Sales Skills for a Hot Market: Respect The Customer

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Aretha Franklin had it right. How are you doing in that area? We’re starting a new series called Sales Skills for a Hot Market. We’re going to kick it off with the idea that everyone needs respect; especially your customer.

Here’s a problem we often see in a hot market. The need to go above and beyond the call of duty tends to diminish. Consider this, when you have a monopoly, why do you need to go out of your way to provide really great customer care? Think about the cable company or the post office. There’s no real incentive for employees, for representatives there to go out of their way to provide really great service.

If you’re selling homes in a hot market, you hold all the cards. You really do. And because of that, you really don’t need to go out of your way to respect your customer, do you? A silly question perhaps, but we see it all too often in strong markets. I’m not talking about blatant disrespect here. What I’m talking about is the oftentimes neutral energy that salespeople bring into the conversation. It’s not that they’re mean. It’s just that they’re procedural. They’re trying to get through this, checking the boxes, so they can move on to the next conversation.

From the customer’s perspective, this is a problem. Think about what your customer is going through. If you’re trying to buy a home in this environment, the first thing you understand is that your customer is a mental mess. They’re so confused with everything that’s going on around them with the difficulty of being a home buyer today.

How much more so are they confused and frustrated when they feel that they are completely left on their own?

The reality is that there are a lot of sales professionals who are so busy that they’re not bothering to take the time with customers to show them the respect their customers deserve. Your competitors will set a low bar for you here but you can do something about it.

Let’s talk about how to demonstrate respect to your customer. I want to share three ideas to be able to do that.

Greet with Positive Energy

When you meet somebody for the first time, they’re walking through the door because they saw a sign, they made an appointment online, or were referred by a friend. That initial greeting is going to set the tone. It’s critical not just for this conversation but for every conversation that follows.

I want you to think about the idea here of getting audited? No, this is not from personal experience, just using as  an example here. Picture yourself walking into an audit with an IRS agent. You’re really afraid because you’ve heard the horror stories, right.  But then you have an IRS agent who says, “Look, you know what? This is one of those random things that’s just not very much fun. I’m going to work with you on this. Hopefully, we’ll make it as painless as possible. But if you have any questions along the way, by all means, just let me know.” Wait, what? 

Go ahead and read that last part again. This time I’d like you to read it out loud and use a soft, yet confident tone in your voice. Now pause. That approach by an IRS agent would be such a shock to you that it would immediately alleviate so many of your concerns. Why? Because it’s not what you were expecting, right?

Well, if a customer’s been talking to a salesperson after a salesperson, they’ve all set the bar low. Your positive energy when they walk through the door will surely be a breath of fresh air. It doesn’t take much. A little effort here will go a long way.

Be Where Your Feet Are

What I mean by that is full engagement in every conversation. I know you have a lot going on in your mind. I know there are a lot of “squirrels” out there. The person sitting in front of you, they deserve 100% mental focus. Be where your feet are.

Give Your Customers Both a Warning and Encouragement

The warning is that it might be difficult to purchase in the short run, but the encouragement is that they’re going to end up in something beautiful that’s going to help them live the life they want to live in the long run. That respect requires your focus, but it is the least we can do for a customer who’s going through one of the most difficult things they’ll ever go through in their life.

If you enjoyed this article, you’ll find more over on Sales365, the only online community designed for residential real estate sales professionals. There’s more content from me and all the Shore Consulting certified trainers.

You’ll have the opportunity to participate in special workshops with industry leaders, role-play with peers, and share your experiences, victories, and questions with thousands of real estate sales professionals.

Head over to sales365.io or go to your app store, search for “sales365” and download the app. Until next time, my friends, learn more to earn more!