The hard truth about the hard sell
Realtor Notebook
By Teresa Boardman, Wednesday, October 1, 2008.
The hard sell doesn't work with me and it hasn't for a long time. These days I am feeling harassed as the articles I write on the Internet attract salespeople of all stripes. The relentless sales pitches clog my e-mail accounts, tie up my cell phone and pollute my Twitter stream.
Last week I had to block a vendor who is following me on Twitter. He started pitching his product to me a couple of times a day and managed to get on my last nerve. I used to try to be nice to people, but nice doesn't come easy so I gave up trying.
The more aggressive the salespeople get, the more effort I put into blocking them. The challenge in my effort to defend my business from the electronic advertising onslaught is not blocking those who I want to contact me.
How do you sell products to someone like me? A phone call isn't the answer. If I answer at all, most salespeople don't get more than 10 words before I hang up. So far, few have been able to make those 10 words compelling enough to keep me on the phone. Those who have kept me on the phone longer have not been able to close the deal, often because I am not in the market for the product they are selling.
Sending me e-mail doesn't work either. I get e-mails that start out with what they liked about my last article at Inman News, followed by their canned sales pitch. I can usually see through it in the first sentence and delete the e-mail.
There are ways to sell to people like me. I am an opportunity and a challenge. I am not alone. There are plenty of others out there who are just like me. My own clients fit the same profile.
I have been reading that the hard sell is dead, and at the last Inman News Real Estate Connect conference a few of the speakers talked about the death of the hard sell. I have found this to be true, and it is why I adopted a softer, more social approach through my blog and through social networks long ago. I attract clients by providing the information they are looking for and at the same time building credibility, trust and even brand recognition.
The best way to sell to me is to teach me or to provide me with information that adds value to my business or to my life. It also helps if the product being sold is so wonderful that the people selling it are passionate about it.
If my friends feel passionate about your product, they will recommend it to me and I will listen. I often test products and buy services that my peers recommend. Products that I recommend to my contacts get noticed, too. I once wrote a blog post that had information about a camera that I use, and within an hour four of my friends bought one. It wasn't my intent to sell cameras, but I did.
I don't really care about you or about your product. I care about myself and about my business, and I listen to my friends. You need to stop chasing me. I won't take your phone calls or read your e-mail, and I will block you on Twitter. Please put me on your do-not-call and do-not-spam lists, and stop stalking me on Twitter. Your efforts are more trouble than they are worth, and so am I.
Bring this article to your next sales meeting and start a conversation about the hard sell versus attracting people to your product, and also discuss viral marketing.
Teresa Boardman is a broker in St. Paul, Minn., and founder of the St. Paul Real Estate blog.
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Submitted by Mack Perry on October 2, 2008 - 3:44am.
While I probably don't get as many of these solicitations as you, they are a real pain in the rear. The ones that get an instant hang up always start their pitch with "Can you stand another 2-3 deals a month"? If I need their service I will search them out and I will look for recommendations from family or friends. Like you said Teresa, quit stalking me!
William M "Mack" Perry
http://www.mackperryhomes.com
Submitted by Mark Owens on October 2, 2008 - 4:11am.
Please read "The Hard Truth About Soft Selling" by Scholars George W. Dudley and Dr. John Tanner, Jr.
Some of the comments on the back cover of the book:
"research based...cold, hard realities about the business and profession of sales...the authors have cut through currently fashionable attitudes and jargon with great precisions" "...blows the top off the soft-sell rubbish and its inherent hypocrisy"
Teresa, other than anecdotal evidence and what "feels" good and comfortable to you, what proof do you have that your promotion and advocacy of the "Attraction" marketing method is a viable, repeatable and predictable sales system?
Submitted by Catherine Read on October 2, 2008 - 4:19am.
Sales is about solving a problem, filling a need, providing something of value based on the customer's value system. To figure out what those things are, you have to ask questions and listen carefully. Old fashioned marketing is about pushing out pitches relentlessly and with persistence until you wear someone down. New Age marketing is about engaging people on their own terms and pulling them into a conversation that is all about THEM. Many real estate agents need to embrace and internalize this way of selling their services.
Just keep reminding us all Teresa.
