Video Mystery Shopping Tip – Can you close better than a 5th grader? Become CURIOUS!
If you have ever been around a fifth grader, you know they have an insatiable curiosity for and about everything! I remember when my daughter Sarah was in the fifth grade, every sentence she ever uttered started out with the word WHY!
‘Why is the sky blue?’ ‘Why do bears hibernate? ‘Why can’t I have a new doll?’’ ‘Why do you have to work today?’ ‘Why do birds fly?’ Why does Aunt Sophie have whiskers?’
It was enough to drive me CRAZY! It seemed as though Sarah had a question for everything! And then, of course, if she didn’t get the answer she was hoping for, she would tackle me with another round of questioning.
Sarah: Mom, why do I have to go to bed at 8 pm?
Me: Because you are a fifth grader and you need your sleep.
Sarah: But I’m not tired, so WHY can’t I stay up will 9 pm?
Me: Because I’m the MOM, and I said so, that’s WHY!
In my speaking presentations, I frequently refer to Sarah as the ultimate closer! If she didn’t get the response (or answer) from me that she wanted, she didn’t get deterred! In fact, she became more determined! She wanted to know everything. It’s the childlike curiosity that most of us lose over time as we become adults. I’m not sure if it is because we grow impatient, or perhaps we think we already have all the answers, but one thing I know….in new home sales being curious will help you close more deals!
Think about it, when a prospect walks into your sales office, you really know nothing about them except for their name. This is our opportunity to become a fifth grader all over again and ask them all sorts of questions! Rediscover your curiosity. Instead of immediately launching into your sales pitch when a prospect walks through the door, turn into a curious fifth grader and make it your goal to find out all you can about them, their reason for visiting, the style or type of home they desire, how they spend their time. This is your time to go on a fact-finding mission!
Use more in-depth questioning during your time with the prospect. Start your sentences by asking your prospects to ‘tell you more’ about themselves and to ‘share with you’ their wants and expectations in a builder, community, home site and floor plan. This is the critical information you need in order to properly match your prospect with your product! So remember to act like a fifth grader and be curious. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it never killed the new home sale!
