Video Mystery Shopping: What was your name again?
On the Video Mystery Shopping scoring sheet, there is a question that reads: “Did the SA use the prospect’s name more than twice during the visit?” Now, initially you might be thinking, “That is a silly question to ask! Of COURSE the SA used the prospect’s name AT LEAST twice during the sales presentation!” Well my friends, you would be surprised!
In about 75% of ALL the video mystery shops we review, the SA DOES NOT use the prospect’s name more than twice….in fact in most of the video shops the SA doesn’t even use the prospect’s name once!
How can this be? I have asked SA’s countless times why they don’t use their prospect’s names, and the first response I normally get is ‘Oh, I am HORRIBLE at remembering names! And then I am too embarrassed to ask them again what their name is.”
OK, I get that. But, let me ask you this….can you honestly tell me that you would be comfortable asking someone to purchase a $500K home without even knowing what their name is? I can just picture it now ‘Hey, what’s your face, do you want to move forward in the purchase of this home?’
If you are not good at remembering names, here are a few suggestions for you that will help.
- During the sales presentation, carry a clipboard with you. Write the prospect’s name BIG AND BOLD on a sheet of paper that is on the clipboard. This way you can easily glance down and see it.
- Try using the prospect’s name a minimum of 3 -5 times during the first 20 minutes of the presentation. For example, “Sarah, tell me what’s important to you in your new home?” , “Have you ever built a new home before, Sarah?’
- If your prospect has an unusual or hard to pronounce name, ask them to say it for you. This can be done by simply saying “You have such a unique and beautiful name, would you mind repeating it again for me?”
- Use an Alliteration Memory tactic. For example, if your prospect’s name is Sam, notice something about him that also begins with an S. Sam is wearing sunglasses. Sunglass Sam. This may sound silly but it really works!
The bottom line, do whatever you need to do to remember your prospect’s name and USE IT.
Video Mystery Shopping: Be Your Personal Best
Over the past few months I have noticed a DANGEROUS new trend among new home sales associates. They are working themselves TO DEATH! I spoke to one sales associate last month that said she had not taken a day off in over 28 days. Another sales associate told me he had not gone on a ‘real’ vacation in over 2 years! And yet another told me she had not worked out or gone to the gym in 6 months and had subsequently gained 35 lbs. because of it! I hear stories like these almost on a daily basis!
OK, people…here is your wakeup call! It’s time to start taking care of yourselves! How can you be expected to perform at your best if you are not taking the time to relax, recharge, and rest! Let’s start with your smart phone…..it’s OK to turn it off at night. I have actually heard sales associates tell me they SLEEP with their phones. I don’t know about you, but I have never heard of a new home sales emergency taking place at 2 a.m. Suggestion: set a designated time each night to turn your phone off! Also, if you are in the practice of keeping your phone on when you are eating dinner with your family, at least put it on silence or vibrate. If calls come in, let it go to voice mail and return the call later.
Secondly, most new home sales associates are given two days off during the week. These are called ‘days off’ for a reason. You are not supposed to work. However, almost every sales associate I speak with says they literally work through their days off. I certainly understand if you have to check voice mail, return a few emails, or maybe even write a contract on a day off, but your entire day off should not be about working. Suggestion: set aside an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening to do these tasks (excect the contract writing!). Also, plan something special for your day off. It can be as simple as reading a book, getting a massage, or having lunch with a friend. Enjoy your time!
Third, don’t put your health in jeopardy. I know it can be easy to blow off exercising, but it is important that you take care of you. Suggestion: use a day timer or calendar program and SCHEDULE your exercise the same way you would schedule an important appointment. Also, when it comes to eating properly (going through a Mickey D’s drive-through does not count as healthy!) plan ahead for the week. Suggestion: Always have healthy snacks on hand in the sales office. Also, when you do your weekly grocery shopping have a plan for what you will be eating for lunch and dinner for the entire week.
Some of these suggestions might sound elementary to you; however, I can promise you that by incorporating them into your life you will improve your well-being! New home sales is not an easy job. It can be stressful, demanding, and overwhelming. So, it’s up to you to set boundaries and standards by which to live!
Video Mystery Shopping: Meeting Unrecognized Needs
In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Customer Service, he discusses the 3 levels of service.
Level one is Meeting Expectations. For example, you need to purchase toothpaste. So, you go to Walgreens and buy a tube of Colgate. Your expectation has been met, and you are satisfied. Not a thrilling or memorable experience, but you got what you came to get. You are satisfied.
Level two is when you not only meet expectations, but you also Meet Desires! This is the level where most new home sales associates are. You meet with your prospects; ask questions to determine what they are looking for in their new home. You then find them the home that successfully meets their desires. This creates a loyal customer!
However, the third level of Maslow’s Hierarchy is referred to as creating a ‘transformation’. This is when you meet your prospects Unrecognized Needs. This creates EVANGELISM!
What is an unrecognized need? It’s a need that your prospects never knew they had! You can only get to this level of service by finding out everything you can about your prospects and how they live. This takes more than basic discovery and questioning. It takes empathy, understanding and out of the box thinking. Let me give you an example, in a shop I watched last month the SA was working with a couple. They had scheduled their first meeting, but the husband was unable to attend the first meeting due to health issues.
The SA spent about 20 minutes at the beginning of the presentation asking questions, and building trust and rapport. The wife shared with the SA that the husband had some long term health issues that would eventually cause him to be in a wheel chair. The SA began discussing options on how to build the home so that it would accommodate his future health needs. She even went so far as to suggest the option of adding a hidden elevator in the home. The wife was ecstatic! She had not thought about these options and was thrilled with the recommendations. The SA had met unrecognized needs for her buyers. This is your job as a new home sales associate. In doing so, you will create Evangelism with YOUR buyers!
