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| Bob Hafer,
MIRM, CSP |
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Keep fighting – never give up
The home building industry continues to struggle. It’s times like now you decide is new home selling a job or a career. I tell my students that anyone can find a job but finding a career is hard work. A job is a place to pick up a check; a career is a place to share your passion. And passion is what motivates someone to get out of bed and face the day knowing it’s going to be difficult. I know the market is tough now. But if you can find a reason to get up everyday and fight through these difficult times, you’ll have found your career.
This month’s newsletter is written for those among us who are looking for some encouragement to keep going. The first article reminds us that opportunity is everywhere. The second article answers the question about setting goals. And the third article includes my favorite writing entitled Attitude. Joel Weldon, a world-renowned motivational speaker said, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” The poem Attitude makes Joel’s quote crystal clear.
I hope you enjoy this newsletter and please consider the message each article delivers. Your success is not an accident – success is always a planned event. Use these three articles to lead you to success – starting now!
Acres of Diamonds
One of the most interesting Americans who lived in the 19th century was a man by the name of Russell Herman Conwell. He was born in 1843 and lived until 1925. He was a lawyer for about fifteen years until he became a clergyman.
One day, a young man went to him and said he wanted a college education but couldn't afford it. Dr. Conwell spent many weeks and months praying and thinking about all the people who deserved a good education but lacked the resources to pay for it. Dr. Conwell decided to build a university. However, he did have a large challenge - he would have to raise millions for his goal to become a reality.
Several years before this incident, Dr. Conwell was intrigued by a true story he had heard. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a friend became excited about the diamond business. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so enthused that he sold his farm to search for the elusive gem. He wandered all over the African continent and unfortunately he never found the riches he was searching for. Eventually he went broke and in dispear threw himself into the ocean and drowned.
Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into shock. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, "Heck, the whole farm is covered with them" and sure enough it was.
The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine which is the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on "Acres of Diamonds" until he sold his farm.
The moral of the story
Dr. Conwell learned from the story and decided to teach it's moral by giving lectures all over the world. He told his audience that each of us is right in the middle of our own "Acres of Diamonds", if only we realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures. Dr. Conwell told this story many times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the story long enough to raise nearly six million dollars and found Temple University.
When Doctor Russell H. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our own "Acres of Diamonds", he meant it. This story does not get old, it will be true forever.Opportunity does not just come along, it's there all the time. All you have to do is know what to look for.
Do you see opportunity?
I have a question for you, "Do you see the opportunity you are presented every day when a prospect visits your model home? Or do you take that prospect for granted?" Stop now and look around – you are sitting on your own “Acre of Diamonds”. Take time today to explore all the wonderful opportunities you are presented daily. Remember that a diamond must be polished to take on its brightness, clarity and value. And the same is true for each of your customers. Start by combing through past registration cards. Those cards are your diamond mind. Stop taking customers for granted and begin giving your full attention to providing each prospect with world-class service. Then before you know it, you will be mining your own "Acres of Diamonds".
Send to a friend
Before reading the next two articles I have a favor to ask. I want you to send this newsletter to 5 people who you feel will benefit from the ideas and principles included. My goal is to send this newsletter to at least 1000 people monthly. To achieve this goal I need your help. At the bottom of the newsletter you will find a ‘Send to a Friend’ button. Just click and follow the easy introductions. Thank you in advance for helping me and your friend achieve their goals. It is appreciated!
Robert E. Hafer Seminars
To learn more about Robert E. Hafer seminars and workshops and purchase Building Results – The Ultimate How-To Guide For New Homes Sales, visit www.BobHafer.com, email Bob at buildingresults@BobHafer.comor call 972-795-5926.
Good Luck and Good Selling!
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Personal goal setting
Many years ago I had the pleasure of working with Joel Weldon, a mentor, teacher and motivational speaker. He spoke frequently about the importance of goal setting. With today’s market the idea of personal goal setting is timely. Joel shared a story that remains with me. I hope you find as much value in this story as I have.
You need a hoop
People often ask, “Why do I need goals?” The answer would be obvious if you were a spectator at this imaginary basketball game – the last of a championship series.
Just before the game began, the home team players formed a tight huddle around their coach. “Who’s going to win?” he asked. “We Are!” they yelled. “Then go for it!” he screamed, and the starting five rushed onto the court.
Immediately the home team took possession of the ball. The star guard dribbled down court and saw one of his teammates standing in the open, beneath the backboard. A quick pass, and the shot was up, arching perfectly toward the … but it fell to the floor. There was no hoop on the backboard!
Everyone was confused, then frustrated. The players angrily demanded an explanation but there was none. After a few minutes of chaos, the game was cancelled, because without hoops the officials could not keep score, the players would not know if they hit or missed and the fans would never know how well their team played.
And that’s the answer. Life without goals is like a basketball game without hoops. You not only can’t keep score, but you probably won’t even play the game.
Your thoughts determine your life
Accomplishment requires goals. Your goals determine your thoughts and your thoughts determine your life. In other words, what you think about, you bring about. The simple truth is you have become what you have spent most of your time thinking about up until now. You are exactly where you are supposed to be based on all the decisions and choices you've made up to this moment in time. If you are not happy with what you are or what you have now, then you can still change, by changing your thinking.
The great scientist Sir Isaac Newton was asked how he discovered the law of gravitation. “By thinking about it all the time,” he answered.
So set your hoops (goals) and think about them all the time. You will get what you think about most.
Stop negative thinking now!
