Everyone is equipped with the tools of a champion; learn how to master yours

Tom Hopkins, chairman, Tom Hopkins International Inc.

As published in Scotsman Guide's Residential Edition, August 2006.

Tools come in many shapes and forms, especially for professional salespeople. When you are making a verbal connection with future clients, you use your words, enthusiasm and voice inflection to communicate. When face-to-face, you also use visual aids, paperwork, facial expressions and, when appropriate, touch. With written communication, you must rely on words and graphic elements alone.

There are pluses and minuses to every form of communication, and those pluses and minuses may vary among clients. To achieve success in your communication, you must master all your tools.

Words

You probably entered the mortgage field because someone told you that you had a "way with words" or a "nice way with people" or that you are a "good talker."

Refine those skills to your advantage. The most important strategy to master is how to say what you need to say. You've probably heard the phrase, "It's not what you say. It's how you say it." You must say everything how your clients want to hear it. Your words paint pictures in the minds of listeners or readers. Your goal with your words is to paint the right picture -- one in which the clients have their needs fulfilled.

Use ownership terms not just when discussing what you have to offer but when discussing the benefits. This builds your clients' confidence in you, thus helping them make the decision to go with you instead of shopping around.

Visual aids

Your visual aids, product samples and paperwork should fulfill two purposes: 1. to present information in a clear and concise manner; and 2. to involve clients' senses.

The more of their senses you engage, the better. Seeing, hearing and touching are the easiest senses to engage. Clients' sense of smell is involved with your cologne or perfume or by the aroma of your facility. If either of those is not conducive to the sale, see what you can do about it.

Involving the sense of taste can be tough. If appropriate, keep snacks available to share with your clients. They should be fresh and appropriate for the time of day you're meeting with clients. Doughnuts and bagels are wonderful in the morning, but not so wonderful at 3 p.m.

Although they may not be a part of the actual close, your clients' physical needs should be taken into account. This lets them know that you care about them. You don't want them to be distracted from the business at hand by a gnawing hunger because they skipped lunch to meet with you.

Page: 1 2 Next