If You Want To Increase Sales…

Selling!

100% Communication

You can’t hide these 2

Our buyers feel what we feel

Manage their attitude

They believe what we believe

Always do what is best for them

They do what we expect

Expect them to participate

Changing The Relationship - Intentions

What do consumers think of salespeople? What do consumers think salespeople care about? What is a salesperson’s unwritten goal or dominant thought every day on their

way to work? Are consumers wrong about salespeople? When the Sales Manager asks a salesperson “How are you doing?”,

what are they really asking? What do salespeople think of homebuyers?

Don’t you think it’s time to change this relationship?

The Sales/Consumer Relationship

Traditional ProcessIt’s all about us and what we do. (poor and selfish)

Traditional Customer Satisfaction Goal

It’s all about their experience, making them happy while they go through the process. (better-but incomplete and short-sighted)

The Making Customers GoalIt’s all about the Customer; their choices, their lifestyle and their finished home. (best long-term result possible!)

Where Is Your Focus?

Intentions

Attitudes

Actions

Your Intentions Revealed

has taught us our job is to sell the next person we talk to has taught us to tell the prospect what we think they want to hear has created mistrust between salespeople and buyers has taught us to count sales as signatures and deposits, not loyal

customers has taught us we learn to sell by closing early and often

If you look like a salesperson, talk like a salesperson and act like a

salesperson, you don’t care about the buyer, only your commission!

Traditional Selling…

finds the next person who wants what we have

focuses on the end result (the finished home)

invites the customer to participate in their own satisfaction

always does what’s best for the customer

changes the way we look at the selling conversation (from pleasing to serving)

improves our listening skills

takes responsibility for what the customer understands

tells the customer what to expect in all circumstances

Making Customers...

Definition - Telling customers what they need to know instead of what they want to hear

Pleasing… is our reaction to avoid conflict and be liked is what we do to get something for ourselves, and often

backfires and sabotages the end result we really want may resolve the issue of the moment, but creates larger

issues for the future

Serving… focuses on doing what’s best for the customer is what we do when we care about the customerProfessionals develop equal parts courage and consideration

Making Customers is Serving not Pleasing

Making a Sale

Making a Customer

Goal – an order, contract, commissionIt’s about me… My product My product knowledge My presentation My commission ‘My deal’About the numbers… how many calls how many appointments how many presentations how many proposals how many contracts

“Keep the funnel full”

Goal – lots of orders, longer term,do what’s best for them

It’s about them……asking the right questions… their wants & needs their budget their concerns their lifestyle their reasons for buyingIt’s about listening… based on their answers, do I have a

product or service they can benefit from?

Conversational Relationship building Long term selfishness!

Why should I buy from you?

Here’s a question…

Best ProductGreat reputation

Knowledgeable

Excellent Customer Service

I’m an experienced professional

We do what we say

We Build Quality

I care about youValue for the

dollar

Lots of options!

allows you to discover what the customer wants and needs allows for open ended questions and dialogue creates listening actively responds appropriately

HELPS YOU DISCOVER WHAT IS ON THE ‘BUYER’S LIST’

Making Customers...

Stop Selling and Start Making Customers

Customers don’t want to be sold – they want help.

(First aligned intention)

Change your intentions (or unwritten goal) to gain respect and trust

Your intention should always be to do what’s best for the customer

Doing what’s best is not always what they want at that moment

but what we know is best for them

Focusing on the customers ownership experience will help you do what’s best

for them

Making Customers Reminders…

Responsible Communication

We aren’t responsible for what we tell the customer

We aren’t responsible for what the customer hears

We aren’t responsible for what the customer signs

We are responsible for what the customer understands!

The Process… When you are at work who do you talk to the most? When you talk to a co-worker who do you talk about? Which customer gets most of your energy and time? Who creates the Company's policies and disclaimers? By default who manages what we believe or our attitude?

Key Questions… As a result, is our attitude ‘customer first’ or defensive? Does this create a positive environment to make a customer?

Attitude Management

The Results… If non-compliant buyers manage your attitude:

You will treat everyone like a non-compliant You will create more non-compliant buyers

Attitude Management

Homebuyer Compliance Ratings

1’s, 2’s & 3’s

4’s, 5’s & 6’s

7’s, 8’s & 9’s 10’s

More Compliant Less Compliant NOT Compliant

1 - 3’s are easy, friendly and give you no trouble Temptation is to make exceptions because they are so nice!

4 - 6’s take work, they are more resistant and not quite as cooperative Temptation is to turn them into a 7, 8 or 9 if you are not patient!

7 - 9’s are tough and resistant, and they will challenge and test you Temptation is to weaken and give in, moving them to a 10

You can make customers of 1 - 9

Only 1 in 10 buyers is a 10

10’s can’t be satisfied by pleasing – have the courage to say “No!”

Don’t make exceptions!

Compliance Characteristics

If you have more than 1 ’10’ out of 10, it might be you!Don’t adjust your selling style to the lowest common denominator

Someone who won’t let you do what’s best for them

They challenge everything

It’s not about their attitude, at first

You can never make a non-compliant happy by pleasing them

They take more of your time

Profits suffer

We need to draw the line and create boundaries – just say “No!”

Defining the Non-Compliant Buyer

The Problem With Exceptions Almost all exceptions (83%) made for buyers turn into customer service complaints, issues, problems and litigation

We make exceptions to please, not serve

We make exceptions for us, not them

We make exceptions because we are making sales and not customers

This can only be changed with a new attitude… What you feel, believe and expect!

