This issue we are speaking with Tood Fisher, receipient of this year's Million Dollar Club Members award and the Network Sales Representative of the Year award. Congratulations on receiving the $1 million sales award and the Network Sales Representative of the Year award.  We applaud your effort and accomplishment.  Thanks!

In today's struggling economy and housing market downturn, what are you doing differently than most people out there?  We are working very hard at each individual lead or customer to do whatever it takes to make the sale.  We're making ourselves available 24/7, providing quick responses, taking anything that comes our way no matter how big or small, resolving issues for the customer, etc.  Anything we can do to get an edge on the competition and at the same time, pushing the quality of our product.  We also feel our 25 years experience and presence in the business has helped to keep us busy during these slower times.

Have you had to change any of your thought processes or strategies in order to stay on top? Yes, we've never really been ones to offer discounts on the package prices and the reason being because of the level of service we provide to the customer.  However, in the current market, the customer needs the discount to make the deal work and we're not willing to lose the sale, so we're extending the discounts to them and still providing the same, if not better service than before, because that's what's needed to make the sale in the current economy and housing market. 

What form of advertising is working best for you to keep you on the cutting edge?  Word of mouth referrals have really been our best form of advertising.  Our website is another way people have said they've chosen us.  And we also do our best to make our business known on a local level by advertising in high school sports programs, building associations, etc. 
How have your open houses been this year, and what are you doing to attract prospective customers to these specific events?  We've had some great open houses this year.  We usually like to do an open house at a customer's home and encourage them to be there.  New prospects love the opportunity to talk with the homeowner and at the same time, see our product and the work we do.  We usually do the open houses following a show and we make up an attractive flyer to hand out with pictures and information on the home to entice the prospect to attend. 

In looking toward the future, what steps have you already taken, or will be taking, to generate future sales?  We will continue to work as hard as we possibly can for each and every customer.  One thing we have been doing a little differently is trying to find out what's holding the customer back from buying and we try our best to resolve the issue for them.  For example, if they need property, we send them land listings in the area they're looking in and offer to do site visits prior to them purchasing the property.  If they're having financing issues, we set them up with banks we've worked successfully with before.  If their dream plan exceeds their budget, we work with them to create an affordable plan that will work for them.  We pretty much don't allow them to have any excuses not to buy, unless of course they don't want a log home or truly cannot afford it!!  And we've done all these things before, but now that the housing market has slowed down, it's given us more time to devote to each customer.

What insight or advice would you have for the other sales representatives in the network?  Sales are going to be harder to get in this economy.  Talk positive with your customers - nothing negative, they find enough of that on the news.  Take each lead and work it until you sell it (or until it's dead).  Each lead is precious and you now have more time to work each lead.  Find out what's holding them back and help them resolve the issue.  Promote the quality product you're selling.  Find reasons to make contact with your customers and reasons for them to get back in touch with you.  This will keep their attention and give you an edge on the competition.     

Congratulations again on such a successful year.