Catherine S. Read
Creative Read, Inc.
Submitted by Chris Adams on October 2, 2008 - 5:24am.
Teresa,
Like Realtors, vendors and salespeople are not monolithic in their business practices.
The hard sell works on some people, some respond to word of mouth and other people don't respond to anything-they research and react, solving their problem and filling their need.
Any consumer is the highest life form:
Clients should pitch and salespeople should catch.
Still smiling,
Steve
Steven Stearns
www.obeo.com
http://obeoman.blogspot.com
262-325-8687
Submitted by Doug Wolfe on October 2, 2008 - 5:48am.
Amen Teresa. The "hard sell" has never worked on me, but for a long time I just thought it was about liking or disliking the person.
Great article. You have found and articulated well the business approach that works for you. It feels strange to think of it as a "new" approach. Listening? Putting the needs of others first? Serving? It's crazy. But it's SO crazy, it just might work!
Now that I have your attention, could you use an extra three billion dollars a week???? Wait....I lost my place in my script....Oh, never mind.
Doug Wolfe, GRI
www.dougwolfe.com
Submitted by Shannon Ziccardi on October 2, 2008 - 6:12am.
As the economy has tightened and is tightening still, I fear that this "syndrome" will affect us all to a greater extent. I have tried a softer approach myself with little success and am increasingly willing to try more. With many people doing what I do, we are all continuing to grasp for our own piece of a shrinking pie. I've done much to put a brave face on it, highlighted my pluses and worked harder at individual relationships and at touting my own ethical and professional standards.
Well, at least I will have lots of new friends when I move to the poor house!
I enjoyed your article and have taken it to heart. Best wishes to us all!
"A Quick Note"
www.aquicknote.net
Submitted by Lenn Harley on October 2, 2008 - 6:15am.
Calling me is a waste of time. Sending me e-mail is a waste of time.
Fact is, if I want or need a produce or service, I know how to find it. If vendors spent more time learning about PULL advertising and SEO, I believe they'd sell more real estate.
Of course, the "We're a partner with Yahoo (or Google) and we have just one spot left for a search term that will make you #1 on Yahoo (or Google) doesn't work with me, it probably works for agents struggling to figure out how to get business from the Internet.
Lenn Harley
Broker
Homefinders.com
http://www.homefinders.com
Submitted by Kris Berg on October 2, 2008 - 6:18am.
So true. I was cracking myself up last week when I got an unsolicited sales call on my cell phone (I get about a half-dozen a day). The caller started by saying how much he enjoyed my web site, at which point I knew what was coming. "Do you know you are on Google Page 3 for (insert search term)?" he said. "Why yes, I do. But I am fine now. Thank you for your call." He pushed on, "I can put you on Page One! Would you like that?" No, thank you. "You wouldn't like that?" "So, you don't want to improve your business?"
I could have hung up, should of in fact, but that would have just been rude. So I let this condescending exchange continue on far too long, until, with my husband sitting next to me in stitches, I convincingly explained that "3" was my lucky number. Adopting the tone of the village idiot (not a huge stretch for me), I began to sing the praises of "3". I like Page 3; in fact, I hope I am always on Page 3, "3" being a very, very good integer, one which brings me untold joy. During meditation, I mentally focus on 3s -- lots of them. I have thought about shooting for Page 6 (since 6 is really two 3s), but then 6 isn't a prime, and prime numbers are, well, prime.
Good, grief. At any rate, I kind of like my approach, because he was that one that hung up on me. Who is rude now?
Submitted by Daniel Rothamel, the Real Estate Zebra on October 2, 2008 - 6:47am.
This is always an interesting issue to me. The fact is that hard-selling must work in some cases, at some times, on some people. If it didn't no one would do it. I don't like it either, but I don't think it is dead. Not yet.
On the other hand, filling blimps with hydrogen worked, too-- until it didn't. The Hindenburg changed everything.
The question is whether or not the psychology of consumers is, in fact, shifting in such a way that traditional methods of "hard-selling" are becoming less effective. Will there be a "Hindenburg of Sales" at some point?
http://www.RealEstateZebra.com
Submitted by Mike Parker on October 2, 2008 - 7:33am.
