By Carol Douis, Sales Director - New Home Star
Every salesperson is familiar with the phrase, "I'm just looking." It is uttered by many customers after we enter into the Welcome stage of the sales process when they first visit our community. For most of us, it can be a frustrating response. Why do customers feel the need to say this? Often, it is because we aren't leading them to give a more clear and in-depth answer.
Many sales associates that train and read books on sales practices still tend to greet a prospect with, "How can I help you today?" This is where I would challenge you to change things up. New Home Star's training reminds us to practice and prepare our opening dialogue. Find the words that are most comfortable for you, and keep this opening in your back pocket. My favorite greeting when a customer is browsing my model home is, "How is the house hunt going?" Rarely do they respond to this question with, "I'm just looking."
Now, saying the right words doesn't mean we will always get the answers that we want to hear. When you do hear those words, embrace it (searching for a home does start with looking, after all). Let this be a positive first step toward moving further into the sales process.
Here are three ways to better guide your opening conversation with a customer:
1) Lighten the mood with positive body language. This is a basic practice--but can make all the difference.
- "I'm so glad you decided to take a look around here today."
2) Ask a question that helps the visitor feel in control. Based on their answer, you can then transition into another question and dive into learning more about them. Use keywords such as "few", "quick" and "faster".
- "May I ask you a few quick questions so that I can point you in the right direction faster?"
3) It's unlikely they'll say no, so be ready with your next question. If they do say no, you can simply say, "No problem, let's go take a look around." Remember to keep this part of the conversation brief.
- "I'm curious. What prompted you to start looking at new homes? Is there something in your current home that isn't working for you?"
Ultimately, we are prompting the visitor to avoid an "I'm just looking" response. We are also learning how to patiently embrace it when they do. Through preparation and practice, we can start our customer's sales experience on the best note possible.
Carol Douis brings 25+ years of sales leadership and experience to serve homebuilders and developers in the areas of sales strategy, coaching, training and organizational development. Douis has a strong history of successfully maximizing sales effectiveness for both large and small sales teams.
