Comments for Is the Focus on Closing Getting You Anywhere? at http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home , comment 1 to 11 out of 11 comments http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:23:40 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-3229 What great comments! Karen, I love it when you drink coffee! Follow through does rule. Hey! There's a theme for 2010 - Follow Through is Really Cool! - Lori Snider Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:41:58 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-3211 I love the comments on this great piece and I couldn't keep myself from jumping in to agree with a lot of what everyone is sharing. The "natural sales person" who also is trained will always have the edge over someone without those natural abilities. And we're on the right track, I believe, when we realize it's about asking the right questions to understand what our customer is looking for and then figuring out whether our community is the right fit. At that point we're just getting started! The majority of prospective residents will not be ready to commit that first time around. They're out the door, or looking further on the internet! The successful sales person will be the person who follows up promptly, rekindles the previously established rapport, remembers what the customer was looking for, and asks for the sale again. That's when it starts falling into place. And our sales folks without the "sales magic" simply hate to follow-up! Following up feels too pushy. The true sales person wants to get back in touch with the customer because they want to be with their customer when she's ready to make her decision! Follow-up RULES (oh, too much coffee this AM.) - Karen Long Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:12:11 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-3011 Kim, Thanks for the comments. These are very interesting and relevant thoughts. I think desire will absolutely take a person very far. I also think that everyone on the team should understand the importance of generating a positive impression to the client and can be taught technique that will help them accomplish that objective. Cross training can be very effective. That said, however, concern and warmth must be genuine emotions. They can't be faked through a six step program. In addition, while even the naturally best salespeople have an inate fear of asking for the money, the best do it because of their overriding conviction and need to see it through. It's a challenge for them. Those that are "made" salespeople will probably not have that conviction. And, frankly, there are simply some people that, while talented in their field, should not be in front of the customer because they don't, and never will possess the ability to relate. Taking a salesperson and training them to be a bookkeeper, or maintenance tech, might band aid a situation, and save money short term, but long term sacrifice must be considered. The same is true with leasing. As an industry, sales is as specialized a position as accounting or maintenance. All use different skill sets, and while I could learn to tile a bathtub, if need warranted, I probably wouldn't be as good, or as fast as the more technically inclined maintenance professional. Plus, it wouldn't be something I would enjoy doing, and my work would probably reflect it. We are, simply, asking people to sell a $12,000 + item. To make do, and use who you have, will save you some money, but how much is it really costing? If today, all the inherently talented salespeople in a company went away, and you had to make due, it would be my bet that leasing would suffer. It doesn't mean that we don't teach technique. It means that the right combination of talent enhanced by smart technique is what will generate maximum income. As you said, times are lean and mean. In my opinion, we can't afford to lose even one lease. An accountant most likely wouldn't trust my results with their books, even if they had taught me technique and how to do them. Why then, would I trust an accountant to sell my product as effectively as I might? My goal is to change the way we think about sales in this industry, and as a result, make changes in the way we hire, train and measure sales success. - Lori Snider Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:10:55 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-3009 Lori, Are sales people born or made? My experience is that even someone who does not have a natural propensity toward selling can suceed IF they have a strong enough desire. I think we have to take the time to cross-train in every area, so that the Naturally inclined administrator, accountant, or operations specialist can also have the opportunity to be an accomplished sales person. It is almost necessary that we "make" more salespeople. On-site teams are lean and mean and everyone has to sell by necessity. Economy dictates it. Where there is a will, there is a way! Kim Andreadis Kim owns her own Marketing and Training Company in the Washington DC area and has trained hundreds of individuals in the country's most prominant property management companies, the art and skill of selling.[i][/i] - Kim Andreadis Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:52:48 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-3000 Kari and Gerry, Thanks for the comments. I so agree. We can so easily get our blinders on and focus on the micro without really thinking about the macro. - Lori Snider Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:29:21 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-2997 When times are "good" - it's the product. When times are "bad", it's the people. Lack of closing seems to be the easiest metric to focus on and measure for bonuses, rewards and accolades. To me, the "establishing rapport and trust" box on the shopping report that says, "Based on this presentation, would you have leased here?", is worth 95% of the score. If the rapport was established, the product is to standards, and the person is ready to "buy", they will return here. It IS the people - just not measurable by closing ratios. - Kari Kerr Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:32:46 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-2986 So true. We need the right people in the right seats!! Not everyone is a sales person and that's okay, but lets not keep them just cause they are 'so nice'! It's business, we have a job to do and that is to maximize the dollar for the owners, that means having the BEST SALES people! [u][/u] - Gerry Hunt Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:03:45 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-2985 You kill me. :) - Lori Snider Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:33:41 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-2984 Yeah, Lori, I remember those days. [i]"Ask seven times. After the 7th 'no' you can stop asking[/i]. You can stop asking cause you can bet the prospect stopped listening, right Lori? Thanks for the post, Lori (as I struggle to find four more ways to use your name...) LT - Lisa Trosien Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:40:40 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-2983 As you so succinctly put it last week with how obnoxious just over-using a name can be, how obnoxious is asking someone for a deposit 7 times in 30 minutes? - Lori Snider Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:30:53 +0100 http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-blogs/Is-the-Focus-on-Closing-Getting-You-Anywhere-.html#comment-2982 Hi Lori: Agreed. As I've always said, "Closing is a process; not an event". LT - Lisa Trosien Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:41:51 +0100