Recently, I interviewed a “real-world” sales counselor from Ottawa, Canada. Valerie has been selling new homes for ten years and her insights into the business are right on point. Listen to what she has to say.
If you want to be interviewed, drop me an email to paul@paulmontelongo.com with the subject line, “pick me, pick me”.
Until our paths cross again,
Paul
Hi,
Your prospect is analyzing your product to see if it meets their definition of value. There are two very specific ways to define the value of a product you are selling. Take a look at this video for the definition of value and what you can do to be in line with your prospective customer to influence them to see the value of your product.
Leave your comments below…and enjoy my short tribute to Tom Watson.
Take great care,
Paul
Hey,
As a Builder, Remodelor, Realtor or housing industry professional, can you use blogging to promote your business and make more sales? Take a look at this video as well as the list below…
Top ten reasons a housing industry professional should blog…
1. To express your thoughts or opinions…about your market, your niche, your customers and who should take advantage of your services.
2. To market or promote your business…blogging allows you to overtly promote your company. It also allows you to build value by offering credible information for your customers.
3. To establish yourself as an expert…the more you write about your industry, the more you can be perceived as an expert…people prefer to do business with experts.
4. To help people…the more people that are exposed to your helpful information, the more credibility you build. If you want to be helped, help others.
5. To make money…you can sell your services and products online on your blog. You can offer discounts to readers, referral fees, and incentives to gather leads.
6. To distinguish your company or yourself as unique among your competitors. The features of your blog and the way you present it to the public can make you stand out above the competition.
7. To stay connected to customers, prospects, vendors and your professional network…Blogging allows you to maintain an ongoing personal appearance with regular product updates.
8. To poll your customers…with features like comments and rss feeds, you can get a beat on what your readers are interested in, what they want more of and less of.
9. To stay abreast of the latest trends, technologies and news in your industry...regular blogging calls up on you to do research in your industry. You will also receive suggestions and information from your readers that keeps you up with the industry.
10.To attract a more savvy, influential customer base…it’s true that the internet provides a source of information for savvy buyers. The more savvy the buyer, the more research they do. When you position yourself on the Internet with your highly informative blog, you will have a greater chance to attract a more discriminating, affluent buyer.
There are plenty of other reasons to blog. It can be fun and an outlet for you to be creative and express yourself. You learn along the way and you open yourself up to a whole new world of information and technology.
Let me know your thoughts below about blogging.
Until our paths cross again,
Paul
Hello,
The big question is…Are Social sites useful business tools or are they just a massive waste of time? Here are three quickie strategies to get your ramped up and running for your social media marketing plan.
Happy 4th of July.
Paul Montelongo
Hello,
Jump start your sales conversation with a question that will open up the flood gates of information. Ask this question and get them talking about what they want, what they need, what they desire, why they are there to buy, etc.
Check out this video and add your comments at the end.
The rest of the Fab Five questions can be found here on YouTube. Check them out if you wish and send along your comments.
Feel free to share these at your next sales meeting.
Until our paths cross again, take great care.
Paul
Hello,
Of all the essential skills of a professional sales person, this one is the most important if you want to sell more deals. It may sound fundamental, but it is the most overlooked skill of all.
Check out this video and then add your comments to the blog.
The Fab 5 questions can be found here on YouTube. I will post them to this blog in the coming days.
Until our paths cross again, take great care,
Paul
Ps. A new blog site is about to be launced called PaulMontelongo.com/housingblog….WATCH FOR IT SOON.
Hello,
The secret is out…the Internet is here to stay…(LOL)
There are many, many ways to use the Internet to generate more leads and more sales. However, in order to sell more, you have to understand the real reasons your buyer has visited your website.
Check out this very short video (1:40 min) for my thoughts about understanding Internet buyers. Its segment three in the five part series. The first two segments are in earlier blog posts (below). Send your comments and feedback.
Also, check out my Advanced Sales Mastery for Masters of the Housing Industry. This program can be downloaded immediately into your computer. It has been designed for the more experienced housing industry professionals.
Until our paths cross again, take great care of yourself and your loved ones.
Paul Montelongo
www.paulmontelongo.com
Ps. Get a free chapter to my eBook, The Secrets to Selling New Homes in a Down Market, or Any Market for That Matter.
Hello,
With the recent slight increase in traffic, consumer interest and confidence in the housing market, your sales game now takes on a bit of a different twist. It is important to know why your prospect has chosen to investigate your product at this point in time. Getting to know what is going on with their ‘mental real estate’ will help you with your marketing and sales efforts. Take a look at this short video (4:02) to learn four specific questions you should use to uncover what your prospect is thinking so that you can convert them into a sale.
Please leave your comments, thoughts and experiences at the end of this blog post.
