Why is Likeability SO IMPORTANT?

Over the years as products and various services have improved the mind set of many people is that the product will sell itself.

There are not many training programs that currently exist that focus on much more than increasing product knowledge and demonstration skills.

The BIG reason why YOU make the difference is this exact reason.

As products have improved and sales people have a better understanding of the product itself...the personal touch has been left behind.

People have learned to sell stats and facts rather than focus on the buying needs of your prospect.

Here are some Quick facts:

• There are TONS of choices for people today.


• Sales People generally sell Stats and Facts.


• Prospects Assume comparable products are the same..except price.

This data tells me that with so many similar choices in the market place and most sales people giving the same stats and facts presentation...providing a different experience to a prospect WILL create a NEW and Unique experience.

Many important choices in life come down to Likeability.

1. If someone likes you, they will talk to.


2. If someone talks to you, they will become more comfortable with you.


3. When they become more comfortable, they will open up and become truthful.


4. When they become truthful and open, you can listen to their real needs.


5. When you hear their real needs, you can tailor your presentation and product demo around helping them.


6. When people feel helped, they perceive Value.


7. When value is greater than price.....A Sale is made.


8. When you provide Outstanding value and complete a sale, you gain a NEW Fan.


9. New Fans create referrals.

This is the cycle of Success and Likeability is the Key Component!

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

YOU need to be in HIGH Demand!

To succeed and be the best, YOU need to be in HIGH Demand!

Remember, it isn't about the product it is about how you Present YOUR Product.

Here are a few ways to Create your own brand:

Be Unique:

Not many people like boring and mundane. Whatever you are selling, give people a reason to buy it from you. Most consumers believe most products are simple commodities (equal). It is your job to make YOUR product one of a kind.

Don't ask the same questions as everyone else in your profession. Ask fun and enlightening questions that make your prospect think and take an active role.

Be Positive:

Lots of buying prospects come in with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. They may even say negative things about your product. Forget about it. These are defense mechanisms that all people have. If they weren't interested in some form or fashion, they would not be talking to you in the first place.

Stay positive. Convert Negative questions and statements into positive benefits. It's easy to jump on the bandwagon and be negative. Only true Professionals can stay positive and transfer that feeling to others.

Improve your Self Concept:

To be in HIGH Demand, YOU MUST believe that you should be in high demand. Tell yourself that you are the best everyday. I don't mean be arrogant, but you MUST have HIGH Confidence in your own ability if you want anyone else to believe it.

The power of positive thought has been proven throughout history to be the launching pad for future success!

Are you in HIGH Demand?

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

When Training Works!

If you want to be a better golfer, you have to practice hitting golf balls.

If you want to be a better basketball player, you have to shoot more baskets.

If you want to be a better quarterback, you throw more footballs.

If you want to be a better hitter, you hit more baseballs.

Obvious right?

Why is it that most people only equate improving skills to athletic competition?

If you want to be a better sales person, you MUST practice that too!

Here are 3 items that WILL improve your sales skills:

Read positive books and articles about self-improvement

Improvement will happen because it is a proven fact the more confident you are in your own ability, the more success you will have in your endeavors.

Prepare yourself in advance for the most common objections you hear

If you sell anything, you know that objections are merely a defense mechanism that are designed to gain more information. You CAN also plan in ADVANCE for the objections you will hear. Perhaps not all of them, but most of them.

Learn to Listen Before Responding

No effective communication can take place without properly listening. Don't wait to talk, actually listen so you can respond. This takes discipline and effort to do it effectively.

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

How to Set an Appointment!

One of the quickest ways to increase your sales and income is learning to set an appointment correctly.

Are you one of the sales professionals that delivers a good presentation, and at the conclusion asks the prospect when they will be back in? Maybe you get a reply of “later in the week,” and you respond with “okay, I’ll see you then.”

Does that seem like a good method?

You probably do not get very many returning prospects with that approach. Recent studies show that 70% of prospects do not return for a second visit without a firm appointment. However, those prospects with a set appointment return and purchase 50% of the time.

Wow! You spend all that time with a prospect and 70% of the time, you will never see them again. Are you interested in learning the correct technique?

Rule # 1: Know when your prospects are coming back.

You do not want to have them show up randomly on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. This is your prime fishing time for new future buyers. Spending this time with an unannounced prospect return eats into your future sales.

How to do this:

Have a reason for a return visit. You do not have to show off all your knowledge on the first visit. If you cannot close a buyer on the first visit, be smart with the information that you provide. Hold back a few key details that they have questions about.

If there are no questions at the conclusion of their visit and they don’t buy, you are not doing a good enough job at discovering their buying objections.

The two best ways to ensure a return appointment are Urgency and Benefits. Provide Value and people will return.

Reasons for an appointment:

• Unable to show a particular home


• Unable to show a certain homesite


• Unable to get certain pricing on luxury features


• Come back for financing details


• Price Increase


• Incentives Expiring

I will repeat this line. If you are unable to close the sale, hold back some of the above information for a follow-up.

When you call them, say something to the effect of, “In order to give you the time and attention that you deserve….”

Remember, you need to create urgency and benefits, beginning your statement like I have written above; you make the prospect feel important by the value you will provide them at the appointment.

How To Set The Appointment

Use the Alternate Choice Close.

Say something like this, “Since I know you love the home and that beautiful homesite, I would hate for you to be upset with me if I didn’t inform you that our prices are increasing on Monday. With that in mind, when is a better time for you to come back and review this great opportunity? Is Tuesday at 6:00 PM good, or would Wednesday at 11:00 AM be better?”

Don’t talk again, until they respond.

Try this for one month and watch your sales grow!

