The FBI uses a technique to disarm people before a negotiation goes sideways.
It turns out it works just as well across a kitchen island from a skeptical seller.
Today, we're handing it to you word for word.
Here’s what is on this week’s B.I.T.S. agenda:
🏆 [B]est in Class: The hide-and-seek listing videos taking TikTok by storm
💡 [I]deas That Work: The script that wins listings before you pitch
📈 [T]raffic & Attention: 59,000 Zillow views. Zero bedrooms. No apologies.
🔔 [S]eller Signals: $347B in stale listings your seller needs to know about
Let’s dive in 👇
💡[I]DEAS THAT WORK - Exactly what to say to sellers
Say the uncomfortable thing to sellers first
Most agents walk into a listing appointment and open with a pitch.
Track record. Marketing plan. Commission structure.
The seller smiles. Nods. And spends the next hour silently deciding whether they trust you.
FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, alongside 32-year real estate coach Steve Shull, has a different opening move.
They call it the accusations audit. It might be the most disarming thing you can do in the first five minutes of any listing appointment.
The idea: Name every negative thought the seller is already having about you before they have a chance to hold it against you.
The exact script:
"Before I share anything about myself, I want to acknowledge something. You've probably talked to other agents. You may be thinking, 'Here comes another Realtor who'll tell me they're the best.' You might be worried I'll overprice your home just to get the listing, then pressure you for a reduction later. You're probably skeptical about paying a full commission when you've heard about discount options. And you may have had a bad experience with an agent before. Did I miss anything?"
Then stop. Listen.
After they respond: "Before I give you my perspective, let me tell you what I think YOUR perspective is…"
Walk through their situation, their fears, their goals. Don't move forward until you hear the words "That's right."
Why this works
Naming someone's fears doesn't amplify them, it defuses them.
Neuroscience shows that labeling negative emotions reduces activity in the brain's threat-detection center. The seller's guard drops. Not because you charmed them, but because you saw them clearly.
Shull's insight after 60,000+ hours coaching agents: "You can't overcome emotion with fact, logic, and reason."
Every agent who walks in leading with their stats is trying to do exactly that. The accusations audit skips the standoff entirely.
The mini-disarm for bad news mid-listing
The same principle applies when you need to deliver news a seller doesn't want to hear…a slow week, a low offer, a price reduction conversation.
Don't ease into it. Lead with it:
"I have some really bad news and you're going to hate me."
That one line does more to reduce tension than three paragraphs of softening.
It signals honesty. It prepares them emotionally. And it keeps you in the role of trusted advisor rather than reluctant messenger.
Takeaway: The agents sellers trust most aren't the ones who performed best in the pitch. They're the ones who made sellers feel understood before the pitch even started.
Name the fear. Get to "that's right." Then lead.
Tuesday ✅
Every seller walks into a listing appointment carrying a list of things they're afraid to say out loud.
Overpromising. Commission pressure. Being handed off to an assistant.
The agents who name those fears first don't just win the listing, they make the whole conversation easier.
Yesterday: She's hiding in her listings and buyers can't stop watching
Today: Say the uncomfortable thing first
Tomorrow: 59,000 views. Zero bedrooms. No apologies.
Thursday: Your seller is about to read something that'll make them panic.
See you Wednesday,
- Chris Smith and Jimmy Mackin
P.S. The accusations audit builds trust fast at the appointment. Beacon keeps it built throughout the listing.
When sellers get a weekly report showing exactly what you're doing and what the market is saying, the hard mid-listing conversations get a lot easier.