Cushion Isn't Good

Remember from the Happy Gilmore movie (if you saw it) where he had a cushion of 4 strokes to win the first match he played? Rather than bear down and get it done with the first one or two tries, he took all 4. I saw the same thing in a actual golf match where all the golfer had to to to win - on 3 holes in a row - was sink the putt. With the kind of a cushion, maybe overconfidence or pressure set in, but he failed to get the job done. Eventually his opponent tied and then went on to beat him.

I think sometimes when we have a comfortable advantage in a selling situation that we tend to back-off a bit and not bear down or focus as much as we might if we were in a "must win" situation.

Having a cushion is like having a mulligan - a do-over if we need it or extra time to get something done - but it isn't always to our best advantage to have a cushion. We need to go all-out everytime like we know how to do, regardless of any apparent advantage that we might have.

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To learn more about my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

8 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • June 13 2009 04:10PM

How hard is it to listen or act like you care?

Doesn't anyone but us in sales listen anymore? This is not about us - it's about the outside world that gives sales a bad name. I mean, really, how hard is it to listen? Or anticipate? Or ask the right questions? Or pay attention? Or act like you even care?

Go into a store and ask if they have something. They direct you to an aisle. They have no idea the size, quantity, style or model that you want or if they even carry it - but if they do, it would be on Aisle 5. You can't find it - well, I guess they're out (or they don't ever stock it). How about helping you look? How about checking the backroom stock or calling another store? How about asking if they can order it for you or if a similar model or different color will work?

Today, I tried to find an over-the-counter product my doctor had prescribed. Went to 5 pharmacies (a couple of them I even called to learn that they did indeed have it) - they all were out. They suggested I try another store. Finally went to the 6th store, and after talking to 2 people learned that the manufacturer had recalled it on Monday. Nobody else knew this?

So many people are in sales that don't even realize it - even if that's not their official title or job description. The fact that they interact with the public places them in sales. The first concept of sales is helping. Clearly there are a lot of people in the workplace who are not interested in helping. That, more than anything else, is why many people think that they are not cut out for sales. I'd have to agree.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, sales tips, insights, or strategies, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or my other blog homesalesinsights.com. © Steve Hoffacker, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

28 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • December 17 2008 05:01PM

December still has a long ways to go

It's easy to write-off the month of December as a non-business month. After all, it's the end of the year, Christmas, Hanukkah, school vacations, holiday parties, skiing, caroling, shopping, family time. There's just so much to do - who has time for business?

This is a prevailing attitude, but it's dangerous and unnecessary.

December can be a very productive month, and it's just begun.

It's easy to make excuses and decide that people will be so preoccupied with holiday preparations that no business decisions can be made. However, I know many builders and Realtors who have one of their best sales months of the year in December.

Nothing has changed except the calender and our perception if we allow December to be a lazy, unproductive month. People are out shopping for gifts and parties anyway. Why not let them buy a gift for themselves and their families - a new home to live in. Some people can still be in their new home by Christmas if they hurry.

Whatever your sales goals for 2008 have been, wouldn't you like to add another sales or two to that total before January?

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, sales tips, insights, or strategies, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or my other blog homesalesinsights.com. © Steve Hoffacker, 2008. All Rights Reserved.

28 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • December 04 2008 10:33AM

Here’s proof that sales are still being made

Yesterday, sales numbers were released on resale activity in Palm Beach County. Essentially they were the same from last year to this year.

In June of 2007, there were 764 transactions. This June, 744. A draw. Sales are still being made and pretty much at the same level. The average sales price was down, but the sales are there. No surprise to me.

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For more information on my coaching services or sales tips visit my website stevehoffacker.com or my blog homesalesinsights.com.

10 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 25 2008 10:06AM

What are we – salespeople or mice?

Can everyone see and hear me from my soapbox? I hope so.

Almost everyday some headline or news program talks about how difficult it is for real estate sales, but why should this stop us or slow us down?

What started out as a type of media mantra to convince the consuming public that the housing market was overbuilt, that lenders had made a trying situation even worse through questionable lending practices, that current homeowners would not be able to sell their present homes, that builders were "unloading" their inventory, and that essentially it was a housing market "free-for-all" has now so permeated the consciousness of America that real estate professionals are buying into to this negativity.

OK, name me a period in recent history when it wasn't difficult for at least someone in real estate sales. Oh, you cite 2004 and 2005 when people were just throwing money at properties. Did we just sit back and get commission checks in the mail or did we have to look for buyers and sellers? Did we have to compete against other agents for business? Did we have to compete against other investment opportunities? Did we have a limited supply to work with? See, even in a so-called good market there were challenges.

So today, when people aren't just buying a home to flip, when lenders are taking a harder look at who'll they will finance, when properties are in foreclosure because several people bought something they couldn't afford, when people are expecting too great a return on the sale of their current home, when some builders are still selling off inventory because they're overextended and didn't adjust to market conditions quickly enough, and the media keeps reminding everyone of how supposedly dire it is, are home sales being made? Absolutely! Without question.

Now the only question is, do we want to step up to the challenge and participate or do we want to succumb to today's issues and chalk it up to "difficult times"? Oh, there's no guarantee that there won't be challenging, changing, or difficult times in real estate. In fact, that's pretty much a given.

Welcome to "difficult" times. Welcome to life. Wouldn't have it any other way. That would be too easy.

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For more information on my coaching services or sales tips visit my website stevehoffacker.com or my blog homesalesinsights.com.

16 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 24 2008 02:42PM