ActiveRain : Jeff Blackwell

The Biggest False Assumption in Sales

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:58 -0700

A discussion was recently started in the SalesPractice.com sales training forum titled, “How to shorten the sales cycle”. Here is a copy of the original post:

“For sake of discussion let’s say that…
…the prospect trusts you, respects you and values the relationship.
…you are working with a prospect who has the authority, budget, want and need for your product or service.
…the prospect feels you have the most compelling value proposition.
…both you and the prospect understand how your solution will help him/her reach his/her desired outcome.
…the prospect has not voiced an objection.
…the prospect has not yet decided to move forward with the sale.
Given those assumptions what can you do that is in your control to shorten the sales cycle?”

One of the first participants to respond, Ace Coldiron, made the following observation:

“All of those things may be true. However, what is also apparent is that currently the prospect is working around all of that and will probably continue to do so until all the things behind the scene–not apparent to the seller– are in place or resolved TO THE POINT where a purchase can be made.

The salesperson cannot control those things. However it is possible to get through the door and lead them in management of the changes, decision making, and resolutions that have to take place in order to buy. This could be effective in shortening the buying cycle.

Unfortunately most salespeople would be predisposed to stay on the selling end thinking they could speed the process in that way. But the fact is they won’t speed the process.”

The original question asked what you could do that is in your control to shorten the Sales Cycle (Length of time from Initial Contact to Close). Since the Buying Cycle (The phases a person progresses through when making decisions aka Decision Process) directly affects the sales cycle the discussion had at least two avenues to travel… Buying Cycle and/or Sales Cycle.

Ace’s response delved into the deeper and often unfamiliar waters of the buying cycle namely Buying Facilitation™ (“…get through the door and lead them in management of the changes, decision making, and resolutions that have to take place in order to buy.”) which Sales (sales process) does not navigate. Many sales trainers use terms such as decision process, sales cycle, buying decision, etc. and mistakenly believe they are navigating the same waters that Ace mentioned but in reality they never left the waters of sales and you can’t get here (Buying Facilitation™) from there (Sales Process).

To be clear… the systematic application of effective sales processes is not being dismissed but instead being revealed as only part of the equation. Given the sales arena and selling situation, sales process and execution can only take you so far because at any given point in time only so many prospects are ready to buy. Of course, the more effective the process and execution the farther your reach outside of the immediate buyers zone however you are still confined to the inherent limitations of sales process which leaves a disturbing amount of potential business on the table.

Participation in this thread was fantastic and many suggestions were put forth but it became quickly apparent that there were two avenues to shortening the sales cycle being discussed in the thread.

1. How to shorten the sales cycle via sales process.
2. How to shorten the sales cycle via shortening the buying cycle.

How to shorten the sales cycle via sales process.

The majority of suggestions (ask for the sale, ask about the holdup, quantify the cost of inaction, sell the sizzle, associate prospects motivation with product/service, improve discovery and qualification, flush out the objection, confirming information, be more diligent, evaluate pain factor, credibility, re-establish timeline, get the prospect emotionally involved, etc.) in this thread fall into the category of sales process.

These suggestions ALL hold potential, when applicable, for affecting movement within the sales cycle ASSUMING that the prospective buyer has “recognized and managed all of their own internal systemic issues that need to take place before they’ll make a purchasing decision” (which is part and parcel of their “Buying Cycle”) yet are rendered ineffective in situations where the assumption is not true.

For whatever reasons and with few exceptions sales training, education and/or discussions operate from the premise that the prospective buyer has in fact recognized and managed those internal issues. That one (1) false assumption is responsible for an almost unbelievable volume of lost revenue and protracted sales cycles.

Sales people don’t typically see/look for it and sales process doesn’t manage it so what happens? Prospective buyers go away and try to figure it out on their own. At that juncture salespeople are advised to stay in contact with the prospective buyer until they figure it out or don’t and bail out.

How to shorten the sales cycle via shortening the buying cycle.

A shorter buying cycle results in a shorter sales cycle. As Ace pointed out, “…it is possible to get through the door and lead them in management of the changes, decision making, and resolutions that have to take place in order to buy. This could be effective in shortening the buying cycle.”

