Written by
Arielle Laranjeira
McDonald’s Corporation founder, Ray Kroc, once said, “the definition of salesmanship is
the gentle art of letting your customer have it your way.” Despite how long has passed
since Ray described our profession so eloquently, it still holds true.
We question, we persuade, and we close, gently, until our prospects have it our way.
Sales is sales – it always has been and will continue to be.
But the methods we use to sell, on the other hand, have seen more change than the
water fountain at the mall where a rookie salesman blows his commission. Most
notably, texting is slowly replacing phone calls, and it’s time to hop on board.
Unless you sound like Morgan Freeman, no one cares if they hear your voice. Hang up
the phone, text your leads, and close them with these five replies:
1) “Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t lie.”
Your prospect is doubting what you can do for them. It’s annoying, isn’t it. They have
seen the numbers, right there in front of them, but they’re still acting like you’re full of
more crap than a diaper pail in a newborn’s room.
They may even be telling you, “yeah, but Hugh Jass down the street said I can do
better.” Ok, but Hugh Jass could be lying, the numbers ain’t. Why? Because Jay-Z said.
2) “A Mercedes has a higher upfront cost, but comes with premium support
and quality. That 1992 rust bucket will cost you less at first, until it breaks
down on the freeway and the only support you have is a bottle of Tylenol in
the glovebox.”
Your prospect isn’t grasping cost versus value. How many times have you dealt with
someone who thinks the cheaper option is the better option? Put it in terms anyone can
understand and hammer home the real value behind paying more – what you get down
the road.
3) “You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can’t predict the weather.”
Simply put, you don’t know what could happen tomorrow. Your prospect isn’t
considering the long term.
Somewhere there is a 54-year- old, father of three who doesn’t think he needs the life
insurance plan you’re selling because he eats right, exercises, and is super healthy.
Let him know that he might be sitting on a checkered blanket, having fun in the sun
now, but what happens if it starts pouring. He would rather his loved ones be shielded
from the storm than huddled under a tree, wouldn’t he?
And, yes, this is borrowed from Outkast.
4) “If Henry Ford shrugged and said, ‘well, we’ve always done it this way,’
there would still be horse drawn carriages rolling down 95.”
Is your prospect being complacent and resisting change? Probably, because that’s what
humans do. As salespeople, we’re a different breed. While we understand and embrace
the adapt or die lifestyle, most don’t.
Feel free to replace “95” with whatever well known roadway exists near you – the point
remains. Unless your prospect secretly enjoys scooping up horse poop, they will
appreciate you relating how change can benefit society, and more importantly, them.
5) “The details make the difference. Disney Land and an airport look the same
at first glance. Both have long lines, security checks, and marked up
concessions, but only one promises good times.”
“All realtors do one thing – sell houses.” This is something that was really said to a
friend of mine, and she couldn’t be more wrong.
At face value, a lot of things look the same. LCD vs Plasma. Chocolate chip vs oatmeal
raisin cookies. Coke vs Pepsi. Rice pudding vs tapioca pudding; and like the proof that’s
in it, the differences are in the details.
Remind your prospect that Disney Land and LAX share a lot of similarities, too.
Although, once you look closer, one will take you to the happiest place on earth; the
other will have you in a flying tin can, with some woman named Brenda reclined into
your knees, and the chance you’ll be manhandled by a certain airline.
The point is…
The odds are you text your mom, your friends, or the random you met at a bar last
week, daily. Put all that practice into play, start texting your leads, and get to closing.
