Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/205269
SALES MANAGEMENT Closing Up Front Part 3 BY GRAYSON SCHWEPFINGER In last two articles I explained how to get the prospect into the office and how, and why, to do the Interview step. The Interview step is really a three-part process. 1. Telling a company story. 2. Asking the Interview questions. 3. Identifying how much they are able and willing to pay by using a Lender Investment Form. In this article we will discuss why it is critically important to tell your company's story before any sales questions are asked. When I first started selling in this industry I was puzzled why the prospect had to visit, on average, 9 to 10 locations before they were ready to buy. This was particularly puzzling since I don't believe people enjoy shopping for something they don't really understand. I think they would just as soon buy something and get it over with. In order to resolve this puzzle I interviewed a number of people who had bought a manufactured home and asked them what happened to their thinking that allowed them to buy when they did that wasn't present when they started looking. My thinking was if I could identify what it was perhaps I could accomplish this sooner and sell the home quicker. I kept hearing the same answer over, and over, "I became comfortable with buying." My next question was what did you have to become comfortable with? There were four things on everybody's list: 1. They wanted to deal with a stable company. They wanted to be sure the company they bought from was going to be around at least the length of the warranty, hopefully longer. 2. They wanted to buy a quality built home. They wanted to be assured the home would provide them with relativity trouble free shelter for their family. 3. They wanted the home to comfortably fit a price that they were both able and willing to pay. 4. They wanted to be positive the company had a service department, or access to an indeNOVEMBER 2013 20 THE JOURNAL pendent service department, that would provide service in a timely manner should it be needed. Until they became comfortable with these four things they were not going to convert themselves from a looker into a buyer. Once I identified this I decided to address this problem up front in the Interview step for two reasons. First I thought it would give the prospect a chance to relax in the Interview step before I started asking questions. Second I wanted to get these concerns regarding my company answered and safely behind them. I have found that since the human brain can only think of one thing at a time the more concerns you successfully answer in the Interview step the more they pay attention to you in the demo step. Then I found that doing a company story up front performed a critically important step. It changed the way the prospect viewed me. By giving a well scripted, well presented, company story you stopped being the salesperson they feared and you became the professional home consultant they were looking for! Before we go any further let's quickly review the goal of doing an Interview up front. The goal of the Interview is to accurately identify what is the least we must give the prospect in both home and lifestyle and still have them ecstatic. The key word from a company story presentation point of view is to get accurate information. In our culture it is perfectly all right to lie to a salesperson. After all they lie to you so it is OK to lie to them. Prospects are a lot less likely to lie to a professional consultant that they think can help them rather than take advantage of them. Why does the Real Estate industry require long terms of apprenticeship and tests that take hours to complete to become a Broker? To gain creditability! They even changed the language. You never hear a Real Estate salesperson call themselves a salesperson. Rather it is Agent or Broker. They figured out years ago they had to distance themselves from being salespeople if they wanted the trust and cooperation of the prospect. We don't have the creditability of the Real Estate industry, which is why it is critical that you do the company story before you ask any sales questions and risk being lied to because you are still being viewed as a salesperson. In last month's article the second thing we told the prospect, in the intro to the Interview step was, "First, I would like to tell you a little about our company and what we think we have to offer your family." Once you get permission to do the Interview by using this introduction you can lead into the company story by simply telling them, "Fine, our clients tell us regardless of where you decide to invest in a home there are four things you should be concerned about. "Number one, are you dealing with a reliable, stable company that will be around in the future should you need them? Second, do they have proven products that will give you and your family years of trouble-free use? Third, do they have a service department willing and able to provide you service in a timely manner? And last, are their financing programs flexible enough to meet your family's needs? Let's take what we have to offer in these areas one at a time, shall we?" I can't give you a company story in these articles since each story is different. You have to do this. Until next month – GOOD SELLING! T J Mr. Schwepfinger is a nationally known speaker and member of the manufactured housing Hall of Fame. He specializes in sales and sales management training and can be reached for comments or more information at his e-mail schwep1@aol.com or his phone 610 533 4969. And his Website – graysonschwepfinger.com.