IMO, what’s often lacking yet required to understand this concept is an expanded perspective (can’t see the forest for the trees) which will be difficult to achieve unless you first empty your cup.

Learning how to facilitate the buying decision was not within the scope of the discussion although recognition/awareness of its impact is. Instruction/training in this new sales paradigm is available from Sharon Drew Morgen the foremost sales authority on the subject.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeff Blackwell is the Founder of SalesPractice.com and the Institute for Professional Selling dedicated to providing sales professionals in all industries access to the latest in sales training and professional selling skills. Orginally posted in the SalesPractice.com sales training blog at The Biggest False Assumption in Sales

Traditional Sales Training and Professional Selling

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:48:36 -0700

A question that surfaces in the sales training community every so often is whether or not traditional sales training has been rendered ineffective by changes in technology, economy, etc.

Without an agreement on what is meant by “traditional sales training” and “ineffective” any discussion on the matter is likely to have a high probability of misunderstanding especially among participants who are not familiar with each others communication patterns. So, for the sake of this discussion “traditional sales training” will mean “a specific practice of long standing” and “ineffective” will mean “not having the desired effect”. With that being said, let us frame this discussion in the context of “fundamentals” which we will conclude to mean “basic components of effective selling”. Hopefully after reading the meanings we are assigning to those words and/or phrases you will immediately see the rub (i.e. fundamentals being ineffective).

In all fairness, times do change and much of what is fashionable at one point of time is outdated or no longer valid at a different point in time. Certain aspects of traditional sales training, which are specific to the era, industry, etc., are not exempt from this. However, sales is a people business and generally speaking people have not changed much through the years when it comes to self-interest or decisions so the fundamentals of selling are as valid today as they have been for much of the past.

The basic components of effective selling are “self-interest” and “decisions”. Lucky for us traditional sales training provides us with long standing sales practices that have been calibrated against these two (2) components and proven effective through the years by countless numbers of people engaged in professional selling. When viewed through these perceptual filters (self-interest and decisions) professional selling often becomes much easier to understand. As a side note, a key distinction to remember is that not everyone who sells is engaged in professional selling.

Self-Interest: It is quite apparent that people are most receptive when they believe you have what they want or can help them get what they want. This is classic self-interest (WIIFM?). A common complaint I see among salespeople is that they cannot seem to grab the attention or hold the interest of the prospective buyer they call on. How can this example be applied to your own sales practice? As the saying goes, “Find out what people want and help them get it”.

Decisions: If you think about it everything in life is a decision (Do you want to do this or that?) and thankfully we have freedom of choice. In the context of buying the two (2) key decisions a prospective buyer must face are “Will I Buy?” (aka Buying Decision) and “What Will I Buy?” (aka Purchase Decision). The length of time it takes the prospective buyer to progress through these key decisions is known as the “Buying Cycle”. How does this apply to your own sales practice? If you don’t know the difference and/or how to facilitate the prospective client’s progress through these decision processes you limit your own performance by essentially sending the prospective buyers away to figure it out on their own.

In conclusion… the fundamentals of selling have not changed in recent times and traditional sales training offers those engaged in professional selling long standing sales practices that have withstood the test of time. If your own sales practice is not providing you with the outcome you desire then it might be time to look further into traditional sales training and the fundamentals of selling.

Where is your online audience going for information...

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Mon, 10 May 2010 09:39:36 -0700

Where is your online audience going for information and how much of your traffic comes from those sources?

Advertising Networks (i.e. Google Adwords)
Article Directories (i.e. Ezinearticles)
Blog Communities (i.e. MyBlogLog)
Brand Monitoring (ie. Google Alerts)
Classifieds (i.e. Craigslist)
Content Aggregation (i.e. Hubpages)
Discussions Boards and Forums (i.e. ActiveRain)
Directories (i.e. DMOZ)
Microblogging (i.e. Twitter)
Niche Networks (i.e. Linkedin)
Podcasts (i.e. iTunes)
Ratings and Reviews (i.e. Yelp)
Search/ Local Search (i.e. Google)
Social Bookmarking (i.e. Del.icio.us)
Video (i.e. YouTube)
Widgets (i.e. Yahoo! Widgets)
Wikis (i.e. Wiki Answers)
Other (please specify)

Real estate sales training... seek first to understand then to be understood.

