Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/532854
JULY 2015 24 THE JOURNAL Seven Success Habits of Top New Home Sales Professionals BY SCOTT STROUD MARKETING CONSULTANT If you do a Google search for "Success Habits" you'll get a return of 141 million re- sults. It seems everyone wants to talk about the daily habits of successful people. Many people might think of Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, an excellent book and one that has helped numerous professionals, myself in- cluded, keep a proper perspective to their ca- reer. But, in working with sales and marketing professionals on a daily basis, the late Roger Fiehn observed that there are 7 key habits that are nearly universal for top new home salespeo- ple. These habits allow the top 2% to earn fan- tastic incomes and, more importantly, to enjoy a caliber of life that brings them satisfaction and personal fulfillment. In a BuilderRadio interview before his death, Roger shared these 6 Habits with me. Have you developed these habits? 1. Top Sales Performers Lead a Balanced Life. No question about it: top salespeople work hard. But, they work to live, not live to work. They have a respect for their time with family and personal pursuits, as well as for their own mental and physical health. They feel they owe it to themselves, their families and their em- ployers, to keep this balance and to stay on top of their game. One new home salesperson I know sells an average of $54 million in homes per year, yet spends 6 weeks every year vacationing with family! 2. Top Sales Professionals are Always in Training. Just like professional athletes, sales pros are always pushing themselves, honing their craft and developing their skills. Sure, selling is a competitive arena, but top performers are con- stantly in competition with themselves, striv- ing to beat their personal best. They look for every advantage and opportunity to become better salespeople. They have an insatiable thirst for knowledge. That includes not just their own product, but knowledge of their market and their competi- tion. They also know the value of a customer – that one sale treated properly, can lead to many more. And, they know that for knowledge to be useful, they must develop the skills to put it to use properly. 3. Top Sales Pros are Always Network- ing. The best salespeople are constantly develop- ing long-term relationships, which can become constant lead sources. The best network op- portunities are with good Realtors who appreci- ate the advantages of selling new homes over older homes. Realtors often find new homes easier to sell because of 5 specific factors: • The new home warranty • Faster equity appreciation • Fewer objections (mechanicals, appliances and fixtures are new) • New homes are clean, fresh and a pleasure to show • They are built to accommodate current technologies 4. Top Salespeople Follow a Planned Presentation Process. Great salespeople never 'wing it,' nor do they leave their presentation up to chance. They avidly practice their presenting skills in practice sessions with each other, in front of a mirror, or even, in front of the family dog. The one place they won't practice is, in front of a customer. They follow a planned and practiced presentation designed to build trust and credi- bility, qualify their prospect as to wants and needs, and narrow the selection process down to a 'best choice.' Sales pros know when to stop talking and start closing. As the adage goes,"Samson killed 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. Every day 1,000 sales are killed by the same instrument." The closing phase, if everything else is done right, becomes the easiest part of the sale. Peo- ple make their buying decisions, based on their emotions. Top salespeople design their presen- tations to inspire trust in themselves, their product and the community, and give their customers the confidence they need to move forward. 5. Top Pros Work a Fail-safe Follow-up System. Only 8% of new home sales are made on the first visit. They are religious about keeping in touch with their clients, before, during and after the sale. They know that the fastest and easiest sale to make is from a referral, so they focus on treating their customers in such a way that they earn the right to ask for referrals, and they get them. They also adamantly work their networks for referral sales. Statistics show that: 94% of salespeople never ask for a referral from a buyer or Realtor 87% never effectively follow-up after a sale 83% hesitate to ask for a deposit 6. Top Sales Performers Do What Others Won't To Keep On Selling. When the market is down, sales profession- als step up their activity. You'll find them working when others don't, and consistently making sales. Three top salespeople on Roger's team reported selling their first homes of 2008 on New Years Day! They also take advantage of slower times to engage in re- training (see point #2.) In that way, down- \ 25