Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Before you read this blog, go to the end of the blog. See the “comment” icon? The purpose of a blog is that readers can interact with the text. PLEASE COMMENT! I’ve been doing the blog format for a couple of months and no one is commenting. It’s starting to hurt my feelings! OK…on with the blog…
BE A BOY SCOUT SALESPERSON
I can’t believe the Hurricane season is here again. The first named storm of the year, Alberto, crossed over Florida last week. Since the devastation two years ago, storm season brings up a lot of bad memories and uneasy feelings. The only thing you can do is be prepared. In preparation my husband and I reviewed our storm supplies:
- Generator
- Chain saw
- Blue tarp
- Large electric fan
- Gas cans with gas
- Full propane tank
- Flashlights with batteries
- Weather radio
- Bottled water and canned foods
We have everything and feel as prepared as possible. That’s all we can do!
As the real estate market continues to correct and level, are you prepared? Are your sales tools sharp? Are you up to speed on the latest sales techniques?
The “self-sell” market is over. Prospects and investors aren’t going to sell themselves. You will have to sell them! Imagine that!
Update your sales skills:
- Ask more questions. The era of feature dumping and handing out brochures is over. Ask about key areas like moving timeframe, household size, layout preferences and moving motivation.
- Increase your follow up. Get your pen out and start writing thank-you notes again. Pick up the phone and dial for dollars. Write emails and follow up with additional information. Selling in this market requires aggressive follow up just shy of “restraining order” follow up.
- Self-generate traffic. On slow days during the week get out and visit Realtor offices. Write an eNewsletter for your community and send a blast to your prospect list. Go to the local Chamber of Commerce and network. WOW salespeople don’t wait for traffic to come to them. They self-prospect and generate traffic.
- Always ask for the sale. Make the commitment today that no one leaves your office without defining the next step of the buying process. Remember, closing is more than asking for the order. You can also close for a home site reservation or a firm future appointment. Don’t fall into the trap of prepping the buyer for another salesperson to close because you didn’t ask the question. You worked too hard to let the competition get the sale.
So the easy times might be over. But its still a glass “half-full” market. There are plenty of buyers out there. Just think like a Boy Scout – Be Prepared!
