Most Agents Are NOT Ready for What’s Coming on August 17th

by Steve Shull

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

On August 17th, change is coming.

Nobody knows what it will look like.

But make no mistake…

CHANGE. IS. COMING.

Every agent working with a buyer will be required to get an agreement signed. As part of that, you have to specify your fee for working with a buyer.

For most agents, both the agreement itself and the conversation around it are new…and they haven’t given it NEARLY enough thought. They have not been practicing how to talk to buyers about this. 

All the training being offered around this is focused on one thing: how to convince a buyer to work with you. How to articulate your value so they’ll see the benefit of signing the agreement and paying you.

At Performance Coaching, we see things VERY differently.

A client pays your fee for one of two reasons.

1) You’re a trust advisor and they’re paying for trust…

OR

2) You’re a commodity, and they’re paying for a promise you make.

The more you focus on articulating your value, the more you position yourself as a commodity. 

That’s a BIG problem. When the client is paying for a promise, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll have to over-promise to get their business. Why?

Because there’s ALWAYS someone else who’s willing to promise more for less.

So you over-promise to win over someone who is skeptical of your value and reluctant to pay for your services. They have no loyalty to you and are ready to fire you for the slightest inadequacy. They don’t trust you to deliver, so they’re constantly on your back.

And guess what? Because you over-promised, you probably WILL under-deliver…which means the client has a negative experience (even if a deal goes through) and will not do business with you again or refer anyone to you.

This is the treadmill to nowhere I’m always talking about! 😓

You have to pedal harder and harder to make less and less.

This is why I NEVER coach you to get better at articulating your value. Your problem isn’t that you’re not good at it—it’s that you’re doing it AT ALL.

Trusted advisors don’t waste those initial interactions articulating their value to a prospective client.

They start BUILDING TRUST. 

Whether a prospective client is a buyer or a seller, this is their number one goal.

So what builds trust?

Listening to what the prospective client has to say.

Inviting them to fully express their hopes, dreams, fears, and concerns.

Demonstrating that you understand what they’re thinking and feeling.

Identifying whether you’re the Favorite or the Fool. 

Speaking openly and directly about your standards and your fee.

THIS is the kind of conversation that builds a repeat and referral business…and the reality is, most agents have no idea how to do this.

So you have to look in the mirror and ask: what is your business model? 🤔

Are you a trusted advisor building a repeat and referral business?

Or are you a commodity?

The most crucial difference between the two comes down to one skill…

Tactical Empathy.

This is why Tactical Empathy is one of the 6 Building Blocks we teach—the only 6 things you need to succeed in this business. It gives you the skills to have every hard conversation you can possibly have in real estate.

And make no mistake, come August 17th, every agent is going to be facing some HARD conversations.

Everyone knew this was coming, but most people stuck their heads in the sand. Now they’re panicking because all they can think about is what might go wrong—how they might lose business or take a pay cut they REALLY can’t afford.

The truth is, this change can be a career killer…OR a huge opportunity.

This change is putting a big flashlight on your value as an agent—do you have any or not?

Trusted advisors have real value. People are willing to pay well for trust, competence, and honesty.

When you’re a commodity, there’s ALWAYS someone offering a better deal…and once you go down that rabbit hole, it’s pretty hard to get out.

The one thing that will determine which side you fall on is SKILL. 🎯

More specifically, your skill at having tough conversations in a way that makes people feel understood.

For skilled agents, this moment is a real opportunity to get a pay raise and increase your business

That’s not hype—that’s real. Skill matters. It’s the difference between getting your full fee or not.

This is why you’ve got to study up on Tactical Empathy.

📖 Read our Empathy First newsletter (which is already in your inbox every Friday).

📖 Read Never Split the Difference. 

📖 Read The Full Fee Agent.

📞 Join us in the Daily Accountability Calls—we’re role playing Tactical Empathy conversations every single day.

You have to understand…being a trusted advisor changes EVERYTHING.

It alters the whole dynamic of how you do business and who you do business with.

When you’re a trusted advisor, you don’t have to articulate your value because the client already understands and appreciates your value.

You don’t have to sell yourself—you just have to BE yourself.

But until you make this shift, you’re going to experience a tremendous amount of pain and suffering.

So WAKE UP!

Change is coming. How it will unfold, nobody knows. It’s a very fluid situation.

But by tuning into Performance Coaching, you’re going to get the best coaching possible to help you navigate whatever is coming next.

What you’re NOT going to get is the same drivel about articulating your value and convincing people to do what you want them to—which is a complete waste of time, effort, and energy.

Your career is on the line right now.

I know that’s a big statement, and I make it on purpose because I want to get your attention.

I’ll say it again: what’s happening now is either going to be a great opportunity or a career killer.

The choice is yours.