Drive Up Your Sales
Published FHBA.com
Time to get a strategy to increase sales. This is the year to sell better, increase referrals, bond with more realtors, make more follow up calls and be totally focused on helping the homeless own a brand new home.
Let’s begin with a simple Goal worksheet that will help DRIVE sales upward.
Step 1: D = Define Your Goal: Would you think of driving cross-country with out a road map? In order to hit a target or goal, you need to define a clear, specific road to get there. Putting your goal in the past tense sets up a mental picture of accomplishment. Instead of “I will sell 10 homes this month”. Try, “I have sold 10 homes this month.”
Step 2: R = Roadblocks Will Come Up.: When you plan a road trip and call AAA, they send a “trip tik”” This handy map outlines the direct, best roads that connect you to your destination. Along the way, it warns of roadblocks, construction, detours, poor road conditions, excess traffic etc, so you can adjust your travels according.
When you plan your goal, you must prepare yourself for roadblocks along the way. Slow or unqualified traffic, rate increase, indecisive prospects, lack of follow up, etc may be on your list. Identify the top five things that will be a roadblock to your sales goal. For each roadblock, identify a solution. For example, if you have slow or no traffic, develop a marketing strategy to increase traffic – call realtors, call past customers for referrals, attend Chamber of Commerce events, give out flyers to renters, etc.
Step 3: I = Initiate on Action Plan: As you plan your trip, it will flow a lot smoother if you have an action plan. Most of us, have an idea of what sights we will be seeing on which days. Some events, such as a play, require advance tickets. We usually don’t “wing it” unless we’re spending a week at the beach.
As you identify solutions to your roadblocks, initiate on action plan of activities to make things happen. This plan needs to be very specific and with deadlines. For example;
Roadblock = slow or unqualified traffic
Solution = Increase realtor and buyer referrals, marketing flyers, follow-up.
Action Plan
Monday – Visit 5 Real Estate offices/speak at sales meeting.
Tuesday – Call 5 Buyers for referrals
Wednesday – 10 prospects follow-up contacts
Thursday – Chamber of Commerce Breakfast (bring flyers)
Friday – Call 5 buyers for referrals
Vary your activities each day and repeat each week. If you miss an action item, add it to the next day’s activities.
Step 4: V = Visualize your Success: Can you smell the mountain air in North Carolina? Can you visualize yourself sipping wine at a vineyard in Napa valley? To increase my excitement, I put a picture in my bathroom of my next vacation, so I can visualize I’m already there. This forces me to focus on it everyday and remind me to save for this fabulous trip instead of spending money on clothes I truly don’t need.
It’s important to visualize your success in your mind’s eye. Nothing is more powerful then seeing yourself enjoying the fruits of your labor. If you did sell 10 homes this month, how would that look and feel to you? Visualize being honored by your company as “salesperson of the month”. Visualize 10 happy homeowners that are thrilled about owning one of your gorgeous new homes. Visualize you enjoying your extra earnings and scheduling a much needed vacation or finally buying that new convertible you’ve been dreaming of
Step 5: E = Enthusiasm is Everything: When you’re on a road trip and your car stops, we immediately thing it’s the engine. Sometimes it’s as simple as you forgot to fill up the tank and you are now out of gas! Gas is the enthusiasm that runs your car (goals). If you set your goals develop solutions to roadblocks, write an action plan, but you have no gas (enthusiasm), your car (goals) is going nowhere. Enthusiasm is everything. If you have negative thoughts about your sales, such as:
It’s slow this time of the year.
Our location is bad.
Our builder takes too long to build a home.
Rates have increased.
You need to put these negative thoughts in the back seat of your car. Better yet, open the car door and kick them out on the road.
Your enthusiasm is the main ingredient to DRIVE your sales goals. Turn your negative thoughts into reasons people should buy from you. As people approach your sales center, say to yourself. “Here comes my next buyer.”
Well, that’s the formula D.R.I.V.E Buckle up your seat belt and get ready for the expressway of sales success!
Melinda Brody, MIRM has been inspiring and evaluating salespeople for almost two decades. She offers sales seminars, keynotes and video mystery shopping services for builders across North America.
