Video Mystery Shopping – Seven Steps to Closing
One of the things we have been preaching and teaching a lot to our clients lately is that the ‘closing process’ does not happen at the end of the sales presentation. It actually happens the MOMENT your prospects’ walk in the door! You are ‘closing’ every step of the way! Many sales people don’t understand that closing is more than asking them at the end of the presentation if they are ‘ready to move forward with the paperwork’.
Nine out of ten times when I ask a sales associate why they didn’t ask for the close during the video mystery shop, their response is ‘I didn’t think they were really ready to buy a home yet.’ The truth of the matter is this; the Sales Person didn’t do a thorough enough job in their presentation to earn the RIGHT to ask for the sale.
So, how do we do that? Below are 7 simple steps to help you become a stronger and better closing machine!
•Set the stage: When your prospects come in ask them what their expectations are. Find out when they will be making a decision. Tell them how you will be spending your time together. And, finally, introduce the close. Let them know that you will be returning to the sales office after viewing the models to sit down and discuss the process for moving forward.
•Personalize & Customize: Find out what is important to your prospects in a home, a community, a home site and a builder. Then take that information and tailor your sales presentation around it! If they are not interested in golf, don’t spend 45 minutes telling them about your golf course. Find out what is important to them.
•Trial & Assumptive Closing: This is your secret weapon in sales! Trial closes get your prospects comfortable saying YES. Assumptive closes allow them to start visualizing themselves living in your home!
•Explain the process: Don’t assume your prospects understand the process for purchasing and building a new home. Ask them if they have ever built a new home before. If they have, ask them what they liked or disliked about the process. If they haven’t built before, explain to them how building with your builder is different. Either way, let them know what to expect.
•Suggest moving forward: If you have done your job of finding them the perfect home in a community that will work for them, you have done your job. You would be doing them a disservice by not suggesting they move forward.
•Plan B: If they are not in the position to move forward, the next best plan is to get a firm follow up appointment. Don’t tell them to call you if they have any questions. Ask them to set up a time to return to the office.
•Follow Up: It amazes me the number of sales people who don’t follow up. Trust me when I say this….if you DON’T follow up, someone else will.
