We have all come to hate the image of slick sales people selling us stuff that we don't need. In reality sales is more basic to our lives than we might acknowledge. We sub-conscientiously practice the art of convincing others of who we are, what we want and what we believe. We are constantly selling something!
I knew growing up I had no interest in becoming a salesman. Little did I know that everyone is a salesman. Everyone has to sell themselves and their ideas to the people they interact with. So it goes without saying,
you might as well sharpen your selling skills.
Growing up I saw the frustration in my father when he had to go buy a new car. He felt like he was getting ripped off and pushed around. Going to buy a car was not an experience my father enjoyed, nor did I. The sales people I knew were back slapping jokesters that could talk the bark off a tree. That was not for me!
Years later, I find myself in sales and realize now that my perceptions of sales people were all wrong. The problem with sales is that there is such a low barrier to entry. Many make their living only based on the sales they make -- truly a lion and elk situation. There is a big difference between someone who has a sales job and someone who is a sales professional. I have now been in sales, marketing, and sales management roles for 13 years and I have seen both the good and the bad.
Let’s take a look at some of the keys to sales success.
No one wants to be sold ~ not you, not me. Telling people what they need or that they should buy now turns people off. Oh sure, some people will make one sale by using “sales techniques”, but it will be a rare customer that will come back for another transaction.
Real estate investing is a repeat business and we all need to look beyond the transaction at hand to develop a relationship.
Build rapport with your customer. It doesn’t matter if you are raising private money, buying a property or selling a property -- you are dealing with people. They want to be treated as people, not a transaction. Find common ground with your customer. Let them know you are interested in them, not just the transaction. Beware, people can tell if you are sincere so don’t be fake.
Find out your customer’s needs and wants. Ask twice as many questions as you provide answers. You should be listening and actively engaging with the customer. Uncover their motivations and why it is important to them. In real estate, a seller may want full market value for their property. What they may really need is $2000 for moving expenses and to stop foreclosure.
Create some pain in your customer’s mind so you can solve it. If a person is 30 days away from foreclosure and they want full market value, ask questions like, “If we cannot work out a solution, what else will you do to avoid foreclosure”? You can build the pain a little more by asking, “How will foreclosure impact you and your family”? All of these questions help the customer realize the pain they will have if they do not work out a solution.
Solve the pain for your customer. “If we could come to an agreement today, how would that help your situation”? These types of questions will lead you to really understanding what the seller needs. They will be ready to make a deal. Now you can ask, “What do you absolutely need to get you out of this situation”?
As my view of sales has evolved, I now realize that my opinions were formed from sales people that were not professionals. Build rapport, understand your audience, find out their needs, and meet their needs.
I now see myself as a solution provider, not a sales person.