Mike Parker
mparker@theblackwatercg.com
I think we are all fatigued from too much selling to us all. Media messages bombard our every waking moment and each of our senses. I see a definite drop in the effectiveness of active selling messages.
However, in our haste to malign the process, let's not forget that the only way ideas become proucts and of benefit is due to the marketers and salespeople of this world. "Every great idea for improving my business comes into that door in the person of a salesman," a high ranking GE official once told me. In our haste to stop the "spam" of unwanted solicitations, let's not forget that we all just can't crawl into an office somewhere and blog.
Realtors are--ultimately--salespeople. You will be treated how you treat others, so don't be afraid to actually consider an idea once in a while.
Submitted by Al Clark on October 2, 2008 - 8:51am.
Gee, lets see! If all the vendors that advertise on Inman ...over there on the right ....and up top could not sell to agents.. how do they pay for the ads?--some know how to get through and many agents are failing because they "know what they know".. and are not open to new ideas ( tech tools).
I remember launching eneighborhoods when agents thought the CD Drawer in a computer was a coffee cup holder- Teresa, now I know why you did not take me up on my offer for a free realPING account!
Albert Clark, Principal Partner
realPING Click To Talk NOW
realPING.com
Submitted by Mae Nitsch on October 2, 2008 - 12:35pm.
Personally, I agree that the hardsell has got be the most annoying thing ever. The hardsell when its obvious you dont need a product, is just practice by an ammature salesperson ...who in fact isnt listening and really doesnt care. Not giving them a few seconds to let them pitch..well, you could still be missing out.
Sharing is caring.
I personally enjoy hearing what the salesman has to say. I bought the most amazing fire extinguisher ever...just because you could eat the ingredients. Everyone I told...wanted one too! I have never used that extinguisher (knock on wood) but I did love buying it. The point is, people love to buy things that are new, exciting and innovative. In this industry...it better be all that and make you more money! Lets face it, Unless you run in tight circles of IT people, web designers and real estate marketing moguls ..what other way would you know what new handy dandy magic trend or technology is out there? Is the competition in your office going to tell you?
The way I see it, you may be fed up with the phone calls and emails, but ask yourself this...could these salespeople really be trying to help you? What cool new trend are you missing out on? Dont shut the door so fast...and give each a listen, you might be surprised.
P.S. I have a fire extinguisher for sale if any ones hungry. =)
Submitted by Teresa Boardman on October 2, 2008 - 1:14pm.
Mae - There just are not enough hours in the day for me to listen to sales pitches and often I don't even understand what the sales person is selling. When I need a product or service I ask around. To learn about new products I read. I am actually pretty up on new products and often find out about them long before anyone calls, writes or finds some other way to annoy me.
Al - of course you have to advertise to agents and the truth is that sometimes I do click on the ads on the side.
Submitted by Rodil San Mateo on October 7, 2008 - 10:53am.
Hard selling still works for some, especially for low cost-low risk products or services.
The real estate and mortgage industries, however, should have no place for hard selling. We are dealing with hundreds of thousands of dollars of our client's money. People's lives can literally be wrecked if we put them in an inappropriate situation. Learn the customers needs and present the best and most realistic solution for them. Sometimes, this means saying "no" to their business, for their own sake.
Rodil San Mateo
Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS)
www.EastBayLoanTips.com
Submitted by KeyCanada.ca on October 9, 2008 - 9:01am.
I would agree that the hard sell is no longer an effective tactic for selling most products/services.
Winning over modern consumers takes time. Make sure information on your product/service is readily available and concentrate on building trust - the sales will follow.
Real Estate Canada
Canadian Real Estate Blog
Submitted by Michael Lange Associate Broker & Cheron Lange GRI on October 15, 2008 - 6:09pm.
I absolutely hate that sales call, after hours! In fact, as I was sitting here reading a blog from Kris Berg, I got a sales call...nice huh! I tend to get involved with reading other blogs that capture my attention and I did not read the caller ID. I have noticed that more and more sales calls are computer generated...that can be frustrating also.
As full time agents, my husband and I put a cap on what time we start calling and stop calling...that old saying "do unto others as you would like done unto yourself."
Thanks for sharing!
Cheron Lange
www.letourfamilyhelpyours.com