A fluid property market depends upon the ability to sell. But it’s not only agents who need it, and it’s not only the gregarious who have got it, says Kim Tasso
The property sector revolves around the ability of people to put deals together, and this means honed selling skills. But are salespeople born or made?
Personality has a great deal to do with innate ability at selling. Gregarious extroverts with a genuine interest in other people and who are at ease in social environments will find it easier to sell.
But there is evidence that even those with quiet personalities can adopt techniques to increase their sales effectiveness – especially in complex situations, where they may even do better than extroverts. Many people argue that the value of natural abilities in selling depends on what is being sold and to whom.
“Not everyone can become effective at selling,” says David Wright, head of property at solicitors Nabarro Nathanson. “Good salespeople will make themselves obvious by their openness and willingness to take part in marketing exercises.”
Marketing consultant Jane Locke says: “People believe salespeople are born. Yet we think everyone can become effective at selling. Selling technique should be flexible. Identify with the person you are selling to and gauge their personality. Sell – hard or soft – according to the personality involved.”
Can property professionals sell?
What about that state of selling in the property sector? Wright says: “I believe that those in the property sector are quite good at selling. Property professionals should find it easier to sell to established clients, but this is an area that is often overlooked.”
Is selling easier for the agents? “Yes. Agents have a lot more confidence, tend to go on more training courses and are more in the public eye than technical staff,” says Locke. “Selling property is no different than selling any other commodity.”
Michael Perkins, head of West End retail at Lambert Smith Hampton, says: “It is just as important to understand the retailer’s business – for example, their turnover and what makes a good retail location – as it is to be a good salesperson. Clients want to know that you have an understanding of how their market operates.”
Marketing versus selling
Niall Henry, director at ICO Design, offers a different perspective: “The essence of marketing is about defining difference, adding value and seeking opportunities to exploit. Marketing should be the framework for nurturing new clients, making it easier for salespeople to be received more readily. Selling tends to be about networking and cultivating individual relationships. The two aspects should work together in tandem, yet those who are good at selling may not be good at marketing and vice versa. I would say generally that the property sector is good at selling but poor at marketing.”
What advice is there for young professionals entering the property sector?
Wright says: “Get in the thick of the action and look and listen to your fellow professionals – particularly those who have established themselves at selling.”
Graham Downie, group marketing director at Chesterton, advises: “Build up a personal group of contacts and stick with them. The property world is so incestuous that today’s colleague or competitor is tomorrow’s client.”
With client organisations becoming larger and buying cycles longer and more complex, those who rely on just the network will lose out to those who take a proactive and professional approach to selling.
