It hardly matters where interest rates are; people have always been concerned about their payments. How do we help people over that fear that they’re paying significantly more? Make no mistake; they are paying significantly more than they were a short time ago. So how do we help people with that massive discomfort?

By understanding the importance of lead conversion and taking the necessary steps to ensure that leads become home buyers, builders can boost their sales, optimize their marketing efforts, and increase their profits.

For many sales professionals, “I’m just looking” represents a sales-stopping moment. They may maintain a calm external demeanor, but the words “I’m just looking” often trigger internal dialogue like this:

“Great – another ‘just looking.’ The whole world is ‘just looking!’ Do you think I could get like, I don’t know, ONE person who is actually in the market to buy and not just kicking tires?”

Lest you think that your customers exist for no other reason than to waste your valuable time, let me remind you that saying “I’m just looking” is about as common as the sunrise. And, by the way, you do it too!

Look, we can discuss the state of the market, and it won’t change a thing. Just look at the list of factors that generally make up the housing market, supply and demand pricing economic factors, competitive forces, job growth, interest rates, and mortgage availability. The problem with that list is that the factors are all elements over which we have no control. So the list suggests that you are a victim of your circumstances. More than that, it indicates that the customer is also a victim.

The best perspective I’ve ever heard on the subject is to think about how you approach networking: palms up or palms down? The mental picture suggests that when we approach such situations with our palms up we are in a taking mode; with our palms down we are in a giving mode.

We want success that many other people do not get. If we want to do that, we must be willing to do things that other people will not do. The journey to success includes a lot of discomforts. It’s the way you handle this discomfort that will determine whether or not you’re able to overcome all the obstacles that will appear before you.

I don’t want to summon the boogeyman here, but I think it should be acknowledged. We’re entering a tough market. But not to worry. We know how to be ready for it. Learn how to stay mentally strong in a tough market.

What’s your style of listening? I have to be careful about not labeling this merely as “good listening skills”; that would not do it justice. There is a more profound skill. You don’t just listen – you finish listening. Take in what the customer has to say and allow the customer to express it fully.

Reaching buyers with custom homes or communities is much easier when you leverage builder and marketing solutions from Realtor.com. We can help you connect with serious consumers, build your sales pipeline, advertise your communities and extend your online reach.

Since leadership centers on delivering and creating movement, it stands to reason that driving our actions as leaders through a filter of empathy is the right way to treat our salespeople and a more effective form of leadership when coaching for sales performance.