SMC News

Monthly Article

CATCHING EXCELLENCE BY CHASING PERFECTION

By Leigh Staley Tarullo

The legendary Vince Lombardi, addressing the Green Bay Packers on his first day as their new coach, said “We are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence.” To achieve success today, each and every one of us must commit to “catching excellence.” For those of you on the front lines, here are some tips for chasing perfection that you can implement immediately.

1. DON’T confuse relationship selling and rapport building with idle chitchat to make a new best friend.

DO practice and execute Greeting Dialogues and Purposeful Discovery to earn a relationship with the customer.

2. DON’T let the customer control the encounter.

DO take control with a customer focused, emotion based, sales system that emphasizes Discovery & Differentiation.

3. DON’T lose at the knowledge game.

DO arm yourself with enough information to win at the game of “Are You Smarter Than A Homebuyer?” Be an expert on your competition, the market, your builder, your community, your homes, your home sites, and financing.

4. DON’T be afraid to Secure the Sale.

DO start closing from the moment the customer walks in the door.

5. DON’T focus on what you cannot control.

DO focus on what you can control…yourself and your store.

6. DON’T define value as the ratio of cost to price.

DO discover the customer’s definition of value, i.e. the meaningful differences owning your home in your community will make in their life that will far outweigh the price.

Those salespeople who chase perfection by increasing their expertise and by perfecting their sales process will “catch excellence.” They will earn the respect of their peers, their managers, and their customers. And, most importantly, those salespeople who chase perfection will be able to look in the mirror and know they have done everything in their power to be the best they can be. And, that is achieving success!

© Copyright 2008. This article was reprinted with permission. It originally appeared in 3D VISION, a newsletter written and distributed by Leigh Staley Tarullo of 3D NEW HOME SALES SYSTEMS™. www.3dnewhomesales.com

Salesperson, sales manager, and trainer for 30 years through the defining cycles of our industry, Leigh Tarullo has personally sold nearly 1,000 homes and has managed the sales and marketing efforts for 3 national production builders, as well as a developer of custom home communities. Her company, 3D NEW HOME SALES SYSTEMS provides sales coaching and management support to regional and national builders. She is a graduate of Cornell University; a licensed Florida broker; a past SMC Chairperson and CSP Instructor; and a recipient of numerous MAME awards for sales volume and sales management. In addition to consulting and training, Leigh is also very active with her local SMC, and is a member of the Network of Experts for Agent Direct News.