maybe you put him in your WhatsApp, you know, listed at least his same broadcast, you know, properties available, different finance options that you have. Let's see what else new developments coming up, you know, all those sorts of things. So ask, are they interested? Then propose the next step, that is the advancement.

Would you like us to go and start looking at inventory that we have on ground? We have 5 plots available in Maitama that seem to match your description. How soon would you like to see them? You can see you're proposing a next step. You're proposing an advancement. That is how we move things forward, step by step by step. Too many of you are not making that transition smooth. The transition is awkward. If you don't even try and transition at all, you assume that they themselves make the transition.

Transition by themselves. How? It doesn't work that way. You are the professional. You're the one that is leading the thing forward. That is how you're going to make progress. That is how you move. So you agree on a site visit, then you try and narrow it down. OK, no problem. For the second week of March, my calendar is available all through, so long as we make it between 8:00 and 12:00 in the afternoon. You know, Chief does not work for you and then hear what he has to say and then you narrow it down.

You get a specific time and then you're offered races. So when you are calling to remind him when you're calling now you're following through. It's not a nonsense call. It's not an anyhow anyhow call. It's not a boss. I just say I agree to your call. It is not a boss. I just you know, I was just thinking, you know how far I've not heard from you kind of called. There's something specific to discuss. Boss does not answer.

You drop a text message, Brussel respond. You can move it forward like that. Like that? Like that. If he's not going to be able to make it, he will tell you. Oh, I'm sorry, I totally forgot. We agreed. Friday for 12:00 PM. Can we reschedule? You see, the conversation is moving forward. So where was I? So you're done with research now? We're now transitioning to the next stage. What? You propose these site visit. Now after site visit, of course you ask questions.

This one, did you like it? What do you think? And what of Madame? What do you think Madame will think? You know, all those kinds of questions, but eventually you have to get to the point where you know, you ask the person you know, is this cool? Are you interested in this? Are we considering this? If you don't want to be too hard to close that maybe what you can do is just OK with you. You know what, we've looked at 3

so far. You are smiling at this one. And he smiled at the last one. So can I just Asterix these two properties so that we'll discuss them later? You can see that it's still something you've Asterix 2 properties that we'll discuss later. We'll come to the office and then we'll discuss. So eventually when we're done with the office and we'll do the discussing stage and then everything, you know, what's the next step? You know, you real estate professionals go and talk to your senior colleagues.

Your senior colleagues will tell you this is how you're supposed to structure it by the time you're finishing one stage, propose the next stage, secure an advancement. So what's the next step? Is it sign letter of intent? I know that's another thing. I don't know if they do it here in Niger or is it OK, you're interested in this. The next thing is we're going to start investigating title. So to do that, do you want to engage your own lawyer or do you want to use our own services?

You know, what information will your lawyer need? You know, blah, blah, blah, but shower moving this thing forward. What is the next step? In fact, that should be the take away for today's episode. Real estate professionals, any professional listening to this thing right now, as you're talking with somebody and you people are having fun and you people looks like you're making progress, looks like you're feeling them, they're feeling you.

At the back of your mind, you should always be asking yourself, OK, by the time this conversation finishes, what is the next step? Once you have that answer in your head as the meeting is rounding down, you propose the next step. Then seek for feedback, get them to agree or to disagree. If they disagree, it means that we have missed something in the earlier steps, you know, So we'll do that. You know, that's another podcast episode.

But if they agree, good. Your chances of being locked in a follow up for follow up sake game will go down because the person will see your missed call. Please send a message. Person will see your message and then they'll remember. Oh, it's true. Me and Lucia, me and Jackson, me and Agatha, me and Chukunyangyam were actually supposed to do this next thing, but I forgot and they will get back to you. So summary Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

The answer to Lucia's question. Is it OK to call twice in a day in real estate? No, don't call twice in a day except if it's an emergency. It could be an emergency. Like, oh, OK, sorry, now I'm blowing up your phone. We actually need to move to social. And so stage the papers now and governor's office, the above to sign C of oh, we need this and this and this and this information. Now it's an emergency. You're not being depressed.

In fact, they will even tell you thank you for blowing up their phone because it's an emergency. So don't come back twice in a day. So Lucia, that's the answer to your question. Space it out if you're going to be quick because you're anxious and twice a week, I can condone twice a week in your own situation. Well, of course, you know, it depends. It depends who is the person, at what stage are the conversations, all those sorts of things.

But most importantly, make sure you have a good reason to call. The only way that you have a good reason to call is if you secured an advancement. If you didn't secure an advancement, I can assure you a lot of the time you're going to end up being ghosted and people ignoring you and things like that. You can't move the conversation forward. So these are the dynamics that we also be paying attention to. And I'm sorry that when you guys ask what you think is a simple question, I don't give you a simple answer.

But honestly, sales is a system. It's like you're building a house. The foundation has to be sure, then the decking has to be sure, then the pillars has to be sure, then the roofing has to be sure. You know, like everything it builds, then you have one good solid house. It's the same thing with sales. So we need to make sure that every single stage is sure, the foundation is correct, is strong, is sure. So that's the reason why I don't give you simple answers to these simple questions because sometimes the reason why you are hooking at this stage is because there was something you're supposed to have done at the last stage that you did not do.

And even if you don't like my long answers, please beware of anybody who gives you a magic pill answer in sales. That person is just winding you. You'll collect your money and you'll be on your own because when you hook, you will now not know which way to move forward or to move backwards. There is no magic pill answer in sales. So anybody who is telling you dress this way to close more deals, say this magic phrase to 10X your pipeline or to 10X your close rates, ignore those people, please.

It's not as if those things don't work. They could work. But because the person is not teaching me a larger system, If you're making progress, you don't know why. If you hook, you don't know how to untangle yourself. All right, anyway, let me stop here because, yeah, I'd like to make one anyway. Let me just stop here. So that's it. And that's all for today. Remember, if you'd love to connect, my name is Tavishima Ayede.

I'm your host. You can call, send me a text message or WhatsApp message on 08064662140. Yeah, that's it. And also subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple, any podcast player that you like. And remember in your feed, we have over 1200 resources. So keep listening, keep on applying. And yeah, sure, please reach out. So yeah, that's it. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and I will catch you guys some other time.