The reality of today’s home sales marketplace isn’t good. Ok, so we got that out on the table, but are you going to let the current market conditions take you out of the game in 2023, or are you going to step up and lead yourself into a better economic future for you and your family?

Whether you’re a long-time vet, or are just starting out in sales, sometimes it’s good to get back into the learning cycle. Because that’s how we grow! We learn. We practice. We succeed. We fail and we learn some more!

The CQ is a measurement, not just in success, as it pertains to the raw numbers of your weekly sales report but to your ability to drive a deal from beginning to end. Just like following driving directions on the road, driving a sale happens in steps. Focus on how well you perform each step to determine your CQ.

Suppose we only focus on what buyers want. In that case, we behave like every stereotypical salesperson who unloads an avalanche of feature and benefit jargon to make a sale. If focusing on the ‘what’ is NOT the answer, what should we focus on?

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.