I was in Portland last week and dropped by the Saturday Market to pick up a few gifts for the holidays.  I found a vendor with beautiful handmade glass ornaments that would be a nice addition to my tree–and they were only $10 each.  The other glass blowers were selling their balls for $15-$20.  It seemed inexpensive and so I commented as I adored them, “I’m not sure I’d want to make these for $10.”  His response was reasonable, “Are you a glass blower?”  “No,” I replied, “but my neighbour is and I know how much work it is to make such beautiful things.”  The vendor of the glass balls had the perfect opportunity in that moment to sell me as many balls as I could carry.  He merely needed to acknowledge that they were in fact a lot of work and that he was very happy to do the work and provide beautiful ornaments for his customers’ trees that would provide happiness for years to come.

But he didn’t.  He went on to tell a story about how he use to charge $15 and then he dropped them to $10 and he wished that he hadn’t but he didn’t feel he could put the price back up to $15.  His tone showed unhappiness and even a touch of anger.  I noticed my mood shifting and the buying feeling was evaporating.  I put down the ball and said I would think about it and be back.

I never went back.

How often do we do this is our real estate sales opportunities?  Are you enthusiastic and excited to be at your open houses?  Are you grateful when you get a call or an email from a prospective client? Do your clients feel like there is nowhere else you would rather be when you are showing them homes?  Do you make it all about them, all the time?  Because if you’re not, you are losing sales.

I wanted the glass balls but not with his story attached.