Bill Zimmerman's Weekly Tip - Getting Orders After Your Competitors Give Up

It's supposed to start warming up! Welcome to March! Spring is in the air... which means the spring housing market it just around the corner. Are you ready? Are your sales skills honed sufficiently to win business?

Today let's review the basic, ultra-important sales skill of persistence:

After each unsuccessful call, ask yourself: When I do make this sale, how much business will I have? What’s the best estimate of the chances of making the sale?



Weigh your answers to these questions before deciding how much further effort to expend.



If this is your first call, you may not have enough information about the prospect to properly answer the two questions. Make a note to yourself to obtain this information on your next visit. In any event, make another appointment as soon as possible. Always have a good reason for going back, such as a new product or idea.



Salespeople who excel at obtaining new clients do one thing that others don’t. They persist. Every day persistent salespeople write contracts after their competitors have given up.



WHY DO REPS GIVE UP?

Why do so many salespeople prefer to work with existing clients, while avoiding prospects at all costs? There are many reasons, but the most common are:



1. They don’t know how.

2. They fear being turned down.

3. They have no incentive from management.

4. They don’t have enough time.

5. They haven’t done well in the past.



A lack of know-how can be solved with training. The fear of turndown will dissolve when success is achieved. By providing incentives for making cold-calls, most people will find the time.



There’s no hard and fast rule as to the number of calls you should make on a prospect before giving up. Many companies keep accurate records on this. They’ve found the chances for success increase dramatically starting with the fourth or fifth call. The problem is that almost half of all salespeople give up after the first call and only a handful get beyond the second call.



But why give up so easily? Most customers are happy with their current Realtor and don’t switch quickly. A prospect needs compelling reasons to switch, not the least of which is a trusting relationship. Such relationships are seldom established on a single call.



INCREASING YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS
To increase your chances of success:



1. Follow up immediately on all leads.

2. Qualify the prospect early to determine

volume and profit potential.

3. Establish your reputation and your company’s

reputation during your first visit.

4. Do more information gathering than selling on

your first call.

5. Identify at least two customer needs that your

company can fill which are not being satisfied

by a current Realtor.

6. Don’t make a first call a “do or die” situation.

Leave the door open for a return visit.

7. Always have a good reason to return.

8. Schedule an appointment right away.

I hope these reminders will serve to help motivate you to prepare and persist through the tough days so you can realize your goals this spring! As always, I look forward to working with you and your clients to help them secure solid, comfortable financing for their new home. Call anytime!

Your Partner in Greater Success,

Bill Zimmerman

939-0002

P.S. - Join the FREE Pinnacle Club for Realtors and recieve even more great sales and marketing tips from nationally reknowned real estate industry coaches and authors to help you succeed by going to www.ForIdahoRealtors.com. See you in the club!