The same goes for sales.
Sex and Home Sales – The Same?
Can selling a home be compared to sex? I believe so. If you think this analogy is off base, think of this: sex is asking someone to share something deeply personal, a part of themselves. Not much is more personal than asking someone for their life savings, credit history, and commitment that could last forever. Not too far off base.
Most adults, if not familiar with sex, are at least familiar with the idea. And it doesn’t take an idiot to know that you just don’t go up to a person and ask for it. So why do companies employ the same tactics with their consumers? With no knowledge of a new consumer, why do sales professionals launch right into the close of the sale?
Consumers feel the same discomfort with the hard sell as they would if someone just came up and asked for sex. Just ask any person that has answered the call of a telemarketer. How would you feel if someone you didn’t know just came up and asked you for sex? (And by the way if you do want it I am going to need a $3000 check as a good faith deposit!) Most would think the person asking is a disgusting pig. Do you not think that consumers have the same opinion of hard selling sales people? They do. We all do.
Sex starts with a dialogue – so do sales. If you’re not interested in a two-way dialogue with your consumers, you are no different from that guy in the bar looking to pick up chicks to take home for the one-nighter.
While courting, advertising our positive attributes is a must. Advertising and Marketing is a must in life. In friendships, dating, and marriage, we must give the other person a reason for the relationship. In business, as in relationships, we must give consumers a reason to consume. So we advertise and we market.
If your marketing efforts were compared to a dating, how would your consumers describe your company as a date?
Are you the bar hopping slimeball, just looking to hook up that night?
This is the company or sales person that gives the hard sell. They care only about getting the check. They typically don’t work at a dialogue, don’t follow up, and don’t attempt to nurture a relationship. This company or sales person cares nothing about the consumer, just the check.
Would they describe you as an egotistical pig or chauvinist? A person that is too full of themselves to notice anything about their date? This is the company or sales person that thinks their service or product is so superior that nothing needs improvement (just look at all the awards we’ve won!)– the consumer is lucky even to have a chance to purchase. They never ask what the consumer wants and they don’t listen to consumer feedback. This company or sales person thinks they know everything. They know exactly what the consumer wants and needs, without ever having to ask the consumer. They are God’s gift to consumers. So they think.
Would they describe you as the person who slept with them, then never called?
This is the company or sales person that got the sale but never follows up with any type of communication. It’s like the consumer never existed. No thank you. No additional email campaigns. No nothing.
Are you the two-timer, or (gasp!) three, four, five-timer? Now that you have them on the hook, they are having a relationship - if it can be called that – with your answering machine. This is the company that is only concerned about the next sale. They got your sale, but the next sale is more important. With this company, customer service is a train wreck. They route your call to another country and you can’t understand a thing they are saying. They keep you on hold for over 10 minutes. The incompetent first line ‘customer service representative’ then proceeds to transfer you to the next incompetent ‘customer service rep’. If you’re lucky enough not to have your call dropped and have to start the suicidal process all over again, you end up explaining your problem to three different levels of incompetents, only to end up leaving a message for seemingly the only person in the world that can solve your problem. And of course, you will not get a call or email back in this lifetime.
Oh yes, as consumers, we love to feel like yesterdays buyer. Not.
Are you a cheat? This is the company that promises, gets the sale, but then doesn’t fulfill their promise. Sure, they promise and vow to be there; that they will close your mortgage loan on time; that they will fix your warranty items; one size fits all- only to completely disregard their initial promise. There are few worse feelings as a consumer than the feeling of betrayal.
Are you the old guy in the club? This is the company or sales person that hasn’t changed a thing in forever. He thinks the comb over (poorly designed website and living sign advertising) goes unnoticed. The comb over fools no one but you. The comb over (and that half-asleep kid on the corner with headphones and your sign) isn’t selling anything. It’s a deception that makes you think you look good. To add insult to injury, his marketing message (pick up line) is cheesy, stale, outdated, and brazenly ineffective.
ARE YOU THE ONE THEY ARE ATTRACTED TO? They know that even though you’re not perfect you are HUMAN. You try hard and you admit and apologize when you’re wrong. This is the company that identifies consumer needs and provides the solution. This company wants a long-term relationship and so they communicate regularly and openly; they deliver desired content regularly; they are not afraid of admitting mistakes and righting wrongs. Wow. Show me the bed and here is my good faith deposit, you’re not a cop, are you?
In case you're not sure of some of the descriptions above, here are a couple of links that might help:) disgusting pig; the old guy in the club.
Jim Adams - CEO
New Homes Directory.com
