Home Sales: A Buyer’s Perspective
I have been on the purchasing side of the table for most of my career in the home building industry. During that time, I've had the good fortune to work with some of the best salespeople in our business; others not so much. In my experience, a company is only as good as the salespeople that represent it. From a customer’s perspective, and perhaps especially in the housing arena, a salesperson is the company. If a sales associate does a good job, a buyer will think well of your company … and the reverse is true for those who don’t and leave the prospect (likely not a buyer) with a poor impression.
Home Builder Sales Team Do's and Don'ts
Anyone involved in the home building industry knows it’s difficult and expensive to generate business, and your sales team has the single biggest impact on whether or not the company lands a new customer or contract. As you consider how best to hire, train, and support your sales efforts, think about these do's and don’ts from a buyer’s perspective.
Do your research. Google search your most promising prospects and look them up on social media. That exercise will likely indicate their hobbies, tastes, and things you have in common that you can leverage when you meet with them. First impressions matter. Do all you can to make that first interaction a positive one.
Do understand the products you’re selling. Know where they are made (it matters), where they are distributed, how they are made, and how they are installed. And know the same about those products sold by your competitors—and keep that knowledge up to date. Don’t put yourself in a position where a customer knows more about your products than you do. Be the expert.
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Don’t put a spin on the products. If a product can’t stand on its own, find a company's that does. Salespeople are often trained to put a positive spin on things, but buyers are increasingly attuned to see through this. When salespeople push a product that's not a good fit for the customer, they erode credibility. Don’t risk your reputation or sell your soul for a sale.
Do allow prospective buyers to speak. I’ve been in meetings where the salesperson rarely considers, much less asks, if I have questions about their product, and when I was given the opportunity, it took 10 minutes to get an answer. I didn't buy that day.
Do be concise. Most customers don’t need to know the history of the watch and how the watch was made when they ask what time it is. Understand the question and respond accordingly. Ask for clarification if needed, then answer the question as efficiently as possible with a response that's to the point.
Don’t be afraid to ask if the customer knows of any others—friends, family, work associates, other companies—who also may be interested in your product. I could probably count on one hand the number of times a salesperson has asked me that question, but if they did (and if I liked what I was hearing), I always tried to accommodate that request.
It’s better to plant a seed and follow up than it is to push to close a deal with an unwilling prospect or a prospect who isn't ready.
Do respect prospects' time. If you set the meeting for 30 minutes, then finish in 25. Tell the customer you want to be respectful of their time and that there are only 5 minutes left in the meeting, then ask if they have any more questions. They will likely be so impressed that they will give you more time if needed (assuming you or they don’t have another appointment to get to). If a prospect gives you more time, they are interested in what you're selling.
Don’t go overboard with compliments. Too many compliments will make a customer feel uncomfortable, but one good, genuine compliment can set the stage for a productive conversation. Keying in on something the customer does well or takes pride in is the most effective route. And did I mention be genuine?
Do ask clarifying questions. Paraphrase what you're hearing to ensure you and the customer are on the same page, then talk about how your product aligns. If there isn’t alignment—on price, features, schedule, and so on—then it’s best to acknowledge it up front rather than waste time.
Don’t force a sale. It’s better to plant a seed and follow up than it is to push to close a deal with an unwilling prospect or a prospect who isn't ready. Pushing will just make the customer defensive and will justify why they shouldn't do business with you rather than encouraging them to reflect on the merits of working with you.
Don’t talk negatively about the company you work for. Occasionally I've met with a salesperson who has vented about their employer to me. If you don’t like the company you work for, why would the customer? I understand the company may have asked you to do something you don’t agree with, but your job is to represent the company. If you go around complaining about the company to its customers, it will most likely be detrimental to your and the company’s success.
Do follow up. When I’m excited about a product or service and ask the salesperson to follow up with additional information, I've found that sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t. If a salesperson doesn’t follow up when they're selling, they won’t follow up when you have a problem and need their help. In that case, it's best to avoid that company’s products or services. I've replaced suppliers and service providers because their salespeople wouldn’t return my calls.
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Do anticipate objections. All too often, a salesperson will spend all of their time thinking about the benefits of their product and service and not enough time about its potential downsides. It's important to understand any potential negatives and have ready solutions.
Don’t be confrontational. Anticipate and acknowledge objections and be ready to share potential aspects that minimize the objection and to reiterate the benefits of the product. If the buyer is persistent and isn't open to your feedback, then thank them for their time. Share with them that you would love to do business with them in the future.
The Power of the Salesperson
If you lead a home building company, your salespeople are your strongest asset … or your biggest liability. Make sure you know how they are perceived by the customers they call on. Attend sales calls or meetings with them so you can see firsthand how they interact with prospects and consider calling a prospective buyer or existing customer to solicit specific feedback that you can then use to train your sales team.
