Sales & Service Across the Generations€¦ · the generational selling topic with some simple...

Sales & Service Across the

Generations

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For more info:Cam Marston

Generational Insights251.479.1990

cam@generationalinsights.comwww.generationalinsights.com

Find us on Facebook: Generational Insight

and on Twitter: GenInsightCopyright 2012, Generational Insight

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This is a broad view of the generational selling topic with some simple

tips and actions.

Available on www.amazon.ca

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Generations:

•Matures > 67 yo•Baby Boomers 48 to 66 yo•Gen X 33 to 47 yo•Millennials < 32 yo

Matures & Boomers:•History of organization•Name recognition of organization•Tenure in the marketplace•Historical & Perceived Quality

What seems to matter to them

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Gen X & The Millennials:•The Individual, the Ego•How things will affect their lives•How things will make them distinct•How you’ll impact their future•How they’re different.

What seems to matter to them

Matures (Born prior to 1946)•Dedication, sacrifice.•Experience will always be the best

teacher.•Conformity, blending, unity – “We

First”. Team•Hard, hard times then prosperity –

still value moderation.•Deference

Matures (Born prior to 1946)Emphasize• Your years of experience• Your expertise• Your ability to make things easy for them• Your roots in the community• Any patriotic ties you have• Institutions mean a lot. RE/MAX is one! Use

it!

Matures (Born prior to 1946)Other Items about the Matures• Let them know you’re good but don’t brag about it.

Vanity boasts are OK as long as they’re not over the top.

• Good relationship with the Millennials. Very friendly to one another. So…

• Ask your Mature client to be a source of referrals: Do you know any people thinking of buying their first home? Do you think you could introduce me to them?

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Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)

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Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)• “Workaholic” • Competitive• Strong team players• Success is visible – trophies, plaques, lifestyle

elements• Optimistic• Consumers• Defined by their job.• Some will want to work long after they have to.• The first “me” generation.• We are the world; We are the children

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Baby Boomers(1946 - 1964)

1970 2012

Long hair Longing for hair

Acid rock Acid refluxHoping for a BMW Hoping for a BMRolling Stones Kidney Stones

Trying to look like Liz Taylor or Marlon Brando

Trying NOT to look like Liz Taylor or Marlon Brando

Killer weed Weed killer

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Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)Emphasize:• That it is smart to think about life after retirement

★ But they are NOT elderly. NO.

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Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)

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Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)Emphasize:• That it is smart to think about life after retirement

★ But they are NOT elderly. NO.• Emphasize convenience of location.• Vanity plugs are OK. But don’t boast. (Boomers

are competitive and your vanity plugs are proof that you’re doing well. But be careful...)• Emphasize your expertise in setting the price and

managing the sale. You’ll make this confusing process easy for them.

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Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)Emphasize:

• Team. Very important to Boomers.• Work ethic. That they’ve worked hard and deserve

it.• Remember that their kids, the Millennials, are

hugely important to them. Might be smart to ask them “So, what will your kids think?”

• Also, their kids do a lot of research for them. Be ready w/ your comps and explanations to the kids.

• Careful of too much technology...

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Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)Communicating with the Boomers:1) Face to face is best. Preferred! Relax. Fluid

sentences. Have fun. They’re an optimistic group!2) Telephone. Follow same rules.3) Email - Full sentences. Few abbreviations.

Opening and Closing.4) Via Web - maybe / maybe not5) Texting - depends on the person. Often OK for

kids but not for vendors.

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Generation X (1965 – 1979)

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Gen X (apprx. 31 to 45 yrs old)

• Question authorities. • Have no shared heroes.• Raised as their parent’s friends.• Most are parents themselves now• Shorter time horizons.• A bit cynical, skeptical, suspicious• Carpe diem – Seize the day!• “Prove it to me” attitude, but...• The most loyal of all the generations.

