July 25, 2009

       "On behalf of the HBA of Lake, thanks so much for giving us such a big boost toward our goal of establishing an SMC. Your presentation was greatly appreciated by the attendees who walked away better armed to mee the challenges they face.

       We hope your time with us was enjoyable and worthwhile for you too."

 -Linda Nagle, Executive Director for Lake County HBA

June 19, 2009

I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for yesterday. It was my first time to have the pleasure of watching you present your program. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and was very impressed at how practical it was. Your enthusiasm and passion is contagious, but it was about more than that. Every person in that room (myself included) should have taken away practical, solid, functional ideas and techniques that they will be able to use for the rest of their career. Thanks again and I look forward  to the next time I get to see one of your presentations.

– Dave Caputo, Division President of Mercedes Homes, Inc.

Mike Starnes here. I wanted to check in with you, see how you're doing, and just say, hello.

Things are pretty good at Bloomfield Homes: we've got (8) communities and should hit 200+ closings in 09'........slowly grown every year for the past three years.

Weird economic times right now creating multiple challenges for everyone, and particularly anyone in our business.

I think about you often and wanted to say "thanks" for some lessons you shared that were very different from the conventional Glengarry/Glenross, churn and burn sales approach that some have taught and used for years. There are two main things, that i took from you, that i have incorporated into my job, but equally important, into my life:

1. I'm really not "selling" anything..........whether at work, or home.........i'm simply listening and providing enough proper, truthful, accurate and correct information to allow a prospect ( or my wife), to make an intelligent/informed decision. Hopefully, those decisions are what i would like, but if not.....and if i've listened and communicated properly..........IT'S O.K. I can't tell you how much less stress i feel now that i'm listening and having conversations with people, rather than trying to sell em' somethin'..........amazing, but i guess you already figured that out.

2. Don't let em' put the monkey on your shoulders".........pure genius. Listen and receive the information, determine the nature of the problem or issue, re-direct the person in such a manner that they are allowed, and responsible, for dealing with this issue all the way through to its proper completion. This not only frees up my time, but the personable dialog that takes place keeps me "plugged" in to other peoples lives. I think about the "monkey" ( i now call it my "monkey radar") all the time, whether it's dealing with my wife, children, builder, homeowner, lender, elder, deacon, or a random stranger on the street..............open up the lines of communications, and if I can't, or shouldn't, correct/resolve the issue, gently remove the "monkey" and place him where he belongs.

Sincerely hope you're doing well physically, emotionally, financially, and , more important, spiritually. You are a very gifted trainer, speaker and motivator and i'm very blessed that our paths have crossed................hopefully they will again.

If you get anywhere close to the Dallas/Ft.Worth area, you better call me.........there, i've put the "monkey" on your shoulder.

– Mike Starnes

Dear Bill,

I wanted to share the good news with you sooner but I've been so busy processing contracts for the past two days that I haven't had time. Imagine that! Anyway, since your visit 5 days ago, we wrote 16 contracts (all good too)l In fact, we wrote 6 contracts last night to help us finish the month on a really strong note! Woo-hoo!

Your diagnosis was right on the money. They had all bought into that "it's the end of the world" mentality that we watch and hear now 24/7 and they had started believing it. The agents have such respect and admiration for you and I can't tell you how much your tough love speech really fired them up. As you stated they were too good not to be selling. You were right and they knew it. Now they are focused again and even better they have the sales prove to it. The results from your training were immediate and their confidence is through the roof again.

I thought you would also like to know that our two newest Sales Associates emailed me over the weekend stating that this was the best New Home Sales Training they had ever attended. I know our training was an important consideration for both of them prior to accepting the position. It's nice to have earned that reputation already and know that our commitment to training will continue to help us attract more top sales professionals going forward.

– Robert Goettlicher, Sales Manager, New Providence Homes

“Over the past 35 years I have attended more sales meetings than I care to count… After you have been around as long as I have, you don't get very excited about meetings or motivational speakers. This past week was quite a pleasant surprise to me….The workshop on "Selling Successfully in the 21st Century" was superb. My three salesmen were so pumped up and full of enthusiasm they could hardly wait to get back on the job. For my part, I think your talk on winning balance between work and family was great. I am sure I am going to be a better husband and a better employer.”

– Jim Jolley, Jim Jolley Photography

“I wanted to thank you for the excellent training. As we discussed using your process has truly helped me become a better Sales Associate. Since the training, my personal sales have more than doubled….It is also clear to me I have a long way to go to be where I want to be. A large part of my plan will be to use the principles/process you have written in your reference book.”

– Mike Daniel, Providence Realty

“In thirteen years of attending seminars, I have never felt compelled to write a letter of praise and commendation to a speaker after attending a Sales Seminar. I must say that I found you to be the most dynamic, informative, hands on speaker I have ever had the pleasure of hearing.”

– Ed Edsel, Meadows Country Club

“I recently attended your seminar on ‘The Power of Professional Selling.’ I felt it was the most worthwhile seminar of its kind that I have attended. In a word it was EXCELLENT! You really get ‘back to the basics’ and all of us need to be reminded that if we are to succeed we must stick to the basics. The course material was great. I especially liked the test given prior to the start of the seminar; it really makes you take an honest look at your work ethic.”

