Imagine you are selling a product that is one of the biggest and most emotional purchases that your buyer is going to make. Now imagine having to use your sales skills to have to overcome second thoughts, doubts and other issues your buyer has, while at same time your buyer is surrounded by a cadre of relatives and friends who are giving them conflicting, misleading and possibly erroneous advice.
Being the reality television show fan that I am, I have come across a show that features these salespeople-"Say Yes to the Dress." And while the products are different that what you as mortgage originators sell, there are many similarities in the process between buying a wedding dress and buying a home/getting a loan for it.
The show is centered at a renowned New York bridal shop, Kleinfeld.
A personal note here: my wife bought her wedding dress at Kleinfeld's, albeit years before the show went on the air, and had first hand experience (which I heard about third hand) with their sales techniques.
The show generally starts with the daily staff meeting, where the head sales person usually dispenses some advice.
Like the home sales process, much about buying a wedding dress deals with the emotional reaction of the purchaser. As a result the buyer sometimes looks at things they cannot afford and the sales person's job is to be a reality check.
A good mortgage originator serves as a reality check for their clients as well.
The Kleinfeld sales staff also has to overcome the objections of others who are leaning in the bride's ear, countering what the bride wants because they think they know what is better.
And yes, sometimes because of unrealistic expectations of the buyer, the sale is not made. That happens in the mortgage industry as well.
"Say Yes to the Dress" airs on the TLC network.