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Gen X (apprx. 31 to 45 yrs old) • Distrust anything too promotional, sales-y, or

marketing-y. • Data and information. More is better.• NO vanity advertising. NO photos of you.• Where to go for more information - websites,

MLS, etc. • Give them the info they need to stalk…

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Gen X (apprx. 33 to 47 yrs old) • Trust their peers more than any other medium

of communication. Therefore:• You need to Tweet. You need to let them

“Friend” you. You need to be where their friends are.

• You’re on the hook. Very little grace period. Will remember everything you promised. Realtor Magazine about Gen X: “Prove it or move it.”

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Communicating with Gen X• Probably will prefer email updates.• Likely let your calls go to voice mail and then check

the message to see how important it is and how quickly they need to call you back.

• Texting is OK but if content is a request or information: Call me when you can. Or: 4555 Oak Rd just dropped to $300k. Or: Offer just arrived. Will review and call in a few.

• Face to face: Your clients will not want to make hard and fast decisions face to face. Let them think about it and do their research.

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Millennials (1980 ~ 2000

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Millennials Today (apprx. 32 yrs old & less)

• Optimistic.• Programmed. Well cared for.• Group (team?) oriented.• Instant gratification.• Busy & stressed.• Like “X”, raised as their parent’s friends.• Are not adults but are not adolescents, either.• Future is very short term• Individuality an differentiation is key.

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Millennials Today (apprx. 32 yrs old & less)

• Expect a 24/7 world• Expect high levels of personalization• Have big networks and can be your word of

mouth champion if you do well…• Homes: Energy efficiency is very important• Not big on vanity advertising... Info Info Info Info

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Millennials Today (apprx. 32 yrs old & less)

To Sell the Millennials• Product must have an immediate

application to them.• Must be unique to them.• Want what their friends have and what

their friends are doing with a unique twist.

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Millennials Today (apprx. 32 yrs old & less)

To Sell the Millennials• Spend time. Answer questions. Become a

non-stressful provider of information. Consultative selling.

• “Sensitive to my needs.”• Individual relevance – “Why is this

important to me?”

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Millennials Today (apprx. 32 yrs old & less)Offer:• FREE mortgage guidance (Millennials site

understanding mortgages as the most daunting part of buying a home)

• FREE market analysis• FREE market updates to email or text messages w/

market updates• Discounts for first time home buyers.• FREE and IMMEDIATE works

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Millennials Today (apprx. 32 yrs old & less)

Communicating:• Texting is OK. Preferred! Do it.• You must Tweet and Facebook. Get there.• Recognize individuality and uniqueness. Very

important.• Parents! Don’t forget about them. They’ll want to

talk to you, too.• Printed: Simple. Sleek. Modern.

The Role of Experts

The Role of Experts - Baby Boomers

• Baby Boomers will largely heed the advice of experts because they respect and recognize expertise.

• Time and experience creates experts.• Experts have earned the right to make specific

recommendations for customers.• Awards, designations, honors and accolades is

proof of expertise.

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The Role of Experts - Gen X

• Gen X believe experts must prove that they are experts.

• Expertise is not conferred or granted based on history or awards.

• The role of an expert is to lead the customer to a decision he/she has had some input into making.

• An expert proves expertise by their ability to convey their expertise to the non-expert in a buying situation.

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The Role of Experts - Millennials

• Experts are there to help acknowledge the uniqueness of the individual’s situation.

• Experts are teachers.• They guide through the process, educating along

the way.• Experts are resources to be called upon

repeatedly as needed, even long after the transaction has closed.

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Business Relationships

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• Boomers & Matures: • “Lets get to know one another and then we’ll

do business together.”• Value of seeking, and nurturing

relationships.

• Gen X and the Millennials: • “Show me what you can do. If it works we’ll

get to know one another.”• Relationships begin after business has

begun.

The Future of Relationships

Questions?

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Always Remember:• People’s final decisions are 85%

emotional & 15% logical.• Relationships are not logical.• Selecting you to list their home or

help them find a new home is seldom a decision based on logic.

Sales & Service Across the

Generations