Tenant Rep Cold Call Script
KW Commercial / Easy Spaces · Jason · Phoenix Metro · April 2026
“Hi, this is [Your Name], I’m a commercial real estate broker with [Your Company] here in the [City] area. I’m reaching out to a handful of business owners in [area/building] whose leases may be coming up in the next year or two. [pause] Do you have 60 seconds? I have one question that might actually save you some real money.”
Keep it under 20 seconds. The “one question” hook almost always gets a yes.
“Are you open to the idea that your current landlord may not be giving you the best deal available in this market right now for your business?”
Wait. Let them talk. Their answer tells you everything about how to proceed.
“Hi, I’m [Your Name], with [Your Company]. I’m a commercial real estate broker, I work specifically with business tenants on lease strategy. I’m reaching out to business owners in [area] whose leases may be coming up in the next year or two. [pause] I have a quick question for whoever handles the lease or real estate decisions, who would that be?”
Don’t pitch the gatekeeper. Get the name and direct line.
“Is [name] available for a quick 3 minute call today, or is there a better time to reach them directly? I promise it’s quick, I just want to ask them one or two questions about their current lease.”
“Totally fair question. We’re a tenant rep firm, we work for the tenant, not the landlord — and I help business owners review their current lease to make sure they’re getting market-rate terms before their renewal window closes. It’s a free service. I just want to make sure [owner name] knows their options before their landlord does.”
That last line — “before their landlord does” — usually gets you transferred or a callback.
“Great — help me understand where you’re at. When does your current lease expire, roughly?”
Listen. If they don’t know offhand, that’s your hook — offer the lease abstract right there.
“And are you generally satisfied with the space — size, location, layout — or are there things that aren’t really working for your team anymore like hybrid work?” [pause, let them talk]
“Has your landlord reached out yet about renewal terms?” [if yes, ask what they offered]
“When you signed this lease, did you have a tenant rep broker on your side, or did you negotiate directly with the landlord?”
“How certain are you that navigating renewal without representation is actually going to save you money?”
The last question plants the key seed without confrontation.
“That’s actually really common — most business owners are running their business, not studying their lease. That’s exactly why I do free lease abstracts. I can pull the critical terms out of your lease — expiration date, renewal options, rent escalations, termination clauses — and put it in a one-page summary so you actually know what you signed. Would that be useful to you?”
This is your lowest-friction offer. Almost nobody says no to a free lease review.
“Here’s something most tenants don’t realize until it’s too late: your landlord’s broker is paid by the landlord to get the highest rent, the shortest tenant improvement allowance, and the most favorable terms for the building — not you. The first offer you receive is almost never the best one. That’s where I come in — I work exclusively for you, and I don’t cost you anything.”
“The way I add value is by creating competition for your tenancy. When your landlord knows you have representation and you’re actively looking at alternatives, their offer gets a lot more interesting. I’ve seen free rent periods, tenant improvement dollars, and rate reductions that tenants going it alone never get — because landlords know unrepresented tenants usually just renew.”
“There are really two types of business owners in this market right now — those who use their lease expiration as leverage to get a stronger deal, and those who wait until the last minute and take whatever the landlord offers. Of those two, which sounds more like how you run your business?”
Most owners will say the first. That’s your yes.
“As I see it, you have three paths here: stay put and renew direct with your current landlord, explore alternative spaces in the market to create leverage, or let me run a full market analysis and lease review on your behalf so you know exactly what you’re walking into. Of those three, which feels most relevant to where you are right now?”
Giving them control of the choice makes it easier to say yes to the third option.
“What I’d like to do is pull a free lease abstract for you — basically a one-page summary of your most important lease terms. No cost, no commitment. It takes me about 24 hours once I have the lease. Would you be open to emailing me your current lease so I can put that together for you this week?”
Lowest-friction close. Starts a relationship, gets you the document, and gives you a follow-up reason.
“If I can show you in 15 minutes how tenant representation works and how I’ve helped other Phoenix-area businesses get stronger lease terms — would you be open to a quick call this week? I’m not asking you to commit to anything. I just want to make sure you have the right information before your renewal window starts closing.”
“What I can do at no cost is run a market analysis for your current submarket — comparable lease rates, concession trends, what other tenants in buildings like yours are getting right now. That gives you a real benchmark before you ever sit down with your landlord. Want me to put that together and walk you through it over a 15-minute call?”
“What happens next is simple — I’ll send you a quick email confirming what we discussed, and then [specific next step: call / abstract / analysis]. What works better for you this week — morning or afternoon?”
“What happens next is…” assumes forward momentum without pressure.
“That’s actually the best time to talk — you have leverage right now that you won’t have when your lease is up. I’m not here to move you. I’m here to make sure your landlord knows you have options, which usually results in a much stronger renewal offer. How certain are you that your current rate is still market rate after everything that’s shifted in the [Your City] office market in the last couple of years?”
“That’s great — are they representing you specifically, or are they the broker on the building? I ask because a lot of tenants don’t realize that the broker who showed them the space is actually on the landlord’s side of the table. Is it a signed tenant rep agreement? Meaning they represent you.”
If they’re not sure, that’s your opening. If they genuinely have a tenant rep, thank them and ask for a referral.
“Totally understand — I promise I won’t take more than 60 seconds right now. I just want to ask a few quick questions about your lease, and if it’s not relevant, I’ll let you go. When does your current lease expire?”
If they answer the question, you’re back in the call. If truly busy, ask for a specific callback time.
“I respect that — and honestly, a lot of the business owners I work with felt the same way before we talked. Let me ask you this: would you feel comfortable representing yourself in court against an attorney who does this every day? Your landlord’s broker negotiates commercial leases daily. You do it once every three to ten years. I’m not saying you can’t handle it — I’m just saying the playing field isn’t even, and I even it out at no cost to you. I am in your corner.”
“That’s exactly why I’m calling now. The best time to start this conversation is 12 to 24 months out — not 90 days out when you’re under pressure. The earlier I’m involved, the more leverage you have and the more options you have. I’m not asking for a commitment — I’d just like to do a free lease abstract so you know what you’re working with. Sound fair?”
“Nothing. My fee is paid by the landlord out of the leasing commission — the same commission they’d pay their own broker. You get professional representation at no additional cost to you. The only question is whether that commission goes to someone working for you, or someone working for them.”
“What makes you say that?” [pause — let them talk]
The single most powerful objection response. Gets them talking and gives you something real to work with.
Only introduce Easy Spaces if: (1) the conversation is going well and they mention a pending move or new space, or (2) they ask what else you do. Don’t lead with it.
Mentioning it too early dilutes your tenant rep positioning. Let the CRE conversation do the work first.
“One other thing — and this isn’t why I called, just something that’s helped a lot of my clients when they do end up moving: we also offer a furniture subscription service called Easy Spaces. Instead of writing a $15,000 check for office furniture the day you move in, it’s a monthly subscription starting around $379 — includes everything, space planning, furniture, installation aligned to your lease term. A lot of tenants love it because it keeps cash in the business during the transition. Something to keep in your back pocket if the timing ever makes sense.”
Keep it light. One sentence on the problem, one on the solution, one on the benefit. Then get back to the lease conversation.
“It’s basically a full-service office furniture rental — we do space planning, delivery, and installation, and at the end of the lease we take it all back. No depreciation, no storage problems, no trying to sell used furniture when you move. It scales with your headcount and aligns perfectly to whatever lease term we negotiate for you. I can shoot you a link if you want to see how it works.”