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

New FHA Guidelines...Listen Up Fence Sitters-IT IS TIME TO BUY!

Okay, so the House and the Senate have both passed the Housing Bill and it is just waiting for the Presidents Signature.

The signature will happen this week and is just formality as he said last week he will.

Here are the touch points:

NEW DEAL: Immediate relief for those people impacted by impending Foreclosure.

IMPACT: Less Foreclosed homes in the market place, which will lower the supply allowing more people to sell their home at current market value---NOT the deflated market value created by the high amount of Foreclosures in the market. Basic supply vs. demand principle here.

NEW DEAL: Down Payment Assistance Programs WILL BE BANNED.

IMPACT: If you have a DESIRE to own a new home, and HOPE to NOT be putting at least 3.5% of your own money into the sale, YOU MUST BUY NOW!! The Down Payment Gift Programs like Nehemiah, Genesis, and Ameridream will Officially Disappear on 10/1/2008.

To STILL qualify for a NO MONEY Loan, you MUST have a VALID Home Purchase Contract, An Approved FHA Loan, and an FHA Case number Attached.

This means:

1. BUY A HOME,


2. FILL OUT A LOAN APP,


3. SUBMIT ALL PAPERWORK for the loan BEFORE 10/1/2008.

NEW DEAL: Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers.

IMPACT: First Time Home Buyers WILL be Eligible for a TAX CREDIT of 10% of the NEW Home Purchase or a TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $7,500.

This Tax Credit is really more of an upfront loan as it WILL be required to be paid back in equal installments over the course of the next 15 Years. It will be taken out of your Tax return Check each year, so in most cases it won't be necessary to actually write a check.

Still a good scenario to provide an Immediate Boost to help First Time Home Buyers budget with their NEW Home Investment.

A First Time Buyer is Classified as NOT having any ownership benefit over the course of the last 3 consecutive years.

There are other details involved in the NEW Housing Bill, but these are the 3 MOST Impactful items to Affect YOU.

THE TIME IS NOW FIRST TIME BUYERS! If you are undecided about a home, but desire to make a purchase, the COST of WAITING just got a bit higher.

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

The Country I Love!

I do not consider myself to be a Democrat.

I do not consider myself to be a Republican.

I do not have a rooting interest in Barack Obama.

I do not have a rooting interest in John McCain.

I consider myself an American Citizen.

I don't believe in labels that divide people or a nation as we have become.

The founders of our Great Country believed in that very fabric. They believed that the citizens should govern themselves.

It is sad to watch as our country is slowly being taken further and further away from where we began. Politicians decide what is law and what is not. Judges decide what is Constitutional and what is not.

These two facets of Government that are supposed to serve as the backbone of our great Democracy are failing and have been failing for many years.

This is NOT a Republican Issue and it is NOT a Democrat issue. It is an American Issue.

The problem is easy to identify. The solution is right in front of our faces. Why is implementation so difficult?

This is a country that is filled with Great Men and Women that are full of Desire, Wisdom, Focus, and Ability that strive to create a better Nation.

I have grown tired of listening to debates amongst Democrats and Republicans for the sole purpose of dividing our Country and feeding the agenda of the few and NOT the whole.

Throughout history we have seen the downfall of many nations and its citizens due to expanding perceived differences amongst the people and the powerful. Though I know our country is too strong to ever be brought to it's knees, the mere thought is not one that inspires.

We have entered an age of discontent and confusion. Fear Mongering and Negativity have become everyday mainstream news. The stories of triumph and hope have been suffocated and are disappearing with each passing day.

Are we still a Great Nation?

We are indeed. We are still the Greatest Nation on earth, but we are not without our problems and faults.

We need Leadership. Real Leadership.

We need Leadership not from politicians and policy makers, but from our Citizens. In a free society we elect our policy makers.

The time has come to drop the Status Quo. We need to ALL stand Up together as ONE. We are a Nation divided, but we CAN again be a Nation Together.

All people desire for Hope, Health, Opportunity, Security, and Comfort. These are not just the desires of certain people, they are the dreams of ALL People.

Allow your voice to be heard as an American Citizen! The time has come to drop the labels of political parties and agendas and BEGIN serving the greater good of ALL Citizens.

Am I naive to think this can happen?

Perhaps I am.

But as an American Citizen with ONLY one opportunity to live my life, it is my Desire to Unite not divide.

It is my goal to live in happiness not fear.

It is my dream to succeed and help others do the same.

We CAN make this happen. It is within our grasp. It is our Time.

Let's Lead Together and take back control of the Country I Love!

Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!

Time to throw away the OLD Sales Grading System!

As a Professional New Home Sales Manager I have given more presentations than I can recall.

As a Professional Sale Trainer I have watched more "Shop Tapes" that I can remember.

As a Normal Consumer of everyday products and services I have listened to more Sales Spiel's than I wish to recount.

My Conclusion:

• Canned Sales Presentations are Terrible
• Forced Sales Presentations are Forgettable
• Company Mandated Questions are Boring
• 95% of Sales Presentations are Predictable

What do the following words relay to you?

• Terrible
• Forgettable
• Boring
• Predictable

My thoughts exactly!

The majority of sales presentations have NOT evolved over time.

*(Que Movie Voice Guy)*

In a world where virtually every product or service has enhanced over time, why has the presentation part been left behind?

The product is important, the presentation is Crucial.

The Product may be necessary, the Perceived Benefits are Key.

The Product fills a void, a good presentation fulfills an Emotional Desire.

Has your presentation Evolved?


Curt Fletcher is a Real Estate Expert, New Home Sales Professional, Published Author of the book, "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income," Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker that focuses on improving your Likeability to increase your Opportunities for Success!