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October is here, which means we are officially entering the last quarter of the year. And I think this is a really important time to ask ourselves a question: What are we going to do with the next 90 days? There is a lot of uncertainty in our industry right now. Interest rates, affordability, consumer confidence, traffic and the economy are all creating questions about what the rest of this year will look like and what we can expect when we head into the spring selling season. We can’t control…
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The Builder Marketing Summit has wrapped up for another year, and after two fast and furious days in Dallas, I walked away energized, full of ideas and, as always, wishing there had been just a little more time to talk with everyone. This was my fourth year joining Greg Bray of Blue Tangerine and Kevin Weitzel of Outhouse for the Summit, where they once again gave me free rein to lead the Online Sales Counselor track. That opportunity means a lot to me because there simply aren’t many industry events…
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Recently, a seasoned OSC reached out to me because she knows I do mystery shops. She also knows about the Annual Mystery Shop Report we conduct every year to get a pulse on the state of the industry when it comes to customer experience and the customer journey. She had been mystery shopped. On a Saturday. Her day off. Actually, it was the beginning of a four-day weekend for her. And as a solo OSC, she needs to take time off. Gone are the days when we should expect an…
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Why an AI Tool Isn’t the Same as an AI Strategy AI is everywhere in new home sales right now. Chatbots, automated follow-up, texting, dialers, lead nurturing, appointment setting. There are some incredible tools available, and I am certainly not anti-AI. Used correctly, AI can help us respond faster, manage more opportunities and take some of the repetitive work off our plates. But buying an AI tool is not the same thing as having an AI strategy. You don’t just buy it, unbox it, plug it into your website or…
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One of the first things I ask for when I start working with a new builder has nothing to do with conversion rates, lead response times, or appointment-setting percentages. Well okay I ask for all of that stuff. But I also ask for this… I ask to see every follow-up sequence living inside their CRM. The automated emails. The texts. The videos. The call tasks. Everything. Why? Because before I can coach an Online Sales Counselor, I want to understand what the buyer is experiencing. Every email, every text message,…
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“Everyone knows something you don’t… learn from them.” It’s a simple phrase, but one that’s resonated with me for decades. I’m not even sure where I first heard it, but it’s become part of who I am and how I approach life. Long before Blue Gypsy. Long before I was speaking at conferences or teaching classes. Before I ever became an Online Sales Counselor. It’s a mindset I’ve carried with me from experience to experience…country to country. I learned it years ago while traveling the world. Every place I visited…
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In our last blog post about One Team, One Experience I talked heavily about alignment. If the move from online to onsite is done well, it should feel natural from the buyer’s perspective. Exciting, even. The OSC should be building anticipation, not creating confusion. It should sound more like: “I’d love for you to meet my good friend; they’re going to have a much better handle on those specific house questions and help you take the next step.” That is a handoff. Not: “Here’s the appointment. Good luck.…
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Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of joining an NAHB Shop Talk with a title so good I figured it deserved a blog post of its own: One Team, One Experience: Turning Spring Traffic into Sales. When a topic is this relevant, this timely, and this painfully familiar to anyone in home building, you don’t just leave it neatly tucked inside a one-hour conversation. You bring it back out, dust it off, and say, “Alright, let’s talk about what this really means.” The discussion was moderated by Kelly Fink,…
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I feel like I make a post about this almost every year… but spring cleaning isn’t just for closets, junk drawers, and that cup holder in your car full of receipts, hair ties, mystery crumbs, and old empty coffee cups from Starbucks. It’s for your follow-up too. Let’s be honest… somewhere in that CRM is a sales process you built with the best of intentions and then never looked at again. She’s out there. Collecting dust. Sending old emails. Possibly embarrassing you. This time of year, is the perfect excuse…
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Alright, friends. We’re closing out March Debunking AI Month with one more thing I need to get off my chest: I am deeply skeptical of these micro learning AI courses that keep popping up all over my social feed. You know the ones. “Learn 47 AI tools in 28 days!” “Become an AI power user by next Tuesday!” “Master the future with our daily 10-minute lessons!” Meanwhile I’m over here thinking… who has time to collect apps like they’re Pokémon? What do I need 10…or 28 different tools? And more…
Blowing Up The Marketing Funnel In New Home Sales
Recently at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel of marketing experts both in and outside of new home builder’s offices. We talked about the changing dynamic of lead generation and how builders see the buyers journey verses how buyers really want to take that buyer journey. At the beginning of our presentation, we blew up the notion of a funnel. Take a look at our…
IBS 2024 is in The Books – What Were Your Biggest Takeaways?