– Connie Smith, LeCesse Development Corporation

“Our sales group commented, ‘Bill Herring is the greatest organizational/motivational speaker that has ever attended any of our sales seminars.’ From management point of view we are seeing sales growth and real bottom line increases!”

– Dan Bell, Olan Mills

“The overall membership marketing training and book that you helped us develop has increased our recruiter base by 45%. The increase in member recruiters will payoff in the years to come. The immediate benefit to our organization comes from the increased awareness and productivity of our
leadership, membership and staff in the member recruitment area. Your workshops have trained and motivated our volunteers and staff to be more active in the membership arena and we will see a continued growth over the next months and years.”

– Home Builders Association Mid-Florida

“Your ability to cause sales persons to focus on priorities, your sensitivity to the disciplines that are necessary, and your awareness of the real world and what is in need, all combine to make these sessions practical and immediately applicable to all who have attended. There is no doubt in my mind that we will show measurable improvement as a result of your efforts.”

– Henry Ercikson, Hanson & Horn Group, Inc.

“Thank you for the Sales and Marketing Council presentation, The Power of Belief. Our inaugural breakfast meeting had over 87 attending with 30 new memberships. Success! Thank you for your Magic Moments presentation to the company employees. Never heard so many positive comments from our group, it made them feel important and needed. Success! Thank you for the Maverick Selling presentation to our sales associates, we all learned better techniques to help us improve our selling efforts. Success!”

– Tom Jarosik, Halifax Plantation Realty

“I want to thank you for supplying myself and our sales staff with sales training that is to the point, void of any unnecessary fluff and yields results. Bill Herring is on the money with his methods and principals …. Other training that I have completed rarely hits quite as hard and to the point as Bill's program. Most importantly, I have seen first hand a difference in the way our sales associates handle prospects from the greeting to transitioning into quality discovery questions.”

– Mark Schirmer, Providence Homes

"Bill Herring has the astonishing ability to strip away the fluff and infuse your team with a passionate focus that will net you Next Day results."

– Doug Partington, Ryan Homes

"...Customers have sent me an email, praising the help with understanding the process, and what is going on in this market. That can be directly attributed to your visit last Monday."

– Tom Larkins, Sales Manager at Tampa Division

"...it never ceases to amaze me how each and every seminar has been better than the previous one."

– Peter Gimmartino, Sales Manager

"As an old guy, (57 last month), I have been through many sales training programs along the way. His was the best, no question. Professional, interesting, fun, real world selling that makes sense. "

– Hugh Haller, Riverside at Julington Creek Plantation

"I truly believe in Bill Herring’s training technique and realizing that selling is a game, and that there is a process to successful selling."

– David O’Kelly

"I am excited to say, thanks to My Lord and your Training I have consistently doubled my income every year that I have been with Adams Homes."

– Mary Nevitt, Adams Homes

"I had my best year ever in New Home Sales last year and I can honestly say you were a major contributor to that success. "

– Larry Johns, Bruce Williams Homes

"I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the outstanding seminar you gave this past week at the Home Builders and Contractors office of Brevard. I know I speak for all who attended when I say it was the most refreshing sales presentation I've ever heard. The next time we meet again I hope that our sales team will be available."

– Christopher J. Gardner, Vice President of Condev Homes

"The message was right on target, and you got nothing but accolades from the attendees!"

– Judith K. Burke, Director of Membership Services at The Institute of Internal Auditors

“I personally firmly believe in the sales concepts you propagate and I think you made some real progress, even with some of our “old dogs”, in getting my sales staff to recognize they could make more money by using your common-sense, human approach to dealing with people. ”

– Kenneth G. Malm, President of Craftmark Homes

Just a note to let you know that I am now a BELIEVER. I was skeptical about having our New Home Consultants “off the floor” for a solid week; however, based on results, I now believe it’s the best methodology. We were able to ascertain our strong, weak, and striving associates through improvement or lack thereof in the daily video sessions. One or two day sessions would not provide us the same in-depth viewpoint.

Our results in the first month are very positive. The identified “strong” and “striving” were the top performers in June even after being “out” for one week. The greatest success story is Sherri Smith, who sold 8 homes in June in a community that had not registered 8 sales the entire year!

– Kathy B. Harter, Division President at Lennar Homes

Sometimes I believe we don’t take the time to say thank you. In your case, thank you seems inadequate for the job you have done for our organization.

I realize we are only half way through the “program”; but I can already measure the change in attitude and increased skill levels in our sales team.

I (and I know the staff feels the same way) am most impressed with the fact that you take such a personal interest in us as a whole as well as each member of the staff individually.

– Ann C. Matthews, Director of Sales & Marketing at The Jack Parker Corporation

"I find your presentation refreshing and always on point at the deepest level of motivation..."

– David R. Fletcher, MIRM, President of New Homes Online International, Inc.

"Literally within hours of hitting the sales floor our associates have become raving fans."

– Mark E. Newbauer, Vice President of Oriole Homes Corp.

"...in almost 30 years in our business it never ceases to amaze me how much we still have to learn."

– Tom Jarosik, Director of Sales and Marketing at Halifax Plantation Realty, Inc.

"We ended up with sales 130% to our plan."

– Reed Williams, General Sales Manager at Pulte Home Corporation

"Thanks for a job well done"

– Lee Wetherington, Founder/Chairman of Lee Wetherington Homes