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“Selling Value” By Aaron J. Catoe Long stated, "selling value" can be defined as the matching of a prospect's needs with how the community’s services can satisfy those needs. That small phrase can be associated with much deeper roots. Demonstrating why a prospect should move is an essential part of any sales cycle. However, it must be recognized that life transitions are extremely difficult, and moving requires letting go of the past and breaking connections with the familiar. It awakens old memories, so before a prospect can move they ... ... must be willing to let go of the past. If someone, anyone, prospect or not, is going to let go of the past, there must be a value associated with doing so. Our internal goals, special rates offered, apartment availability and great views are all secondary to a prospect. After all, prospects move to satisfy their needs and their problems, not ours! Selling value, in terms of a new enhanced lifestyle or demonstrating a benefit by solving their problems, can be extremely difficult at best. This process takes a lot of time and requires even more trust. We, as industry professionals, can facilitate this process by making prospects more aware of their future living needs and encouraging appropriate and deliberate choices. Use caution -- our success in facilitating this process is built on trust and demonstrating value in moving is not accomplished by creating problems for the prospect. Instead, allow them to clearly recognize the limitations in their current living situation so they will be more open to the solutions our communities can provide. That in itself is not enough. There has to be confident expectation -- the sincere belief that a prospect’s life will be enhanced by moving to a community. This is the part that some sales counselors fall short on. Ask any sales staff if they believe in their community and you will probably find confidence in the product or services offered, and the fact is, most staff are "aware" that a prospect will benefit by moving, but that in itself is only part of the equation! A sales counselor must truly believe -- 100 percent -- that what we are asking the prospect to do will enhance and better their life. A sincere and true belief, not mere confidence in the services offered, combined with a complete understanding of the current situation, together fuel enough passion and desire to overcome a prospect's resistance to moving -- no matter how strong their ties to the past. Assuring a prospect to trust enough in the sales counselor's belief that letting go of the past is the way that he or she will benefit in the value a community lifestyle has in solving their needs, is certainly a powerful grouping when attempting to sell value.
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