Dialogues for Results

MAXIMIZING YOUR CUSTOMERS' ROI !

I would venture to say that most, if not all, of your customers have a roof over their heads. They don’t need a new home. It is only by stimulating desire, by maximizing an emotional ‘return’ on their investment, that they can be persuaded to purchase a home they don’t really need in the face of declining prices and perceived high risk.

Change the sales conversation from one that is focused on whether the customer fits what we have to sell to one that is focused on who the customer is and how they define value. Fear is a powerful emotion that can only be trumped by desire. We desire that which we perceive is of value. The higher the perceived value, the greater the desire and the less objectionable cost and risk become.

So, what is value? It is not the ‘most stuff’ for the lowest price; rather, value is the emotional ‘return’ derived from the meaningful differences a specific home will make in a customer’s life. Today’s customers will perceive value, and therefore a ‘return’ that justifies the investment, when you persuade them: 1. That your home will make meaningful differences in their lives; 2. That these meaningful differences are unique to your home and only your home; 3. And that these meaningful differences provide a ‘return’ that far outweighs the financial and emotional investment.

Trade in your Salesperson hat for an Investment Counselor hat. Replace purposeless interrogatory questions like “Are you looking for a 3 or a 4 bedroom?” that focus on the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ with purposeful questions like “Describe the perfect home” or “What would you change about your present home?”. Purposeful questions will reveal the ‘who’ and the ‘why’, and your customer’s definition of value.
Start asking 10 – 15 open ended questions that reveal your customer’s D.R.E.A.M.S.

I love it when a customer says “I want the best deal”. The best response is not to quote your pricing or list your incentives; rather, the best response is: “Wow, doesn’t everyone? Tell me what the best deal would be for you. What does that home look like?” Remember what they are really saying is: “I’ll buy when someone convinces me that a specific home will make meaningful differences in my life and that those differences far outweigh the price or the risk”.

Elevate your demonstrations from the generic, one size fits all approach to customer specific, emotionally relevant demonstrations designed to persuade your customer that your home, and only your home, will change their life, providing a ‘return’ that far outweighs price or risk. Demonstrate in terms of how they want to live, and what would satisfy them emotionally. Don’t make the mistake of demonstrating only a model or inventory home. Demonstrate your builder, community, home sites and financing. Demonstrate benefits that are meaningful to them, and differentiate the benefits from potential competitors (their present home, re-sales and foreclosures).

A generic demonstration sounds like this: “This family room is open to the kitchen for entertaining. Isn’t that nice?” A customer specific differential demonstration sounds like this: “This family room accommodates 12, unlike your present family room and the family rooms offered by most builders. On those Sundays when your neighbors and your brother in law come to watch the game, not only could everyone sit comfortably and have a clear view of the TV, but you’d still be part of the action from this vantage point in the kitchen. That would really make your Sundays even better, wouldn’t it?”

A new reality demands a new sales conversation. A smaller pie means you have to sell more of the customers you are getting. There is no other way, no magic bullet. The market is not going to change so you have to.


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