Book review: SELL IT LIKE SERHANT
I recently listened to Ryan Serhant’s (costar on Bravo’s hit show Million Dollar Listing New York and the star of Sell It Like Serhant and one of the most successful real estate brokers in the world.) book Sell It Like Serhant. My brother-in-law suggested I read it and told me he thought there were some great tid bits and takeaways… nothing earth shattering, but some awesome reminders about how to frame your thinking and actions. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone in sales – AND Serhant reads the audiobook himself, which I thought was a nice added touch that helped me internalize even better. I am including my notes (literally taken on my phone after I stopped driving as a recap of the main sticking points) below! Enjoy!
Take a step even small and you’ll be closer to goal. Don’t doubt magnitude a small action can have. You’ll only realize formula after you created it.
The secret to your success will be revealed in hindsight. You won’t recognize it until you relive it. A life completely unhindered by anything. Moderately successful or phenomenally successful.
Take initiative. It’s like breathing — you can’t survive without it. After taking initiative, self doubt sets in but don’t let that hinder you. Being different can be good and your skills add value to your character. Who you were before you entered sales matters.
Choose success first and let the career follow. Commit to success and back into the career.
Endurance for the win. Sales is about the work – no one is going to say I don’t want this perfectly priced gorgeous house in the neighborhood of my dreams. It’s a crazy race!
Six rules to more sales:
1. Never hyperfocus on one sale.
2. Never wonder about the next sale – it’s already in the pipeline.
3. Surrounded by opportunity. Always reaching for new balls by making contacts and lead gen.
4. Take as much energy to manage one ball as 6 balls.
5. You control the flight path of the ball. You know which handle first, which fast, which need attention.
6. Don’t blindly toss balls into the air – you care about where each lands.
When you face your fears head on you become unstoppable. Ready. Set. Go.
Initiative will seep from your pores. Endurance is middle name. Let your fear push you towards success and none of this works without confidence.
Never underestimate the power of a face to face meeting.
Always keep your ego in check.
You are in sales but also the service industry. You sometimes have to play your clients game and stay flexible to get the deal done.
There will be an objection with almost every sale. The goal is to turn negatives into positives.
People think you are crazy because they don’t have the courage to do what you are doing.
Is this negative really negative? Think about objections and how you can turn them around.
Team Improv Workshop. Practicing Improv helps you sell. Builds synergy and teaches our mind to fire off in a positive direction and saying YES. NOTHING IS WRONG. Anything and everything is positive. “YES AND…” because you have to listen and add to the narrative.
Each sale is a scene. A story. You have to listen! What does this client need from me? Ask yourself if there is something I can do right now that makes my clients life better? Digest. Think about what you are saying.
When you say NO it’s unleashing a monster that eats up all of your opportunity.
Planet confidence is the place to be. Its a place where everyone wants what you are selling! Speak from a place of complete confidence.
“I am the best of the best. Am I saying I don’t make mistakes or don’t have more to learn? I do know I’ll work more and fight harder than anyone else and do everything in my power to get a deal done and make my clients happy.”
Instead of fear, focus on the rewards. If there is the possibility of the reward – go for it.
PLAY THE QUESTION GAME-
Set timer for 2 mins
Ask a question
They reply with a question
Whoever answers a question with a statement loses
People don’t like being sold, but they love shopping with friends.
Connection first. Product second.
Don’t always sell the most expensive product.
You must use your knowledge and expertise to connect the dots for the buyer.
People don’t know what they want until you show it to them. If finding what they want scares them. remind them, “I listened carefully to your wants, needs and know what you want”.
You can’t negotiate with someone’s wallet but you can negotiate with their feelings
Your voice and body are tools!
*good posture – easy breathing = sound better
*stretch your tongue. Say – he threw three balls. Unique New York. Red leather yellow leather.
Purchasing is a process of elimination! Not a shopping spree!
Follow up is an ART FORM!
F1 – Follow up.
F2- Follow through.
F3- Follow back.
Always treat clients like they are brand new.
Seven stages of Selling – think of shopping!
EXCITEMENT – All of the positives of the product and how it will positively change their life. Love.
FRUSTRATION – All of the negatives. Blame phase. Impatient phone calls and texts. Threats to back out.
FEAR – Bad investment. Or something else out there. Afraid of what they’ve taken on. Questioning decision. Anger.
DISAPPOINTMENT – Magnitude weighs. Overwhelmed. Regret. Forget original love.
ACCEPTANCE – Reminded of how hard we fought for the best deal. Positives flow back. Appreciate the journey. Joy slides back. Thank you s and gifts.
HAPPINESS – So glad we did this.
RELIEF – It’s over!
Checking boxes is for to do lists, not for getting deals done.
On INSPECTIONS – Inspectors job is to find problems. Assure them that when the inspection comes back there is no reason to panic. We can address these issues in negotiations. Set expectation. We will tackle these issues together.
INDECISIVE
1. Push – Incentive. Urgency.
2. Pull – take away the possibility of the purchase as a gut check and see what they do.
3. Persist – Remind them they need it. Underselling. Every two days sent a message about the deal. New comp. Let’s see it again. The client might be stuck in the fear stage.
Time Management.
The different branches of business:
- Finder: The big picture. Getting more business. Hitting sphere. Finding new business. Creating new business. Expansion. Meeting clients everyday.
- Keeper: The economic piece. Budget. Money and time.
- Doer: executes the business that the finder creates and the keeper budgets. Day to day work.
We, as realtors, are in the business of people brokering. Connecting clients to a product they want. A place to live comfortably and happily.
POSITIVITY. Don’t under estimate the power of positivity — it is the oil that keeps it all running smoothly.
BE CREATIVE
1. Identify the challenge
2. Dig in (history and knowledge of your product)
3. Grow it into a story
4 “E”s of an Amazing Sales Person
Energy
Enthusiasm
Endurance
Education
Overall, I thought the book was great at framing some basic principles and ideas for improving your performance in the sales world.
