People aren’t buying homes now? I hear that complaint—maybe it’s a rationalization for giving up—but I don’t believe it. One builder has already disproven the myth. There are homebuyers out there. They are looking online, just as they always do. The challenge now is to gear up and guide them over the obstacles and gently through the sales funnel. It takes 3 “Ms” to make a sale: Mindset, Motivation, and Methodology.
Mindset refers to your mental position. Your mindset is the difference between making excuses and making sales. So, where’s your head at? It’s understandable that this health crisis has diverted your attention, but if you allow yourself to focus on the negative, you’ve given in and given up. Where your mind goes, your body (and action) follows.
So, follow this.
Your website is the most powerful shopping tool you have. When a prospect looks at your site and then takes the next step to contact you, is there any question that they are buying?
Most people (75%) spend an average of one year researching homes and buying before stepping into a model home. When they come to you, are they really “just looking”?
Of course not. Regardless of what this visitor says, your inner voice should immediately signal, “You’re here to buy or you wouldn’t be here.”
In the middle of a pandemic, these prospective homebuyers are walking in a door. Do you think anyone would do that if they weren’t ready to buy?
This person has done research, which means they are serious. The question at this point of the conversation, is not IF they are going to buy but WHEN and WHERE. You need to shift your mindset to the sale before the sale. Accept that you’re presented with an opportunity. Channel that inner sales powerhouse who sees through the weak objections of someone who is afraid or uncertain. If they’ve come this far, you need to escort them the rest of the way.
Motivation answers the question, “Why do I go to work everyday?” When asked, about 98% of people answered, “Because I have to,” followed by, “to pay my bills.” That’s not motivation. It’s a justification for showing up. You’re not jazzed about the work you’re doing, just going through the motions. For a new home sales professional, the lack of motivation represents a limiting factor to your success.
Instead of the quest to make enough money to cover your expenses, pick a big “Why” statement. In my own case, while traveling 250 days a year, my motivation to succeed has always been to build a financial wall around my family that no one or nothing can penetrate. As a cancer survivor, I know what it feels like to worry that your family might have to deal with financial stress after you’re gone. I didn’t want that for the people I love.
Uncover your true motivation. It should be so powerful that you convert that energy into action—every single day.
Methodology: You’ve got your mindset and motivation in the right place. Now, it comes down to the sales process, or methodology. Having a dedicated selling process is the playbook for the actions that will steer you to a successful close.
My new home sales methodology follows 10 steps:
- Meet and greet.
- Qualify the prospect.
- Give them a presentation and overview, including the builder’s
story and information about the neighborhood. - Demonstrate differentially. You don’t just act as a tour guide but you purposefully guide them through the features that
distinguish your builder and homes from the others. - Get them to select “one”— one homesite, one floor plan, one design, one lender. If someone leaves and they haven’t picked one, there’s no real urgency.
- Handle objections. Diffuse any reasons why they would not
want to go forward. Objections are not the end of the sale, but the beginning. - Close. Ask them to proceed, to take possession; for example, “Shall we make this home yours?”
- Follow up. In the event the prospective buyers don’t purchase on the initial visit, follow up with valid information that would cause them to come back so you can repeat the sales process again.
- Follow through. If they’re going to build a home with you, it
could take 6 to 9 months. Don’t ghost them once the contract is
signed. Maintain frequent contact and keep them informed to
hold the sale together. It’s actually easier to close a sale than to
get them to closing. - Get referrals. If you’ve effectively handled steps 1 through 9, you’ll get referrals, but you might have to ask. A referral is the highest compliment you can receive because by doing so, the buyer is lending you their reputation.
Right now take inventory of your Mindset, Motivation, and Methodology. Shift, shape, or shine them up to drive your new home sales success.
The sales process has changed dramatically in the last 45 days. Today, we are delivering differently, so we need to shift our thinking. Stay tuned for a discussion of how the rules have changed but not the fundamentals.
