Monday, October 17, 2011

Blue M & M's & Betenbough Homes



Many times in life, it is the little things that make a big difference. We have the good fortune to work with wonderful sales teams from all across the world on a regular basis. We are very grateful for this opportunity to help improve lives by teaching proven techniques and processes that will increase sales, and also enrich the lives of those that work hard to implement them.

Earlier this year I returned from a sales training visit with Betenbough Homes in Lubbock Texas. My flight was cancelled due to an incoming blizzard, so I jumped on a plane to a different airport, rented a car and drove two hours in a snow storm getting in after 1 AM, for training that began that day at 8:30 AM.

When Troy, the Director of Sales asked if I had any specific needs, channeling my best Rock Star response, I joked that the room must never exceed 70 degrees, and that I must have only blue M & M’s!

A few weeks later I was shocked to receive in the mail an old fashioned gumball machine loaded with Blue M & M’s, each one inscribed with sayings from the class such as “Take the Shot” and “Ask for the Sale”, and “Coach Roland”. Along with a handwritten note thanking me for the extra effort in making it to the class.

How do you think I felt? Exactly, very special and truly grateful that this team led so ably, by Troy, Kerry and Ron had taken the time to express their gratitude, especially in such a unique and meaningful way. There is no coincidence that this team has an average closing ratio of approximately 1 sale per 4 customers!

Let me ask, how are you showing gratitude to your customers, co-workers and people in your daily life? As I like to say “Gratitude is my favorite Attitude”, in sales it’s the only one that counts! Not only is going above and beyond appropriate in sales to help earn extra sales, and many more referrals, it is also the right thing to do, and will reap wonderful unexpected rewards.
The Ritz Carlton Franchise has the motto “Ladies and gentleman serving Ladies and Gentleman”. Are you rolling out the red carpet for your customers or is it a torn piece of vinyl?

We have discussed before treating your opportunity to sell brand new homes as a Franchise Opportunity.

If you would like our Free Self Evaluation Franchise test, please email to me at:

Roland@newhomespecialist.com

In the sales process in order to run your franchise successfully, you have to be “Interested not Interesting”. Here are four quick tips on how to accomplish that.


OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS
Ask Open ended questions. These are the ones that begin with How, What, When Where, Who, Tell me and Share with me. Get the customers talking and they are happy. When at a loss for what to say next, don’t worry about your next witty, charming and insightful retort, instead simply say:

“Tell me more about that.”

You’ll learn so much more this way, than by trying to dominate the conversation.

LISTEN
What did I say? I thought so, you have to listen! Some basic techniques are:
Make great eye contact – “Listen with your eyes!”
Have the right body language such as leaning in nodding and appearing interested.
Mirror and matching their personality style.
Use their name to soothe them.
Never interrupt them.
Reflect or repeat back the last thing that you heard them say.
Chunk back every thing you heard them say, (try to fill up all four fingers and your thumb with what you heard them say).
And last but not least, don’t answer that darned crack-berry that is attached to your ear!

As I like to say there is no such thing as multi-tasking in New Home Sales, you are either connecting with the customer or blowing the sale!

K.I.S.S.
Which stands for Keep it Simple and Straightforward. Oh yes it does! Research shows that the average human being can only focus for 48 seconds, so it is our job to make our point, involve the customer and move on before they lose interest.

Remember “Telling is not selling!”

EXCEED THEIR EXPECTATIONS
Find ways to surprise them by going above and beyond, both while your with your customers and during your Follow Through. Call them immediately after they have left and thank them for a wonderful visit, hand write notes (or if you have bad hand writing like me then use a font to replicate that authentic look), reference personal details that you have learned during your time with them. Later on, surprise top customers with surpsies such as sending them a review of a restaurant you think they may like, or sending them tickets to a movie that you know they will appreciate.

There is a gentleman called Todd Wiens, who is a community manager for the excellent team, at Ideal Homes in Norman Oklahoma. Todd almost always volunteers to drive me to the airport after training programs, and has sent me many unique cards over the years, that he made with photos of my son, wife and me using photos from my blogs. Above and beyond? Absolutely! I know how much this personal touch means to me, and also that this is how Todd also treats his customers. It is therefore no surprise how successful he is, especially with customer loyalty and referrals!

Many salespeople nowadays make photo scrap books on line of their customer’s homes as they are being built, which make perfect house warming gifts. Others open up websites for their customer so they can log in and monitor the progress of their home as it is being built. All of these examples may take a little extra effort, but are sure to create raving fans, extremely loyal customers and more sales!

ROLAND ON THE ROAD

Here are some of the wonderful builders and sales teams, and places that I have been recently.

Sunrise Homes, New Orleans



Sherrick Development, Edmonton, Alberta Canada



Minto Communities, Sun City Center, Florida







Betenbough Homes, Lubbock, Texas






Sales Heroes
From Handbags to Moneybags!










Our sales hero this blog is Carrie Wagner of Landmark Homes of TN, who used to sell expensive handbags in the mall, and now is successfully selling brand new homes in the Nashville area. Read what owner Gary Wisniewski says about Carrie:

Gents,
Carrie is on fire!!!! We need asbestos suits to work around her.
She just sold Home site #17 Hawthorn valley, has a meeting tonight for a pre-sale @ Normandy & a second meeting at Normandy for Home site #90
As Dr. Norman Vincent Peale has preached: “you can accomplish anything you desire with a Positive Mental Attitude”

Thanks,
Gary Wisniewski

Carrie was hired by Gary using our NHS ten step recruiting process. Unfortunately Carrie was supposed to have been an associate for a while but due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, she was thrown into the deep end a little early. She almost quit, but read what she says about an epiphany she had while attending our New Homes Sales Boot Camp this May.

Hi Roland, Sales were great over the weekend! Valley! I can attribute my success mainly to mindset. Having the right attitude in your sales arena is very important. I struggle sometimes with self-confidence, and that can really defeat a salesperson.
New Home Sales Boot Camp really drove it home for me. At the time thatI participated in that program, I was at a crossroads. I realized during Boot Camp that I had two options: get fully on board with the New Home Sales training program at Normandy Heights, or leave. There was no middle ground. I'm certainly not a quitter, and this career is veryimportant to me, so I made up my mind. Boot Camp could not have come at a better time. I learned so much, and it really pushed me forward and prepared me for a fresh start in my new community. I'm so grateful for this incredible opportunity, and I know that with my determination and the training that Landmark is providing through your training program, the future holds some great things for me. My new home sales career combined with the valuable training has really changed my life for the better. Thanks for everything,
Carrie





Carrie hasn’t looked back. I reviewed her Mystery Video shop last month and she got an incredibly high score, and is continuing to exceed sales expectations for both herself and Gary.

Have a great month of selling and please continue to share your questions and successes.

Truly,

COACH ROLAND


Written By,




Roland Nairnsey




Senior Vice President Training and Development

Bob Schultz and the New Home Sales Specialists

2300 Glades Road, Suite 400 West Boca Raton, Fl 33431
561-368-1151





Newhomespecialist.com




















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