So, what are you spending your time thinking about? Do you think about the wonderful opportunities each new prospect represents? Or do you spend your time worrying about the 100th prospect who said, “I’m just looking”? Snap out of negative thinking and start thinking now about what you’re going to do when the next prospect says, “I’m just looking”. Set personal goals to do the following with each new prospect you meet:
Understand visit motivation. Find out why the prospect visited. Are they serious or curious? It’s your responsibility to find out. If they’re serious, congratulations. If they’re curious, be of service, be kind and get ready for your next opportunity.
Ask questions. Remember people do things for their own reasons and they do them in their own way. Your job is to find out what those reasons are. Set a personal goal to ask questions to discover what is motivating each and every prospect. When you understand someone’s reason for acting you can then and only then be of service. Rewards in life are in direct proportion to service – serve little get little – serve a lot get a lot.
Build value. People buy results. They want to know what’s in it for me. Set a personal goal to demonstrate your home, homesites, community, location and builder to every prospect. Let people know how your product will benefit them. Focus on what’s important to each prospect and you separate yourself from all competition.
Create urgency. Give people reasons to act now. Yesterday is over, tomorrow is only a promise and today is the only thing you control. Make a choice to find reasons that help people say “Yes” now. The best way to create urgency is by demonstrating how your home will provide 'living pleasure'. The fact is people buy feelings and when you show how pleasurable your home is you create a feeling. Never ever forget people buy on emotion and justify with logic. Sell the sizzle not the steak.
Lead people to minor decisions. Get people to say “Yes” by giving them reasons to say, “Yes”. When a prospect says “Yes” it begins to form a pattern. We humans want to be consistent – it’s our nature to be consistent. The easiest way to get “Yes” is to ask tie-down and trial close questions. Set a personal goal to ask at least 5 tie-down and trial close questions. You can do that, can’t you?
Develop follow up strategy. The follow up, contrary to what the name may seem to imply, is not limited to what you do after you say “Good bye”. More properly, it could be described as what you do after a prospect says “Hello”. In short, follow up involves taking the necessary steps from the outset of your sales presentation to bring prospects back a second time to review product with fresh-eyes. Starting now set a personal goal to find reasons to make every follow up phone call, email or postcard welcomed.
Remember accomplishment requires goals. Don’t get caught without ‘Hoops’. You need to know what you are ‘shooting for’. And without ‘Hoops’ you cannot keep score. Stop thinking negative and take control by setting personal goals.
r>Send to a friend
Before reading the last article I have a favor to ask. I want you to send this newsletter to 5 people who you feel will benefit from the ideas and principles included. My goal is to send this newsletter to at least 1000 people monthly. To achieve this goal I need your help. If you have already forwarded my newsletter to 5 friends or colleagues, thanks! If not, at the bottom of the newsletter you will find a ‘Send to a Friend’ button. Just click and follow the easy introductions. Thank you in advance for helping me and your friend achieve their goals. It is appreciated!
Robert E. Hafer Seminars
To learn more about Robert E. Hafer seminars and workshops and purchase I>Building Results – The Ultimate How-To Guide For New Homes Sales, visit www.BobHafer.com, email Bob at buildingresults@BobHafer.comor call 972-795-5926.
Good Luck and Good Selling!
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Positive mental attitude
A positive mental attitude is essential to success in new home selling. To be effective, your attitude must demonstrate these qualities:
- A strong sense of pride in your builder, your product and the people with whom you work.
- A sense of understanding and appreciation for the customer.
- A sense of confidence in your own selling skills.
This combination of positive factors brings consistent sales. A positive attitude begins with self-motivation. You cannot sell new homes with a negative attitude. Homebuyers have their own fears and uncertainties – they do not need yours. One solution is to keep your immediate sales goals in mind. The builder is properly concerned about long-range objectives, but you must be concerned about making and closing sales now. Concentrate on today. Learn to love the customer you are with today.
This last article focuses on the power of a positive attitude. Charles Swindoll in his famous writing titled Attitude helps you understand how to tackle your own day-to-day challenges.
Attitude
By Charles Swindoll
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church or a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it and so it is with you.”
Make the right choice
Now reread his last words: “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it and so it is with you”.
Take a moment and really think through these words to understand what Mr. Swindoll is saying about the importance of attitude. Then begin to take action to control how you react to things that happen to you. Certainly things that you control include:
- How you meet and greet;
- How you qualify and discover;
- How you build value in your homes and homesites;
- How you handle prospect resistance;
- How you close and how you follow up with each new prospect.
Start today to see every new prospect as a wonderful new opportunity. Let every prospect see, hear and feel that buying a new home from you will be the best buying experience they have ever had. And it all begins with your attitude.
Never forget that everything you say or do is a result of a choice you make. Choose to do the best you can each day and then at day’s end look back and measure your successes and failures. A new home sales career is built one day at a time and the foundation of a great career begins with a great attitude.
I have heard that selling is 90% attitude and 10% skill. I have also heard that attitudes are contagious – is yours worth catching? Attitude is a matter of choice – begin now to make the right choice, choose to start and end each day with a positive can-do attitude!
Send to a friend
Thank you for reading my newsletter. You now have a choice to make - choose to forward this newsletter to 5 people who you feel will benefit from the ideas and principles included. My goal is to send this newsletter to at least 1000 people monthly. If you have already made the choice to forward my newsletter, thank you. If you have not, please take the time now to help your friends become more successful. At the bottom of the newsletter you will find a ‘Send to a Friend' button. Just click and follow the easy introductions. Thank you in advance for helping me and your friends achieve their goals. It is appreciated!
Robert E. Hafer Seminars
To learn more about Robert E. Hafer seminars and workshops and purchase B>Building Results – The Ultimate How-To Guide For New Homes Sales/B>, visit www.BobHafer.com, email Bob at buildingresults@BobHafer.comor call 972-795-5926.
Good Luck and Good Selling!
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