Until our paths cross again, take great care of yourself and your loved ones.
Paul
Ps. The eBook link is http://paulmontelongo.com/sellmorehomes/book.htm
Dear Friend,
Today’s consumer is very savvy. How do you capture their attention and convert to a sale?
Here is Sales Tips Part II…”Create a Unique Buying Experience”.
Create a Unique Buying Experience
Check it out. Leave your comments.
Until our paths cross again, take great care of yourself and your loved ones.
Paul
www.paulmontelongo.com
Top 10 list of low or no-cost marketing
Marketing and publicity are the driving force behind every viable business. After all, if your potential clients do not know that you exist, how can they become your clients? Multi-billionaire Donald Trump says, ”the only bad publicity is no publicity”. Well, with some of the publicity he has had over the years, I am not sure I completely agree with that. The point is, we all know of Trump and something about his business.
The benefits of publicity are enormous. When massive amounts of people know who you are, what your product or service is and how it can benefit them, your chance of obtaining new clients dramatically increases. The challenge is that fancy ad campaigns, marketing research and publicity agents can represent a sizable investment. There are times when these resources may be appropriate. For most of us though, the best kind of publicity is FREE PUBLICITY, or at least very low cost publicity. Here are the top ten ideas and resources about obtaining FREE PUBLICITY that I have collected over the years that may benefit your company.
1. Join organizations and associations and get involved. Become an active member in the organizations that represent your industry and speak on behalf of the organization to consumer groups and potential clients. Do this for free and with no hidden agenda of obtaining business, but rather as open info rmation to benefit the public.
2. Send out press releases. Notices of changes or improvements in your business can be sent to industry trade journals, local newspapers, association newsletters and corresponding associations. Always mention your company name and a brief comment about your service or product.
3. Teach a class. Continuing education classes for school districts and community colleges provide an opportunity to share your business knowledge and experience with others. You will have credibility as an established expert in the community. Your teaching colleagues and students will share this others. Send out press releases of your classes and put the notice in your marketing kit.
4. Form alliances. Act as a sub contractor or joint venture with others when possible. Their clients, in effect, become yours and visa versa. Creating a master mind or “think tank” group can open opportunities for all involved. This support system can be used to collaborate on marketing programs and advertising campaigns.
5. Ask! That’s right. Ask! Did I say ask? Ask for at least 3 leads from every client and provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope for their convenience. Reward them for the new business you obtain from their referral. I have known of contracts that included a clause requiring at least three legitimate referrals. Keep a tickler file for re-contacting your clients every 3 to 6 months. Reconnect the relationship with them and ask again for their business or if they know of someone who needs your service.
6. Be a radio or TV guest. Offer your presence to a radio or TV show when there is a newsworthy item relating to your business. For example, an HVAC contractor may offer 5 simple steps for keeping your house cool and energy efficient in the hot summer months. Understand that news reporters are very busy. They want bites of information relative to hot issues. Tailor your contribution to what is current in the news.
7. Have stuff and label your stuff. Carry your brochure, one-page ad, and promotional material with you at all times. Include in them awards and any recognition you have received. Put your name and critical information on your stuff. Let others know who you are and what qualifies you as an expert. Label everything from your trucks and cars to your pen and pencil sets. Be proud of your promotional stuff. We affectionately call it in our business the, “We love us package.”
8. Get a coach or be a coach. Having someone hold you accountable to your goals and plans is valuable. Your coach will endorse you as someone who is worthy of the trust of others. Mentor a young entrepreneur. Coach a new businessperson. Share your knowledge. They will show their gratitude by telling others what a great person you are.
9. Send an e-mail newsletter. This is a no-cost way of maintaining a presence in front of your clients. The newsletter can be just a couple of hundred words long. Brevity is important. It must have a tip or provide something of value. It must be more than just junk mail. Always offer a product or service at the end of the newsletter and a way for the newsletter to be subscribed to by others.
10.Get involved in lateral organizations. Join and get involved in organizations that support the construction industry. Banking, real estate, and insurance adjuster associations are a natural support to our industry. Your presence and expertise will be a tremendous asset to these organizations. This will lead to more business from sources you may not have consciously targeted.
Publicity for your business is an ongoing venture. Investing the time and energy in these small ways can pay huge dividends when building a client base. One note of encouragement is to FOLLOW UP. Whatever leads for potential new business come your way needs to be followed up.
If you would like my personal list of at least 50 ways to grow your business with free or very low cost publicity, send me an e-mail requesting the list. I will gladly share these with you and perhaps you can enlighten me with some additional ways to publicize your business for free.
Until we have the honor to meet in person, remember, “Success is YOUR choice, choose well.”