Setting Customer Expectations

Does the customer have expectations? When are expectations set? If the customer sets their own expectations can we meet or exceed

them? Who is primarily responsible for setting customer expectations? Expectations need to be set during the new home purchase process

before the homebuyer signs a contract or writes a check. Expectations need to be set before the meets with the Design Center,

Loan Officer, Escrow, Construction, Customer Service or anyone else.

They have to be set to be met!

Setting Expectations Dialogues “You’ll find that you will be as happy with your new home as you

participate in the process. Let me explain…”

“We build personalized homes on a schedule. We can provide you the quality, luxury and personalization at the best value, or the most affordable price, but we must stay on schedule to finish on schedule.”

“Construction is a messy process of managing 40 trades and up to 400 workers to deliver you the finished home you want. You won’t like everything you see, but I want you to relax knowing we manage that process well.”

Managing Homebuyer Perceptions

Customer

Everyone involved with the customer should surroundthem with reinforcingwords, attitudesand actionsthat support the homebuying decision they made for their family!

Managing Homebuyer Perceptions

The Sales Agent and the Home Team (Designers, Construction, Customer Service and Management) are responsible for managing the customers perception of all the people and their processes involved in the home buying experience and homebuilding process.

Each team member is responsible for supporting the other.

It’s everyone’s ongoing job to constantly redirect how the customer feels, what the customer believes and what the customer expects.

Teamwork

Customers are more demanding, have more information available, are more distracted and are more cranky.

People are more demanding, have more information available, are more distracted and are more cranky.

New Home Salespeople, Designers, Lenders, Escrow & office people are more demanding, have more information available, are more distracted and are more cranky.

Teamwork

Do you have a reason for everything you do?Some reasons are well thought outSome reasons are habit – can’t remember the original

‘why’We do things the way we do them because that’s how

they ‘occur’ to us – it’s intuitiveYou see me differently than I see myself

We relate to each from the framework of our own ‘set of facts’ “This is so obvious!” “Why can’t they see it?” “Why can’t they understand…(and do it my way)?”

But everyone has their own ‘set of facts’ Their way is obvious to them They don’t understand why you don’t see it their way

Teamwork

What can we do?Slow down, take a deep breath, pauseAssume the bestGive them the benefit –

o Don’t judge, attack and blameo Don’t condemn and criticizeo Don’t become defensive and overreact – making the situation worse

Realize they have a reason for their action that makes perfect sense to them – be understanding

Tell yourself - “If I knew what they knew, I’d probably do the same thing.”

Initiate positive communication and language

Teamwork

After buyers purchase they shift their focus to TIME and MONEY but maintain their expectations from the point of purchase!

While mortgage, escrow, design all have specific jobs to do, their main goal with the customer is to keep them focused on the goal – their Finished Home!

If the buyer stays focused, it will be easier for them to remain involved in the process

If the buyer stays involved, they will be much happier and satisfied

Focus On The Finished Home

Expectations Set By The Sales Agent Design dollars to budget

Homebuyers never finish their home before they move in

Design center appointments

Cut-off dates

Special requests

Pricing

Time and money

The buyer’s level of satisfaction and happiness is in direct proportion to their involvement in the process.

3 to 4 appointments per day, per Designer, 2 to 4 hours per appointment.

Designer expected to see 180 + homebuyers annually… 50 weeks is 875 appointments.

Focus on the process - final selections, cut-off dates and selling upgrades. Not homebuyer focused, but builder and design center process focused.

This model moves homebuyers through the process. But creates frustrations and low scores for response time, being rushed, not knowing the products (homes) and feeling sold rather than served by a Designer.

Overloading the Designers time sabotages their ability to finish the home, manage the homebuyer’s expectations and satisfy the homebuyers at the highest level.

Flooring Contractor

Two appointments per day…90-100 homeowners annually 500 appointments!

Focus on creating a finished design plan for each homeowner.

Focus on personal attention to each homeowner’s lifestyle and personal preferences to create a home that reflects their personal style.

Focus on setting the Homeowner’s expectations and managing their perceptions.

Focus on explaining the differences between the Homeowner’ choices and their expectations.

Allows each salesperson to work with each homeowner to complete their home or manage their expectation for what they choose to do before they installation. Increases customer satisfaction and sales!

Finished Home Design Center

It is not about options, upgrades or products

It is about a finished design plan. It’s about their Finished Home and their homeownership experience after they move in

Ask and listen - the Designer gets the customer to express their expectations and reaffirm or adjust them before they start the design process! Feel, Believe & Expect!

The Designer then helps the Homebuyer to recognize the value of the finished designs that express their personal taste and lifestyle

The Homebuyer’s expectations of each product selected in their design plan are clarified by the Designer

Homebuyer’s choices (selections) vs. their expectations

Finished Home Design

1. Serve, don’t please - always do what’s best for the Homebuyer

2. Practice responsible communication

3. Don’t let non-compliant homebuyers manage your attitude

4. Set expectations before they go to contract

5. Don’t make exceptions - you can’t be all things to all people

6. Homebuyers will be as happy as they participate in the process

7. Keep homebuyers focused on their finished home, not time and money

Seven Secrets of Making Customers

To assist you, not tell you

To help you, not sell you

To care more about what you get

Rather than what’s in it for me

To always do what’s best for you

By Mike Moore

Sales Professionals Promise