The New Sales Funnel - 11/19/08 08:51 AM

Does this look familiar?  Yes, that's a loaded question.
This is a very familiar illustration in the realm of sales, it still holds true and probably always will.
How you work your prospects through the sales funnel has changed and continues to evolve into what I'm calling the Consumer Sales Funnel.
While you're filtering through your prospects to find the best opportunities, keep in mind consumers are doing the same thing.   I've been writing about this a lot lately...the softer sell approach for today's consumer.   This post is simply to illustrate that today's consumer has their own sales funnel for … (2 comments)

Today's Consumer: A Different Breed - 11/19/08 06:51 AM
I recently had a phone conversation with an agent who was unhappy with his results with internet leads from various sources, including those from his own real estate company.
He made a statement which absolutely floored me:  "If these companies were smart, they would charge each person $50 to submit their information as a lead."
Yep.
I asked this gentleman, "Would YOU pay $50 to submit your information to a website as a potential lead?"
He avoided a direct answer.  "That's not the issue," he said.
That's EXACTLY the issue, and this is indicative of a mentality that I encounter with … (0 comments)

Today's Consumer: A Different Breed - 11/19/08 06:50 AM
I recently had a phone conversation with an agent who was unhappy with his results with internet leads from various sources, including those from his own real estate company.
He made a statement which absolutely floored me:  "If these companies were smart, they would charge each person $50 to submit their information as a lead."
Yep.
I asked this gentleman, "Would YOU pay $50 to submit your information to a website as a potential lead?"
He avoided a direct answer.  "That's not the issue," he said.
That's EXACTLY the issue, and this is indicative of a mentality that I encounter with … (0 comments)

Cold Calls - What Are YOU Afraid Of? - 11/17/08 01:10 PM
If you're a real estate professional and you're afraid of cold calls, don't worry.
You're not alone.
There's a lot of good training available out there (I've found that Keller Williams has one of the very best educational support systems), but unfortunately a lot of real estate agents are just thrown to the wolves.
If you're afraid of cold calls, just remember that as a real estate professional you have the EASIEST cold calls of any sales arena.  Period.
Why, you ask?
Because when you pick up the phone you know that about 99.9% of people you make first contact with … (3 comments)

Permission-Based Marketing...NOT a Trend! - 11/17/08 01:01 PM
There's a wonderful article on RISMedia today called "5 Tips To Make Cold Calling Easier," with some great suggestions for those of you with CCA (Cold Call Aversion).  The third tip in particular caught my attention: Use a permission-based approach
This is great advice, although the last statement in that particular tip really ruffled my feathers:  "The latest trend in marketing is permission based marketing."
Ladies and gentlemen, this is NOT a trend.  Look at the facts...today's consumer has total control of communication in the sales process.   They don't have to answer your emails.  They don't have to answer the phone … (0 comments)

90 Days...That's NOT Follow-Up Anymore - 11/11/08 12:16 PM
I've noticed in my coaching that a major missing piece with many real estate agents today is long-term consistency, which is almost inexcusible given the prevalence and simplicity of email drip campaigns.
Now, drip campaigns are not the "Be-all-end-all," but they are a virtually effortless process that, when used properly and with respect to the consumer's space, will allow you to consistently keep your name in front of a targeted group of people.
I dare say that if your follow-up lasts more than 90 days you've already set yourself apart from half your competition.
Check your follow-up system.  Are you "purging" … (1 comments)