What could your property management company do with several extra sales each month? Lots of things come to mind, not the least of which is growth and revenue expansion. Now, what if those sales aren’t coming in. More importantly, what if they’re not coming in because your team is making a few serious but common mistakes in their sales process? Correcting these errors could be a game changer for your business. Below are five mistakes to watch for and how to overcome them once and for all.
Not being prospect-centric.
Your sales team probably has well-developed scripts and know the ins and outs of why your property management services are the best around, but if they’re doing all the talking on sales calls, they’re going to miss the mark nine times out of ten. The goal should be to quickly and accurately identify the specific needs and pain points of each prospect. To do this, they need to let the prospect do most of the talking. From there, the sales rep can tailor his or her response and position your services as the ideal solution.
Not presenting a solution.
If your sales rep simply states the obvious: that you offer property management services, the message won’t be compelling enough to win over new business. The secret is to paint a picture – one that demonstrates specifically how your services can solve the prospect’s problems, meet his or her needs and alleviate his or her frustrations. Again, this requires the rep to understand the specific situation each prospect is in. In other words, not just telling, but showing them your services are the answer.
Failing to follow up.
Obviously not everyone will be willing to sign a contract at the very first meeting. In fact, it can take several “touches” to effectively convert a lead. Many sales reps make the mistake of leaving it up to the prospect to get back in touch. In fact, leaving the ball in their court could easily result in them finding another property management company in the meantime. Don’t let that happen. Make sure your sales team is setting and sticking to a follow-up schedule.
Not planning ahead.
When that follow-up call comes, does your sales rep know exactly what that conversation should cover? Has he or she remained in touch with the prospect in the interim to nurture that lead and ensure that your property management company stays top-of-mind? Rather than just winging it or waiting, a savvy sales rep will keep the conversation going by sending over some articles or other resources the prospect might find useful. And prior to picking up the phone, he or she will have an agenda to make sure nothing important is missed during the call. This preparation will pay off big time.
Not asking for the sale.
Of all the mistakes your sales team could be making, this one is perhaps the biggest. Provided that the sales rep has done their due diligence and avoided the four blunders above, he or she should be confident in asking the prospect to close the deal. If this is uncomfortable for some, perhaps they’re not cut out for a job in sales. Successful salespeople act on the assumption that they’ve already won the business. As soon as a prospect confirms that your property management services are the best solution, it’s time to get that contract signed.
Set your sales team up for success. By avoiding the above mistakes, those extra sales will start rolling in, which means more profits and greater growth for your property management company.