Wow – IBS 2024 whooshed pat in a whirlwind, and if you were one of over 76,000 building industry professionals who attended IBS…Congratulations! Not only are you looking at trends, materials, walking the convention floor for tips, ideas, and innovation – you may have also attended some of the education, networking events, and engaged with professionals across all walks of life in the new home building industry. From trade partners, to consultants, to clients, to…
My List of “Not to Miss Educational Sessions” at International Builders Show in Las Vegas
It’s almost February and as I prepare for THREE speaking engagements at the International Builders Show (IBS) in Las Vegas from February 27th-29th – two in the learning labs, and one at Professional Women in Building Headquarters, (PWB HQ) – I’m also scouring the list of learning opportunities that I want to attend. So much to see, so little time. My hack is when I’m not in a session or checking out tech on the…
Old Style New Home Sales Techniques vs. Selling to the Digital Savvy Homebuyer
Little known fact, I started out in the new home sales world onsite in 2006. One of the first things my company did was put me through a sales training program and in 18 years I’ve seen a variety of sales models used for new home sales, most of which follow the critical path. I’ve seen this path anywhere from 5, 7, or even 10 steps as below. Meet & Greet Discovery Presentation & Overview…
Enhancing Home Building with AI: 5 Ways OSCs Can Leverage Technology Without Losing the Human Touch
Just because you can’t leave it to AI (artificial intelligence) as we talked about last month, it doesn’t mean you can’t use it at all! The home building industry is experiencing a transformative wave with the integration of AI into various facets of operations. One crucial area where AI can make a significant impact is in Online Sales Counselor (OSC) programs. These programs play a vital role in engaging potential buyers and guiding them through…
Online Sales and Onsite Sales Teams Transform Homebuyer Engagement with Video Emails
In the fast-paced and competitive world of new home construction, establishing a meaningful connection with potential homebuyers is key to success. One of the most innovative and impactful tools in the arsenal of Online Sales Counselors (OSCs) and onsite Sales Agents is the use of video emails. In this blog post, we’ll explore the transformative power of video emails throughout the entire homebuyer journey, from initial engagement to contract signing. Engagement: Breaking Through the Digital…
The Power of Human Connection: Why You Can’t Just “Leave it to AI”
Let’s face it, complex queries demand human expertise. When it comes to the intricate world of home building, questions are often multifaceted. AI excels at routine tasks but may struggle when faced with nuanced or unique queries. A human touch ensures that your customers receive the comprehensive and tailored responses they need. As we implement all these “cool tools” we need to remember not to lose our empathy and understanding. Home building is a personal…
Mentoring, Coaching, and Goals for The New Year
You may or may not have noticed that I didn’t create any new blog posts in October or November… for those of you who follow me on LinkedIn or social media, you know I lost one of my greatest mentors at the beginning of October. My father. From an early age, my dad taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, and kindness. He led by example, demonstrating the importance of integrity in everything we…
Understanding What OSCS Do Daily, Weekly, Monthly
In our blog post, “We Are All on The Same Team,” one of the keys to leading your organization is to understand what an online sales counselor does, not just in general but day-by-day, week-by-week and month-by-month. This means understanding the purpose of their position and what needs to happen as a whole. We have a million posts on here about what an OSC’s purpose is. But as a reminder, they are not an order…
We Are All on The Same Team
Marketing, sales, and online sales are all on the same team. We need to put that into practice, especially when it’s easy to slip into a scarcity mindset. Recently I heard two different stories that inspired this blog post. One was of someone at leadership level disparaging OSCs and what they do…because numbers are down. The other was of salespeople disparaging OSCs and what they are doing…because numbers are down! In the first case, I…