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 01:51:53 -0700

The topic of real estate sales training comes up quite often during discussions among real estate agents especially when the discussions center around personal selling skills. The discussions about real estate sales training more times than not boil down to which (professional sales training) program is best and/or which (personal selling skills) methods are best.

It makes sense that proactive real estate agents would be on the lookout for any sales practice which could help them better achieve their desired outcomes in personal selling. However, what doesn't make sense is how in many cases the questions are asked without context and how in many cases the questions are answered without knowing context. For example, the following question was submitted to several discussion forums whose participants included agents, managers and trainers:

If you were interviewing for a sales job and the sales manager said, "Sell me this pen" how would you respond?

More than 90% of the individuals who responded to this question failed to establish context for the question and instead couched the question in the context of their own choosing which as you might imagine produced a wide assortment of answers. More than a few of the respondents stated that they would walk out of a job interview if they were asked that question. In some reality (ie; context) that probably makes perfect but in "which" reality?

Let me ask the question here and this time provide context and then you decide if the idea of walking out of the job interview continues to make sense.

If you were interviewing for a sales job... at "ACME Pens" and after a series of assessments had been invited back for a third and final interview to meet the area sales manager which included a brief discussion about the various ways other field representatives had sold the pens and after hearing how others were successfully selling you assured him/her that your approach would work which piqued his/her curiosity... and the sales manager said, "Sell me this pen" how would you respond?

After hearing the rest of the story (ie; context) some of the people who responded may cry foul claiming that "you never said it was a pen company... it was a third interview... the manager was curious..." to which I would say, "You Never Asked!".

In my opinion, all too often we answer questions without first understanding the context of the question and instead couch the question in the context of our own choosing resulting in erroneous conclusions and often unrealistic responses.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jeff Blackwell is the founder of SalesPractice.com - Since 1999 SalesPractice.com, the oldest and most respected professional sales training community on the Internet, has offered FREE sales training resources to sales professionals around the globe. Now SalesPractice.com, a name you can trust, in partnership with many of today's top business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) sales training providers, is offering professional sales training and coaching. Coming Soon: Sales Technician

How to shorten the sales cycle in real estate.

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:59:02 -0800

For sake of discussion let's say that...

...the prospect trusts you, respects you and values the relationship.
...you are working with a prospect who has the authority, budget, want and need for your product or service.
...the prospect feels you have the most compelling value proposition.
...both you and the prospect understand how your solution will help him/her reach his/her desired outcome.
...the prospect has not voiced an objection.
...the prospect has not yet decided to move forward with the sale.

Given those assumptions what can you do that is in your control to shorten the sales cycle?

Commoditization of Real Estate Services

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:44:12 -0700

I am of the opinion that many of the people engaged in the profession of selling would be considerably less frustrated if they better understood what was going on in the mind of their potential clients especially in the area of perceived differences between products and/or services being offered.

I once knew an agent who couldn't figure out why private sellers would list with a relatively unknown and new agent who was just starting out in the business over a seasoned agent who had a proven track record, connections and marketing coming out of his ears. This was one of his favorite gripes.

At first blush it does sound a bit odd that a private seller would choose a newbie over a salty dog especially when the fee for service/ commission is the same. However, a closer look will reveal that more times than not this occurs because the potential client did not perceive a noticeable difference between the services being offered.

The way I see it... sales professionals cannot assume or take for granted that the potential customer knows or can readily notice the difference between products and/or servies being offered. Actively differentiate your offering from the competition and you will increase the probability of the potential client choosing your product or service.

To your success,

Jeff Blackwell
Arizona Mobile Homes

The Top Ten websites for Mobile Homes, Park Homes and Manufactured Homes in Arizona

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:42:05 -0700

We've compiled a list of the "Top Ten" websites on the topic of Mobile Homes, Park Homes and Manufactured Homes in Arizona. The results are posted below in no particular order along with the page title, first paragraph and website URL:

Park Homes and Park Models For Sale or Rent : Search our database of park homes and park models for sale or rent in Apache Junction and Mesa, Arizona. The park homes and rv park model homes for sale or rent by Easy Living® Solutions Realty are located in several active 55+ Arizona RV resort communities such as Rock Shadows RV Resort in Apache Junction, Arizona and Viewpoint RV and Golf Resort in Mesa, Arizona.
http://www.azrv.org

Mobile Homes For Sale - Arizona Mobile Homes : The Arizona Manufactured Housing MLS (AZMH)^TM is the original and only Multiple Listing Service designed "exclusively" for mobile homes for sale and manufactured homes for sale in Arizona. The AZMH.ORG database of homes for sale is updated regularly and includes Manufactured homes and Mobile homes for sale by Realtors®, Dealers, Brokers, Agents, Investors, Parks, and Communities across the State of Arizona.
http://www.azmh.org

Arizona Manufactured Homes : Welcome to Arizona Manufactured Homes! Our goal is to provide you with access to quality manufactured homes for sale in Arizona. Our service area includes Mesa and Apache Junction, AZ. We have been helping people find their ideal manufactured home in Arizona since 1995. Let our dedicated team of Arizona manufactured home professionals lend you their experience and guide you through the home-buying process.
http://www.arizona-manufacturedhomes.com

Arizona Manufactured Homes For Sale : Welcome to the Arizona Manufactured Housing website featuring manufactured homes for sale exclusively by Easy Living® Solutions Realty. We strive to provide you with a convenient online location where you can find a large selection of used manufactured homes for sale in Mesa and Apache Junction, Arizona.
http://www.azmanufacturedhousing.com

Arizona Mobile Homes : Search our database of mobile homes for sale in Arizona. Our agency offers a large selection of used mobile homes in 55+ Active Resort Communities in Mesa and Apache Junction, Arizona.
http://www.arizona-mobilehomes.com

Arizona Mobile Homes For Sale : If you are considering the purchase of a manufactured home, park model, or mobile home for sale in Arizona call us for information on homes currently available or preview our large selection of mobile homes for sale within various parks in Mesa and Apache Junction, AZ
http://www.easylivingsolutions.com

Mobile Homes For Sale : List your mobile home for sale in the MHAmerica.com National database of new and used mobile homes for sale across America by Mobile Home Dealers, Mobile Home Parks, Private Sellers and More!
http://www.mhamerica.com

Arizona Mobile Homes For Sale : You are now viewing mobile homes for sale throughout the continental United States through the MHIDX^TM network of private sellers, real estate agents, brokers, dealers and mobile home parks.
http://arizona.mobilehomes-forsale.com

Mobile Homes For Sale in Arizona : Arizona Mobile Homes is our specialty! Finding luxurious and desirable mobile homes for sale at great prices in Arizona is what we do best. Are you thinking about buying a mobile home in Arizona as a vacation home or year-round residence? The opportunity is back to purchase luxury mobile homes in upscale parks at affordable prices! Don't miss this chance to own the home of your dreams in Arizona.
http://www.mharizona.com

Arizona Real Estate - Homes For Sale in Arizona : Arizona's Original Resale Broker can assist you in buying and/or selling Arizona real estate including Arizona mobile homes for sale and manufactured homes for sale in Mesa and Apache Junction. Take advantage of our experience and expertise with Arizona real estate or Arizona mobile home resales and you too can find yourself making more confident and more educated home buying and home selling decisions.
http://www.resalebroker.com

Salesmanship and Empathy: Tune In to the Buyer's Point of View

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:53:49 -0800

One of the simplest ways to increase your productivity as a salesperson is to tune into your buyer's point of view. When you are in tune with your buyer you have empathy. This means that you can identify with and understand their situation, feelings, and motives.

When you are in tune with your buyer everything you say or do seems to be right on the mark. The buyer gets the feeling that you really understand them and the road to a successful sale lights up like an airport runway. The opposite is also true. When you are not in tune with your buyer nothing you can do or say will seem to be right. When you push they pull and vice versa.

Master salespeople know the importance of empathy and tune in to their buyers as quickly as possible. Novice salespeople on the other hand, rarely make the effort. This lack of empathy between buyer and seller accounts for much of the negative experiences many consumers experience.

