The Likeability Guy

Here’s a little dose of reality

October 8th, 2008 Posted in Creating Success

Okay, so here’s the thing.  We have banks closing their doors and prominent businesses shutting down operations.  Every day that you look up, something new is happening to discourage your generally rosy outlook. 

I’m not going to write an article that ignores the fact that the buying dynamic for people has changed.  Today’s article will not feature a generic “be happy” and “go get ‘em” story.  We have a real problem to deal with and we need real solutions to overcome it.

I have lost count of how many people each day let me know what a “bad market” it is.  They tell me that they are fearful of the future and that they worry about the security of their jobs.  Out of fear, people are less willing to part with their hard earned money.  There seems to be a whole new appreciation for earning money and the risk of taking on any future debt.

Personally, I say congratulations for waking up!!  I wish it didn’t take the collapse of the banking system to get there, but if that’s what it takes, so be it.  People have been far too careless with their money over the last decade and the banks have done everything in their power to make sure they got their hooks into you.

I’m going to stop short of giving an economic lesson or an explanation of the free market system that exists in a capitalistic society, however…………..I SAY……..

It’s time to man up (this is just a term, no offense to the ladies)!

• Can you control the collapse of a greedy bank that has profited for the last decade on many unsuspecting consumers?  No!
• Can you control the doom and gloom reports the media generates each day to boost their ratings?  No!
• Can you do anything about this new “bailout” legislation that was passed?  No!

You have to tune out as much of the nonsense as possible.  I don’t mean live in “la la” land, but if you buy into everything you read and hear, it will consume you and begin to shape your attitude.  At this moment, more than any other in recent memory, our buyers (consumers) need REAL help. 

People still need items such as homes, cars, clothing, food, recreational toys, etc.  They fear, however, the loss of their money much more than the anticipation of gain right now.  That has always been the balance.  In the past, most people were at an even level of “fear of loss” and “anticipation of gain”.  As it stands right now, the scales are severely tipped to fear of loss.

In the last two months, I have sold 16 homes.  To give perspective, my chief competitor has sold 4 homes during the same time period.  I don’t say this as some effort to brag, but rather to give some perspective.  Are their less people in the market right now?  Yes.  Are people still buying?  Yes!

I have found that people WANT to buy homes; they are just WAAAY more apprehensive about doing it.  This means that you can either do your same routine or try something new.  In general, there are two types of salespeople.  There is the very outgoing and fearless person that is always asking people to make the purchase at every turn or the extremely relaxed person that will do anything to not appear as pushy.

Well, it’s time for BOTH to change.  People need help and they NEED you to give it to them.  Lose the agenda!  This is going to sound ridiculous, but make an effort to not focus on the immediate sale.  Yes, I said don’t focus on the sale.  In August, I decided it was time for a new approach. 

I made the decision that when I am speaking with someone that walks in my door or calls me on the phone, I will help them with zero preconditions or notions of dollar signs dancing in my head.

In the last two months, I have not had to ask for any of the 16 sales that I have made.   Not a single one.  I simply made every possible effort to learn about what they need, and in doing so I provided people with answers that tipped the scales so far in the “anticipation of gain” direction, that fear of loss become a moot point.

I won’t say that this approach has worked with everyone that I have spoken with, as some people walk in and feel a sense of entitlement that I cannot overcome enough to provide any real value.  (This is few and far between.)  People like this try and capitalize on the “bad market” scenario and are just looking for hand-outs and freebies.  Don’t waste your time with them, as you will rarely ever provide enough value for them to really open up to allow you to help them anyway.

So there it is.  Forget the negative nonsense news about the collapse of the economy.  I promise life will go on and people will still live their lives.  It’s time to step up and help.  Drop the same old sales focus and remember that people will be speaking with you with deep reservations about fear of loss.  You will know when you have tipped the balance because they will ask you what they need do next.

If you try and force it, you both lose.  If you are too passive, you both lose.  It’s all about helping without preconditions or agendas.  It is crucial to understand in advance what consumers are feeling.  Without this knowledge, it is hard to disarm people and help them effectively.

The good news is that you KNOW how people are feeling because we are ALL consumers going through the same stuff.  Since you know the problem, and the solution is disarming the fear of loss, you can give real help.

Think of it like a video game.  For every helpful answer that you provide, you get to advance to the next level.  When you have given them all the guidance that they require to move forward, the sale is made and the game is won!  If you don’t give any help, you can’t move to the next level.  In this scenario, nobody will ever win the game.

Have no doubt.  It works.  More people just need to go out and do it!