Creating Urgency start with YOU!

I just watched the American Music Awards the other night. Everyone in the show was really at the top of their game from the performers to the dancers and the band members. It was really quite a show. It really called for effort, talent and enthusiasm to pull off a show like that.

Which got me thinking about YOU! Are you the very best at your game? Are you worthy of an award above and beyond all of your peers? Do you put out the extra effort; have the talent and enthusiasm to excel at your game?

From doing the secret shopping we do for builders around the nation I see that most Agents are not at the top of their game. Probably 90% of Agents are still not using any sales skills needed to sell in this tough market. Most are still acting and selling like they were five or six years ago.

You can read a lot of great articles on how to create urgency in your clients but how about creating some urgency in YOU? That's where it should start. It's so vital in this market and let me tell you why. Because every body walking through that door is like gold! Your Builder spent a lot of time, money and effort to walk that body through the door just for YOU! Just so you could use your sales skills and sell them the home of their dreams. As a fellow salesperson, it's just so hard to get a prospect to walk in the door; I would love it if someone would send them to me for FREE.

Create urgency in yourself, realize your gold and cherish it. Do everything you can to improve yourself and your skills so that you are optimizing that prospect for a sale. Here are ten things you can start with.

1. Never let a prospect walk in the door without a great welcome greeting and taking the time to talk with them and get to know what they are looking for and what their lifestyle is like

2. Never let a prospect walk the models alone. Use the time to get to know them and their needs.

3. Never let a prospect feel unimportant to you, stop everything you are doing and give them 100% of your attention.

4. Never let a prospect leave your office without a reason for follow up.

5. Never let a prospect leave your office without getting a card so you can follow up.

6. Always write down all of the things you remember about that prospect immediately after they leave so you can follow up smart.

7. Always do small trial closes along the way so you know if your selling is on target or off.

8. Always ask for the sale and a referral if they are not interested in your homes.

9. Always follow up with a, “thanks for visiting” note within a few days of the prospect being there.

10. Always follow up with a call and a flyer of your referral program.

From now until the New Year we are going to be focusing on Creating Urgency in YOU. It's been a rough market this year and I know most of you are feeling a little beat up. But the quickest way to change how you feel is to change your attitude and your habits. I will help you along the way!

Soon you will be hearing, "And the award goes to!"

Shirleen Von Hoffmann
President, Sales Coach, Trainer, Broker, Author and Keynote Speaker at Creating VIP's & Homebuilder's Advantedge

http://www.thequeenofsales.com/

Thriving Condo Sales

Hype or Reality, here's their spin

It sounds like a home builder's fantasy, but we found this real-life scenario in Torrance, California: a project that's been selling an average of 4 homes a week with 40% of its buyers paying in cash and many others coming up with a down payment that far exceeds Fannie and Freddie's required minimum in today's environment.

As a condo project, The Foundry by Standard Pacific is facing even more adversity than the broader housing market. But they've applied some tactics that turned lemons into lemonade.

Can you make any of these takeaways work for you?

Creative Financing

Condo mortgages are scarce, due in large part to Fannie and Freddie's new requirements that went into place on March 1st and July 1st, respectively. Now condo projects must be at least 70% presold before the GSEs will guarantee or buy mortgages. Division management worked closely with Standard Pacific Mortgage (SPM) to develop a dog-and-pony show marketing the project's benefits to major lenders. By telling their story, SPM found a supportive institutional partner. Today, SPM can offer a mortgage to buyers who put 20-30% down while not yet having met the 70% presale requirement.

Know Your Buyer

Located just one block from a Korean church, the builder showed respect to the Korean and Korean-American buyer community: they hired a Korean-speaking sales agent and infused Asian influences into the designs. As a result of the effort, Standard Pacific has been able to benefit from the close-knit community's word-of-mouth advertising.

Keep it Simple

When it comes to product, many builders equate "simple" with "stripped down." Here it's just the opposite: Standard Pacific included many upgrade options, such as kitchen appliances, upgraded flooring and laundry appliances.

Resist the Urge To Open Sales Too Early

Noticing that sales in previous condo projects lagged until the development was completely finished, Standard Pacific waited this one out. Once the last of the equipment was cleared away, buyers responded because they were able to experience the community feeling of the common areas and could more easily picture themselves living in the environment.