This kind of selling requires a genuine desire on the part of the salesperson to try and be of service. It is pretty easy to spot the salesperson with this kind of desire. These salespeople take an interest in the buyer on a more personal level. The empathetic salesperson asks more questions and better questions. They ask the type of questions that get the buyer to open up and talk about their situation.

Buyers like salespeople that reach them on a personal level. Everyone likes to be listened to and understood. When you demonstrate to your buyer that you are interested and paying attention they will open up to you and tell you what it will take to make a sale. Here are a few reminders to help you focus on your buyers;

(*) Focus your attention on your buyer. Do not allow yourself to become distracted.
(*) Look for something you like in the other person. What do you think their friends like about them?
(*) Get your buyer to tell you their situation, hopes and fears with well prepared questions.

Sell with empathy and increase your productivity immediately!

Important Cold Calling Tip ~ Self-image

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:57:34 -0700

In your own mind, how do you see yourself and what it is you are doing? Do you view yourself as a true sales professional with an important message (offer, idea, etc.) that your prospective customer will want to know about?

It is highly likely that how you see yourself in your own mind, your self-image, will be communicated in one form or another to those you encounter.

Send a congruent message by seeing it and believing it in your own mind first!

About the Blogger: Jeff Blackwell is a Top Sales Expert at SalesPractice.com

"Super Saturday on Super Bowl weekend!" - FREE Teleseminar

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:32:35 -0800

I posted this elsewhere too but I wanted to let everyone here at ActiveRain know that I've been lucky enough to have Peter Burke, arguably the world's foremost authority on sales prospecting, volunteer to give a one-hour teleseminar free of charge this coming Saturday.

Mr. Burke, now in his 79th year on the planet, nearly an octogenarian and still selling, can and will tell you how sales has changed since World War II (and may be the only living man to be able to do so) as well as sharing the sharpest New Business Generation techniques known (and many unknown!).

This is a rare live event and I recommend you pencil in your diary and block off the morning of Saturday February 2nd, 2008 for this exclusive, SalesPractice.com live event to be conducted @ 9:00 AM PST | 10:00 AM MST | 11:00 PM CST | 12:00 NOON EST. There's no cost to participate in this telephone seminar except your normal long distance charges.

Click Here For More Information!

Lenders, Financing and Mortgages

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:25:40 -0700

Trying to finance a home can be a confusing process to someone who is new to home buying or home selling. How do you find the best loan? Do you need to pre-qualify? How do you refinance your existing mortgage? What should you tell your buyers when selling your home? These are questions that, if unanswered, could slow down your intended goal. This article is meant to help those looking to finance or sell a home understand what they need to know to complete the home buying or home selling process.

Finding a loan that fits your home buying needs can be difficult at times for many first time home buyers. It can be difficult to find a company that will give you the mortgage you need at a price you can afford, especially if you have had less-than-perfect credit scores in the past. Lending institutions will usually ask that you be pre-approved for financing before they sit down and discuss a serious mortgage situation with you. The pre-approval process allows them to evaluate if you would be a good candidate for one of their loans, before they spend too much time on your case.

If you are able to get pre-qualified for a mortgage, don't rush into just any deal before you weigh all of your options. Even if you have to take some extra time, be sure to pick the one that is best suited for you. Shop around and find the best interest rates that you can receive based on the market and your current credit situation. You may also want to figure in factors such as how much of a down payment each lending company requests and their particular policies or procedures, to help determine which loan may be best for you.

If you have had your home for a while and feel that it is time for you to refinance, then you may want to begin looking around for a new mortgage. To receive a new loan you will need to go through the same tasks that you did during your first home buying experience. The best time to refinance is if interest rates have dropped significantly or if you have drastically improved your credit scores since you obtained your first mortgage. By refinancing, you will be able to decrease your monthly payments, as well as the total amount paid over the life of the loan.

If you are looking to sell a home, you should get an appraisal on the property so that you will know how much your buyers will need to be pre-approved for before you agree to sell the home to them and stop showing it to other potential prospects. If you skip this step, you could stop showing your home only to find out that those whom you had made a deal with are unable to get the amount of financing they need or any financing at all. This could severely slow down the process of selling your current home to get the financing you need for your new one.

