Are you tempted by meat on a toothpick?
It happened to me again at the food court at South Park Mall in Charlotte Friday night! I took a tasty sample on toothpicks from a Chinese restaurant worker and immediately decided to order a plate from their menu. Since they gave me 2 different meat choices to try and since I liked both, I asked if I could get half of each! They were very happy and friendly and they agreed in unison with bright smiles.
Well, just down the mall, there was another vendor with several attractive girls with lotion sample trays that were jumping out at mall shoppers trying to get them to take a sample. I steered as far as I could away from them and they still managed to get my attention every time I passed them by shouting out at me. I declined to accept their offer with each agitating attempt. Even though they were pretty, their pushy sales methods were way over the top and most shoppers were also avoiding them.
Are there any lessons that we can draw from these examples?
Absolutely!
Why don't you put together a tasty offering on your business card of your services and tempt some prospects with this push method of sales?
Here are some ideas:
- Free First-Time Home Buyer Guide.
- Free "Just Listed" email notices customized for your wish list.
- Free Guide on How Stage a House for Showing.
- Free Tips for Listing Your Home in a Slow Market.
- Free Investor Guide for Home Flipping.
Notice the word "Free" that always appears in the offer? This is critical in this market. Also, make sure to include some testimonies and contact information in each promotion to help them see your value and your personality too. The main thing that these promotions do is to promote your ideas so they can understand how you work and so they will be sold on you before you really meet them. Then, hand these business cards out with a nice simple promotional comment and big warm smile and see what happens.
For you listing agents, here are some ideas to entice your buyers with some tasty incentives on some "listing business cards" that you can promote with some catchy ads like:
- New washer/dryer installed if closes by end of February!
- Seller will repaint the entire inside to suit new buyers taste!
- New granite countertops in the kitchen!
- New high-speed desktop PC given to any buyer at closing!
- New 52" flat screen TV for the buyer that closes this month!
With many retailers offering tremendous discounts to move inventory, now is a great time to pick up some appliances at a deal that can help your sellers sell before their next mortgage payment is due! Make sure to give plenty of these cards to your sellers too and make sure that they hand them out in a warm friendly manner. Teach them a few things about sales and they'll learn to appreciate you better!
Before you do any of these things, take a look at your picture on your business card. Do you look approachable, friendly and kind? If not, get a new brighter, friendlier picture made and update your cards.
In the book I promoted last week, "Smile and Move", they made the point of saying that just being agreeable is not enough, you have to mean it. For example, when asked to do something for someone, does your YES say, "yes, if I have to" or "yes, it would be my pleasure?"
Some people really have a hard time with this while it comes natural for others. If you look at the successful sales people, you are going to find the latter, more than likely. Also, make sure your cards portray you in this manner too.
Posted by: Sam Thompson
Southern Trust Mortgage - 910-852-9415
Senior Loan Officer - NMLS# 70388
Helping you GROW your business!
www.activerain.com./luckydog1- SC
www.activerain.com/luckydog2- NC
http://www.southerntrust.com/thompson
http://www.southernpineshomemortgage.com
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