Economic forecasts are an interesting thing to consider.\u00a0 Exactly 3 weeks ago, I read several forecasts that stated that the market was indeed recovering and that the total annualized home sales volume was going to exceed approximately 5.7 million units.\u00a0 Today, I\u2019ve read that May was down 25 \u2013 30% in some markets and that, nationally, we will be looking at an \u2018L\u2019 shaped recover with growing inventory levels and increased pricing pressures.\u00a0 In fact, several authors who extolled the virtues and promise of the home buyers tax credit were now questioning its value and the negative \u2018pull ahead\u2019 impact the tax credit will have on sales in July and August.\u00a0 So, what are we to think about the remainder of the year?<\/p>\n
My thought:\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter – Keep Selling.<\/p>\n
It is important that we know what is happening in our industry and to remain aware of what others are saying to our potential customers \u2013 so continuing to read and educate oneself is always good.\u00a0 But, don\u2019t allow external forces determine your success.\u00a0 I\u2019ve know many sales professionals who have done well in down times and I\u2019ve known many more sales people who have done poorly in good times.\u00a0 The difference is always in the person and their attitude.<\/p>\n
Long ago, I had a sales and training manager who broke my sales development into three areas: knowledge, techniques and attitude.\u00a0 Knowledge included market conditions, competitors value props, trends, and products.\u00a0 Techniques included communication skills, presentation skills, negotiation skills, and conflict resolution skills.\u00a0 Both knowledge and techniques were tangible and easy to translate\/teach\/track. But attitude? How do you know if you have a good attitude or a bad attitude and who is to judge?<\/p>\n
What I have witnessed in myself and others is that attitude, in sales, is simply the reflection of your work habits and work ethic.\u00a0 Strong work habits and a productive work ethic is the reflection of a good attitude.\u00a0 Poor habits and a lazy work ethic reflect a bad attitude.<\/p>\n
My old manager use to say \u201cyour attitude will determine your altitude.\u201d\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry about what the others say and just keep working hard \u2013 the results will show for themselves.<\/p>\n
That advice seems as good to me today as it did then.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Economic forecasts are an interesting thing to consider.\u00a0 Exactly 3 weeks ago, I read several forecasts that stated that the market was indeed recovering and that the total annualized home sales volume was going to exceed approximately 5.7 million units.\u00a0 Today, I\u2019ve read that May was down 25 \u2013 30% in some markets and that, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":141,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,61],"tags":[1111,1351,2801,5761,6511,9441,10561,12651,17241,19021,19561,20891,21601,23081,25641,33041,33981,35771,36601,37601,38661,42301,42501,45041,47051,47061],"class_list":["post-4982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-brokerage-operations","category-commentary","tag-advice","tag-agents","tag-attitudes","tag-brokers","tag-buyers","tag-consumers","tag-customers","tag-economy","tag-government","tag-home-sales","tag-homes","tag-industry","tag-inventory","tag-knowledge","tag-market","tag-professionals","tag-real-estate","tag-recovery","tag-results","tag-sales","tag-sellers","tag-tax-credit","tag-techniques","tag-value-proposition","tag-work-ethic","tag-work-habits"],"yoast_head":"\n