Whether you are home buying, home selling, or just refinancing a current mortgage, knowing the basics of a buyer's home finance options will benefit you during the process. Discovering which loan is right for you and your situation is a key ingredient in being satisfied with your home buying experience. Finding the right loan can be a long and time consuming process but, once it is over, it will be worth all the effort and trouble that you have gone through to be able to move into the home of your dreams.

Mobile Home Parks and Land-Lease Communities

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:24:56 -0700

Mobile home park communities are extremely popular throughout the United States. People have discovered the easy lifestyle and appeal of RV and mobile home living. Many of these park communities are located in Arizona in the "Valley of the Sun." These communities are much more than just a place to live; they are year-round resorts. Most, if not all, of these resort communities are age qualified, meaning that at least one person must be 55 or older. Pets are allowed, however, with only a few restrictions. Arizona, with its mild, dry climate, magnificent mountains, and spectacular desert attractions, is a delightful escape from the cold, harsh, and dreary winters of other areas of the country.

There are a number of these resort communities in Apache Junction and Mesa, two small towns within an hour's drive from Phoenix. The Shiprock RV resort community, with 120 spaces built in a wagon wheel plan on 10 acres, is the newest and largest park community in Apache Junction. The 7,000 square foot clubhouse has an auditorium and stage, a billiards room, card and craft room, an exercise gym, a library, and laundry facilities. The resort features an outdoor pool, spa, putting green, and barbeque area, as well as a variety of activities, such as concerts, dances, and seminars. There is something for everyone in this unique park community, one of the finest RV resorts in the East Valley of Arizona.

Mesa, Arizona has several park communities, offering a variety of options for vacation or retirement living. There is a lot to do in Mesa, including theater, symphony, museums, art, and botanical gardens. Las Palmas, one of the best active adult resort communities, has a huge 30,000 square foot clubhouse. The clubhouse includes a ballroom, fireside lounge, library with Internet access, an eight-table billiards room, six separate rooms for card games and arts and crafts, and a modern fitness center, as well as a pool, spa, and tennis courts. With over 200 interest groups and clubs, a full calendar of activities, both indoor and outdoor, and a Recreation Director on the premises, there is something for everyone at this spectacular park community. It also features gated security, a 24-hour guard on duty, and a community shuttle bus for shopping trips and attending various cultural and sports events.

Park communities can be permanent retirement homes or pleasant vacation spots; they offer you the freedom to do as you like and go where you please. Experience nature at its best, the canyons and parks, the desert and mountains, and enjoy the comfort of your park community home.

Mobile Homes For Sale

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:38:33 -0700

We've put together a website for advertising mobile homes for sale across America. The website is called MHAmerica.com and you can advertise mobile homes for sale anywhere in the United States for FREE. The website is completely automated so all you have to do is sign up and post your listing. We do ask that if you take your listing off the market that you inactivate your listing in our database. If you have any questions feel free to send us an email.

Squidoo - Have you checked your lens recently?

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:55:51 -0700

Recently Squidoo put into place a number of changes in an attempt to combat SPAM. Some of these changes had a negative impact on more than just SPAM lenses.

For example, one of the changes that seems to have gone unnoticed by many relates to the number of modules published in a lens.

"One modulers - Lenses with less than 3 modules (not including the introduction) will no longer appear to be published, even if they have been. This will get rid of those who don't bother writing anything besides an introduction." Source: SquidBlog - http://www.squidoo.com/blog/?p=155

You can check out the different changes in the SquidBlog.

http://www.squidoo.com/blog/?p=155
http://www.squidoo.com/blog/?p=156

If you're not familiar with Squidoo Lenses and what they look like here is a link to my lens: http://www.squidoo.com/sales-training/

Real Estate Sales Training - Making it Stick!

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 09:59:09 -0700

Communication is often touted as the most important aspect of sales training, but the most important thing about sales training is whether or not it brings about results. Why is it that when you simply repeat your requests in memo after memo or yell what you need changed, the change in sales training that you are hoping for doesn’t come about? Because what is going to happen if they don’t implement the new training procedure? Another memo? Another yelling session? For most, this is not enough motivation to make a change, especially a change that they are not inspired to absorb.

