Let’s set the record straight: Your Online Sales Counselor (OSC) is not a one-person army. They’re not a magician who can wave a magic wand over lukewarm leads and produce closings. And they’re certainly not a plug-and-play solution that runs on autopilot. If your online sales program is struggling—or worse, crashing and burning—it’s not just about the OSC. It’s about the system surrounding them. Too often, home builders invest in the idea of an OSC without investing in the infrastructure and support they need to…
Read MoreQuick Tip Tuesday Video – How To Optimize Live Chat
Today’s Quick Tip for Online Sales Programs in the Building Industry is about Live Chat. If you are going to have your OSC utilize Live Chat you need to make sure these 3 things are happening. I’ve always been on the fence about live chat because all too often I’ve seen this become a band-aid for a true online sales counselor program. If you only tend to your live chat leads you spend most of…
Read MoreDon’t Burn Out Your Online Sales Counselor
Look, I’ve been doing this since 2007. Back when I began as an OSC we did not have the same kind of marketing and lead generation as we do now. I worked for a builder that sold about 350 or more homes per year, and back then we said if an OSC was doing 20-25% of overall sales for the company they were doing a great job. As a producer hitting 32% of overall sales…
Read MoreWhat’s Happening: Events in September
September is always a busy time of the year! But lots of conferences, summits, webinars and podcasts have recently been released or are coming soon in the month of September, which is always great for learning and industry education. I’m lucky enough to participate in some of them! Now through the end of the year, SEBC – This year the Southeast Building Conference went virtual and has all their education available through the end of…
Read MoreCRM – Should it Integrate with Your New Home Builder Software?
So, I get this question a lot! Or I get this statement… “We don’t want to change CRM’s because it integrates with our contract writing, purchasing, building etc… software we already have.” Here’s the thing. Some of the companies tack on an inferior Customer Relationship Management tool, (CRM) so that you will utilize their entire system. They think this is a value add. It’s not that they mean for it to be inferior. At least…
Read MoreQuick Tip Tuesday Video – The Value Of Video Emails in Online Sales Programs
Today’s Quick Tip for Online Sales Programs in the Building Industry is about Video Email. Video email is a MUST when it comes to the online sales counselor role. According to 2020 marketing statistics compiled by SNOVio Labs, an initial email with a video receives a click through rate increase of 96%. Using the word video increases the open rates 19%. When we use video email we cut down unsubscribes by 26%. This is not…
Read MoreOnline Sales Counselor Training isn’t a Sprint, It’s a Marathon
If you are not a runner how far could you run and how fast, before you just collapsed? We often hear about training for marathons. Do we ever even talk about training for sprints? Yet all new things need training right? I mean could you be a great, healthy runner if someone just handed you a baton and said go? Then why would we do that to an Online Sales Counselor in the new home…
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