Basic Sales: Avoiding the Big Bad Wolf
Do you remember the fable about the Three Little Pigs? They were sent out into the world where they would have to fend for themselves. The first two built their homes out of straw and sticks, because it was “easy” and they could save some time, while the third pig chose to use bricks.
The villain, the Big Bad Wolf, had a fond appetite for pork and made a visit to each of their homes. He had the nerve to invite himself in and threatened to blow their homes down if they failed to comply.
The pigs, of course, wanted no such thing and refused his request. So as promised, the wolf huffed and puffed and blew the homes made of straw and sticks down. Fearful, the two pigs retreated to their brother’s home made of brick.
When the wolf arrived at the brick home, he repeated the same tired door-to-door script that didn’t seem to be working. This time was no different, the third pig denied him access. The wolf then proceeded to huff and puff but was unsuccessful in demolishing the brick home. You probably know the rest of the story.
You’re probably wondering, why are we reading about an ancient children’s fable in a sales blog post? It’s a valid question to be sure.
We can actually apply this to the world we are living in right now. There’s a new Big Bad Wolf out there, maybe even several wolves, that are causing uncertainty, lack of confidence, and outright fear in our buyers – and perhaps, even us!
Due to the market demand for the past two-plus years, and to no one’s fault, sales professionals just haven’t had to use many of the basic sales skills that help us form a solid brick foundation. And, if we are being honest with ourselves, as an industry we’ve been able to cut some corners and still have tremendous success. The problem now is that we’ve developed some bad habits, and it appears that there are many homes out there built with straw and sticks.
So, what does a solid foundation for a sales professional look like? Mindset, confidence, and skill set.
Take heed. Good or bad, your mindset and confidence will be adopted by your customers. If you project the mindset that it’s a bad time to buy, then you’ll be projecting the same to your customers. And if you are lacking confidence as a trusted advisor, then you should expect that lack of confidence to be transferred to your customers as well.
The good news is, and I think we can all agree, that mindset and confidence are more likely to be achieved when sales professionals are confident in their skills. And this, my friends, is absolutely within your control.
The reality is, that there are always going to be “big bad wolves” out there. They come in different shapes, sizes, and for the most part – are out of our control. We never know for sure when they are coming, but we can always be prepared by having that solid foundation in place.
It’s time. Let’s get back on track. The 4:2 Formula® Academy is one of the most solid foundations that people can build upon. At Shore Consulting, the number one rule we like to follow is getting people into the right home. And how do we accomplish that? By changing our focus. When we focus on where our customers are coming from, rather than what they’re moving to, a beautiful thing begins to happen. The sale begins to roll out right in front of us.
And when new home sales professionals learn, understand, and practice the 4:2 Formula®, not only do they experience an uptick in sales (regardless of what’s happening or not happening in the market), but their customers get a great experience from start to finish, plus they get the right home!
To learn more about building that foundation please visit our training page. We understand there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution and would be happy to schedule a consultation with you to explore further.