A child does not stop repeating bad behaviors and adopt new ones because her mother is disappointed in her. She stops because she quickly learns that there are repercussions for her actions. In sales training, an effective tool that is often downplayed is the idea of consequences. You can effectively communicate the sales training techniques, share this effectively communicated sales training softly or loudly, repeatedly in memos and meetings and trainings, but still not have the desired outcome.

The problem comes in when you don’t follow through. For example, you have spent a great deal of time encouraging them to learn the sales training techniques that you’ve designed because, ultimately, it will make their jobs easier and more fluid. However, learning these new techniques may be more difficult or time consuming than they may have thought and, for them, their job is not made easier with this new responsibility. You may have communicated quite efficiently to your employees that you would suspend anyone who wasn’t implementing the new sales techniques by a certain date, but that date came and passed without suspensions despite the fact that many were still using the old ways. This may be due to an overwhelming work load or an inability to do the actually suspending, but whatever the reason, your lack of follow through communicates to your employees that you probably won’t follow through with these new sales training techniques either, so why bother?

Along with working out how you will communicate your new sales training, decide what consequences, or incentives, you will put into place. When an employee successfully learns and implements the new training, there should be a benefit or reward. When an employee does not learn the new training or does not put it to use, then, too, should there be a consequence.

These consequences should be very personal to your employee they should not be benefits or drawbacks for the company. For example, the benefit should be a monetary bonus for the individual employee instead of the airy concept that profits will soar for the company and that this will trickle down into raises for everyone. The drawback should be a suspension for the individual employee or a cut in hours rather than the general threat of bankruptcy for the company – or even the threat of layoffs in general. Just like sales to the customers, the way to sell your new sales training techniques to your employees is to make it personal.

Simply put, repetition or angry tirades do not back up effectively communicated sales training strategies. Instead, put your time and energy into creating and backing up consequences for jobs well done (or not done). Plan casual meetings during the work day to get input on how things are going, to see if anyone has questions, concerns, or needs help. In this way, you will create an environment of trust and a foundation of follow through that will not only help you implement your current new sales training ideas but future ones as well.

Jeff Blackwell is the founder of SalesPractice.com, an online sales community that assists sales practitioners in mastering the art of sales by providing professional sales training resources including a collection of leading articles, sales script book, industry source book, and sales forum.

Real Estate Sales Training

Easy Living Solutions Realty — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:18:28 -0700

Sales training is perhaps the most important training in which a real estate professional can participate. Of course, in every state and the District of Columbia a real estate agent or broker must be licensed but without the ability to sell, the real estate license serves no purpose.

Real Estate sales training is not unlike any other kind of sales training. The same rules apply. You must know your product in order to sell it. For a real estate agent this translates into knowing the community, the housing market, market trends, economic facts and figures, what is currently selling and what isn't. It also means knowing more than a little about loans and mortgages. There are far more options today for buying and selling property than there used to be and not keeping up with the industry is the fastest way to sales suicide.

Sales is always about communication. That usually entails listening more than talking. You have to know what your client's need is before you can fill it and the only way you will know this is effective listening. You can know everything there is to know about the real estate profession but if you can't interact effectively with people, you will likely not be successful at real estate sales or any other kind of sales.

Learning by example is often the best way to learn. If you're lucky enough to have a mentor or at least an experienced and successful real estate sales professional that will take you under their wing, let them. If they've been in the business very long, then it's likely they've dealt with a wide variety of sales experiences and you could benefit greatly from that experience. You're going to need some time anyway, in the form of several months living expenses to be able to survive in this game. If at all possible. link up with someone you can actually watch at work and discuss the experience before and afterwards. There's no more valuable training. In fact, the better your sales training is, the more successful you'll be as a real estate professional.

If a live class or seminar appeals to you, there are a great number of motivational speakers as well as sales coaches to learn from. The important thing is to learn the techniques you'll need to be successful in real estate sales. Not everyone learns the same way or at the same pace. Sales training comes in different forms and the same format may not be right for everyone.

Knowing what not to do in sales can be just as important as knowing what to do. Sales training is one learning experience where you can greatly benefit from others' mistakes as well as their successes. There are many online resources as well as live seminars and classes for every real estate sales professional.

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