Being Patient

“Patience is the ornament of the brave. Patience is the real badge of courage; it is equally the mark of love.” — Eknath Easwaran

While we are not “really” salespeople, we often think we are. In some states, our license actually says real estate salesperson, but our contracts that clients sign with us designate us as fiduciaries (most of the time).

Therefore, much of the sales training we have had or been exposed to revolves around “pressure.” The opposite of patience. One classic example that comes to mind is timeshare sales.

My friend and client, Alan, sold timeshares - successfully - for many years. He is a great salesperson, and he is fantastic at closing. When he was looking to switch industries, he had a hard time finding a sales position that suited his skills. Why? Because he has no patience!!! Prospecting, nurturing relationships...he wanted no part of that.

If you are sitting in front of him, he wants to get a yes or no right there. His objective is to find someone to “sign on the line that is dotted.” (Nod to Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross)

Timeshare sales are about creating an environment where the salesperson (and the company) win: extended duration of presentations, tag teaming sales approaches, wearing prospects down mentally and emotionally. Other pressure tactics come in by creating a sense of scarcity and urgency, fear of missing out, and forcing people to make rash decisions quickly. In other words, no patience!

Mostly, that type of sales is pressure, or force.

Being a salesperson having to make a quota is different than being a trusted advisor, and yet sometimes we are in a position where both things are in play. How do we balance the two? Which one wins?

As a trusted advisor, our job is *not to tell people what to do. It’s also not to create urgency or scarcity, or pressure! If we’re being objectively curious, it has nothing to do with trying to get them to do what we want. Or what we think is best for them.

But if we haven’t made a sale in a while, or we have a quota to meet...don’t we have some internal pressure? That’s the first thing in the way of us being patient. Here’s another one that might have been installed in your sales training: “Time kills all deals.”

We meet someone at an open house or maybe at a trade show. In either case, we have a new lead, someone who has expressed interest. We are taught: close them! Get them while they’re hot!

Momentum selling is all about keeping the sales process moving forward. Keep the sales activities going by setting follow-ups, milestones, next steps, etc. Keep the client engaged. Get them all the way to the closing!

What if the client doesn’t want or need to be followed up with or engaged? What if this new prospect just had their budget slashed? Maybe the referral you received just had an elderly parent go into the hospital, delaying their plans until next year? What then?

There is nothing wrong with having milestones or setting next steps, as long as they serve the client. In fact, I am a big fan of not finishing a conversation without identifying what the next step is - and when.

No person walks into a timeshare office thinking that the salesperson is there to serve the customer’s best interests. Unless you are new to traveling and vacations, you walk in knowing they are solely focused on separating you from your money. Same thing when you walk on most car lots. If you walk into a furniture or appliance store, the salesperson is also there to sell. They are not interested in building a relationship (for the most part).

If you sell medical devices or equipment to surgeons... If you sell payroll software to a CFO or other finance executive... If you sell any type of “solution” to a company...

...you are probably riding the line between salesperson and trusted advisor. Virtue #8 talks about being committed to the relationship vs. making a sale, but being patient means you are also interested in what’s best for the client relationship. What’s best for the client might be not to buy this year. Or next year.

Can you be patient?

Can you be okay with the client moving on their timeline?

“One of the paradoxes of life is that being impatient often makes it harder to achieve something...” — Simon Foster

Coming out of the 2008 recession, real estate in the Denver Metro Area was...slow. There were a lot of bank-owned properties (REO), and not only did our office represent quite a few, I became friendly with another agent, Kim, who did a ton of REO business. I would call Kim and ask her what she had coming, and if it was in an area or part of town that I thought I could drum up business, I went after it.

One time, Kim tells me she has this new listing coming in a desirable, upscale neighborhood. The house is old and dated, but the lot was over 2 acres. The price at the time was $660,000. I thought, “Where will the buyer for this come from?” My answer: Homestead, another neighborhood that fed into the same schools, but it was a tract neighborhood with smaller lots. Perfect place to find a move-up buyer. I start knocking.

I find someone! We go under contract on this property. Yay! Then we have some problems... Now, what should I do? Try to convince them to stay in the deal? I mean, this is a smoking deal! But it’s turning out not to be a smoking deal for them.. They terminate.

Two-plus years later, I helped them purchase a $2 million off-market property. 

When the first deal cancelled, the first thing I had to do was pause. Take a deep breath. Calm down. Slow down. Take another breath.

I had to let go of my upset, my feelings, and what I wanted. Lean into what the client wants, on their timeline.

Be patient. Find out. Be objectively curious. Be an empathic listener.

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson