Last week, I talked about how a good sales coach is a Sherpa (or guide). A good salesperson is a Sherpa, too.

Like sherpas, new home sales professionals guide clients to their destination — a new home that meets their needs. Salespeople are the experts who know how to navigate the sometimes rocky terrain of choosing, financing, and building a new home. They also know the various courses that lead to the final goal. They lead clients down the paths most suitable for their unique situation.

A sherpa-type new home sales professional might say, “In order to stay within your budget, we can do one of two things. We can either get the options you want and a standard homesite or we can get the corner lot you want but we’ll have to pull out half of these options. Where do you see more value?”

In essence, sherpa salespeople say, “We can get you there either by this route or by this route, which do you prefer?”

As a sherpa, your job is to get prospects to buy from you. You don’t really care which product they choose, just that they move through the process. If the path forks and they get stuck — you help them make a choice. You say something like, “You can take a right or a left at this juncture, but we have to move forward to reach our destination.”

Do you see yourself as a sherpa? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

As a sales professional, author, professional speaker, and consultant, Jason Forrest helps home builders increase closings and profits through leadership sales training. His books include Creating Urgency in a Non-Urgent Housing Market and 40 Day Sales Dare for New Home Sales. He can be reached at jason@jforrestgroup.com and www.jforrestgroup.com.