ALWAYS Be Closing – A Story of Three Parts. ?

I have three introductions to make today so I set myself a challenge to break this post into three parts with a few lessons I have had in the past week or so, with the welcomes in between. I hope you enjoy.?

ALWAYS Be Closing – Part One

The first real estate agency I worked in was a little bit like the office in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. It was a bit shabby and everything was still being done on a desk phone. Faxes were a thing. You could almost smell the cigarette smoke hanging around – actually you could smell cigarette smoke. A reasonable portion of the team smoked, out on the balcony of course, but as it does the smell tends to make its way inside.

That office was founded by a tough closer. We were taught to close hard. We were taught to ‘kneecap’ and ‘give blood noses’. We were taught to take away. We were taught ‘face to face’ at all costs. We were not order takers – we were deal makers.

I think that the times have changed, and that hard style closing is less prevalent. We also have to be a bit careful now. We have our very own act of parliament to protect the public from overzealous closing and general haranguing. However, in the softening of our closes so too, I think, the reduction in some of our skills.

Mine included.

I remind myself that the Leads are not Weak. There are Deals to be Done. Coffee is for Closers… Always be Closing.

If you don’t know Glengarry Glen Ross then you can take a look at the famous 'Always Be Closing' scene here. Disclaimer – can I emphasise that I am not advocating this style – I don’t manage like this and wouldn’t want to work like this – however if you want to give yourself a rev up… well you can see for yourself.

WELCOME to Yi Wei Tang and William Lowdes. Trading under the name of Aurora Group. With experience with various property types in different locations, a wealth of experience in property sales and marketing, and a relational style of listing that follows the deals wherever they maybe, we know that Aurora will make an impact as their brand ties in with other ideas on their horizon. Great to welcome another team to the business and we wish them all the very best!

ALWAYS Be Closing – Part Two

I really want to tell people about this business, because I really believe that for some salespeople it is the best option for them. ?

When I have someone to call back I make sure that I have updated myself on who they are and what they do, and then, I get into a positive frame of mind. If I am in a flat mood, I get a quick dose of sunshine or have a bit of a jump around, maybe a few self-affirmations.

Mid last-week I had a call back set for a specific time, and as I was out and about in the car at that particular moment, I pulled over and made the call.

Like all of us, I get a fair bit of rejection in call backs. As every sales-coach ever said, you had better be able to handle rejection, one way or another. You all know the drill because the recruitment process is so similar to the listing prospecting process. You have to sift through a lot of gravel before finding some gold and then you still might not reach the payload you were after. For some reason I went into that conversation expecting a ‘no’. As it transpired, this conversation was not a ‘yes’ but it was most certainly not a ‘no’ – I soon realised I was on the phone with a real performer, and a genuine seeker on a fact-finding mission. As my head was not in the game and the background work had not been completed, I lost the chance to have a highly impactful conversation. I won’t say that the opportunity is lost, but I had to sternly remind myself to take this seriously all the time.

Call backs are not just call backs – they are a step towards a deal. They require research and they require a positive attitude. They require preparation.?

Always be ready. Always be closing.

WELCOME to Ruth Saavedra. Ruth works in the luxury property management space in Queenstown Lakes area, and has aligned with Independent Agent so she can offer personalised and discreet sales and buyer agency services to her clients. Through her strong relationships, attention to details, and client care, results will naturally follow. Welcome Ruth!

ALWAYS Be Closing – Part Three

If you have ever read the first few chapters of ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill, you might recall the instruction to dress well every day.

I tend to be a little bit scruffy. It is quite an effort to get me into a suit - the casual workwear movement was made for me. I admire and appreciate people who pull off well dressed all the time, seemingly without effort. I left the house in a whirlwind earlier this week, grabbing whatever clothes came to hand. I was off for a spot of physio and I was not dressing to impress.

Outside the physio I bumped into a real estate agent that I had been thinking about lately. We had spoken on the phone before, and a number of people have mentioned to me that this person would be a great fit with our business. I had never met this person but the human ability to recognise a face is that strong, that when they walked past I did a double take, turned around and called out their name to introduce myself.

Once introductions were made, unfortunately for me, the first thing I had to do was explain why the director of Independent Agent was dressed fractionally better than a… surf bum. ?

I of course congratulated the salesperson for looking like their marketing profile images (there is a lesson in that too I am sure…), congratulated them for their position in the market, and promised a coffee catch up sometime soon.

I need to smarten my act up sometimes! I have to travel for about 20 minutes before I get ‘anywhere’, which is a long drive back to get dressed up if I suddenly need to switch into meet and greet mode. In the spirit of being prepared, I am not only reviewing the paperwork and collateral that I carry around with me, but also taking a look at my wardrobe and having a change of clothes in the car. If I insist on being scruffy, I need to be able to turn that around quickly should the need arise.

Always Be Closing.

WELCOME to Jonathon Fleming. As well as putting real estate deals together, Jonathon works and writes in the sporting world. With experience in new builds and existing homes and a focus on Christchurch we look forward to supporting Jonathon as he grows his brand in the Canterbury region. All the very best to you Jonathon.

I hope that you enjoyed the read, as always, thoughts and comments appreciated! I hope the second half of the month is a great one for you and there are many successful closes ahead.?

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