The first year I was married, my wife Debbie made some changes to our new home. Gone were the cinder blocks and planks that held my extensive record collection, along with the coffee table I made in woodshop in high school. They were replaced by an elegant coffee table and a fancy shelf to store my LPs. You see, for a woman, the home is a very personal reflection of her good taste and personality. For a man, its a place to watch the game. Venus vs. Mars.

Years ago, I shared the stage with Sharon Roberts. As we talked in the greenroom, she asked if I had written any books. I gave her a copy of my first book, Freedom from Fear. She reciprocated by giving me her book, Selling To Women & Couples: Secrets of Selling in the New Millennium. I read it that night in one sitting. (Its only 85 pages!) In this insightful book, she says, and I truly believe, 85% of all buying decisions in the home are made by(wait for it!) WOMEN! In my house, its 110%!

Is this a firm fast rule that applies to every sale? No. Its just 85% of the time. You see, SHE is the Economic Buyer, HE is the Feasibility Buyer. She can say yes, he can say no. Your close ratio will increase if both SHE and HE are in the room. What is vital to remember is, give her at least as much, if not more, attention than him. If you disrespect her or simply forget that this simple idea is important, you will lose the sale and never know why.

In sales seminars I conduct, I ask the women in the room, How many of you have been disrespected by a salesperson when you were with your husband or boyfriend? EVERY woman raises her hand! Each one has a story with the common denominator being the absence of Appreciation, Respect and Understanding. There it is! A.R.U.

I have done hundreds of ride-alongs with comfort consultants and, if I am asked to participate in the sales process, the first thing I do is say to HER, You have a lovely home. . . . (Appreciation.) The second thing I do is to give HER equal if not more eye contact; like an oscillating fan, my head goes back and forth from her to him and back. (Respect.) The third thing I do is to listen really listen to what she is saying. (Understanding.) Its Active Listening! When you make these three simple ideas a habit, the sale happens as a matter of course.

I really miss that old coffee table and all those LPs. But you know the old saw, Happy Wife, Happy Life! We have been married for 39 years. Thats no accident. Now you know who really makes the decisions

For a contracting business to survive, and in particular thrive, it needs to master in-home sales. To download a free in-home sales training package, complete with online course, sales presentation outline, how-to document on hiring salespeople, industry research and much more, visit EGIA.org/CBS-Sales.

Mark Matteson is an inspiring speaker and the author of the international bestseller,Freedom from Fear. For over 20 years, Marks positive humor and peak-performance tools have impacted organizations around the globe, igniting personal and professional success for tens of thousands of people. To watch Marks demo video, visitwww.SparkingSuccess.net. To book Mark, call 206/697-0454 or email[emailprotected].

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Who Really Makes the Buying Decisions? - Contracting Business