Hard Times

I am facing one of the most difficult points in my professional career. Ever since college, success has been based on how much business I could develop.

In the senior living world, my relationship building was with customers who needed to make a change right away. In this new position, I am selling a product that isn't going to be ready for another 24 months. This product is going to be amazing. It is going to be completely different than any of our competition. Everyone who is able to visit the sales office leaves positive about the product, but it is taking the next step toward commitment that is the most difficult.

Our customers have a variety of obstacles. Of course, the economy is the easiest one. Most of our customers have lost a portion of their retirement accounts in the last year. They may not be able to afford the home they were dreaming of in our community. Another obstacle is that our community is in development stage. Our potential residents are seeing a lot of developments that are "in development" and the developer have disappeared and homes are left empty. This community has a guarantee that homes are going to be filled with residents.

Overcoming obstacles has always been part of the work, but the most difficult part is going through a dry spell. Dry spells can make you feel like you are never going to make a sale again. Of course, as soon as you feel like there is nothing coming around the corner, something comes.

Here's to something coming.