They say that sales are the lifeblood of every company; I believe it, preach it and know firsthand that without sales, a company won’t grow. Selling successfully is difficult. You need a good messenger, a great message and a valuable product or service – a strong brand helps too.
More important than anything, you need to be consistent in all things related to sales i.e. getting new leads, contacting leads and following up with leads. Consistency is where most programs fail.
It’s true that selling new homes is a little different than selling most products, but at the end of the day, sales tips and tactics that work well with other products will work with new homes.
The government tax credit just ended and our economy isn’t much better, if at all, than it’s been in recent slow-sale-years.
Discovering ways to close a higher percentage of leads is increasingly important, the sales tips, tactics and quotes below are a great start in improving your sales program.
Dress the Part – What kind of people are you dealing with? If you are selling to blue collar workers, don’t wear $500 suits and expensive shoes, jewelry or watches (it’s a big distraction). Wear it on your own time, not when you’re working – clothes can turn people off. Joe Girard (could your sales agents at a $100K + community dress different than at a $500K + community?)
Silence After – When you have used a closing technique, be quiet afterwards and let them respond. If you just keep talking, then you may miss what they have to say – like ‘yes’ for example. Silence also builds tension and will encourage them to respond – and a response to a well-put closing question will hopefully be positive. Zig Ziglar
In order to achieve change, you have to make changes. Bob Beck
Try being bold when confronted with: “you’re too expensive”
and reply with – “Absolutely. We are because we can. We charge that because our clients are more than happy to pay those rates because of the results we generate. And let me tell you why………..” Peter O’Donoghue
Stop selling. Start helping. Zig Ziglar
Promote only 1 product or service at a time. It limits your prospect’s buying decision to either “yes” or “no”. Every “yes” answer produces an immediate sale. Bob Leduc (i.e. 1 home per community each week)
Make it easy for the buyer to buy. Zig Ziglar (i.e. streamline sales process, quick loan close)
My favorite from the bunch, In order to achieve change, you have to make changes. All too often I see people unwilling to try new things and rejecting everything. It’s hard to change, but you can’t expect different results while doing the same thing.
See Also:
Field Guide to Selling New Homes – Realtor.org
Image Credit: www.holyfamilyschool.info
I am a Managing Partner, Internet Marketer and Blogger at New Homes Section. Follow me on 
Great article. Zig Ziglar is such a motivator. Thank you.
.-= Chris O’Connor´s last blog ..The Credit Crisis Explained in a Video =-.
Excellent tips there. I really believe in the one by Zig Ziglar about helping instead of just selling.
Not so sure you should be blogging this information out there as clients dont necessarilly like to be sold to and you dont necessarilly want to make sales tactics readilly availalbe for those customers who want to protect themselves against such tactics
.-= Spanish Hot Properties´s last blog ..Costa del Sol Property Viewings up 400% in May =-.
@Spanish Hot Properties – thanks for chiming in. Buyers certainly don’t like to be “sold to”, which is why one of the tips above, Stop selling. Start helping, is important. That said, a large majority of our readers and participants are builders, agents and industry professionals; we’re catering to our readers.
Our more consumer focused blogs can be found in each state.
@Chris and Arlynn – thank you
Jayson,
Fully take on board what you say, I am just a great believer of keeping that in the classroom but appreciate this is your audience.
.-= Spanish Hot Properties´s last blog ..Costa del Sol Property Viewings up 400% in May =-.
Thanks for the tips from across the pond, always interesting to see other views on how best to close a sale
Great tips from some great ‘salesmen’. Sometimes we need to hear it again so we remember that part of the joy of our job is the satisfaction of the service and not just the paycheck.
.-= Piedmont Real Estate´s last blog ..Oakland’s Greek Festival next Weekend in Lincoln Heights–See you there! =-.
Great advice from some incredible guys. Thanks for sharing, we have to take this to heart if we are going to fight through this little dip.
Those are some great quotes. I really believe, at least in the the real estate industry, that ‘selling’ is over. It’s all about helping now. The sales will follow.
Great tips. I love some of these quotes. It is a good reminder that when the economy gives you lemons, you make lemonade!
.-= Troon Scottsdale Real Estate´s last blog ..Troon Scottsdale Foreclosures: Tips From the Pros =-.
@Troon Scottsdale Real Estate – well said.
I like the Bob Beck and the Bob Leduc quotes. It’s silly to keep doing the same things over and over again without achieving different outcomes. Also, keeping the decision process simple is always a good idea.
.-= Team Jodi´s last blog ..Beautifully Maintained and Appointed Chapel Hill Home =-.
I don’t think sales are just the lifeblood of the company, at least in my line of work they are also the backbone.