Let’s get this out of the way right now: I am not a CRM implementation expert. My job is to train and strategize with Online Sales Counselors (OSCs) and companies to help them thrive in their roles and their adoption of the CRM across all departments. It’s important for the marketing, sales, and online salespeople to all be rowing in the same direction when it comes to big tools like the CRM. I’ll give you the ideas and the parameters, but I leave the nitty-gritty of CRM setup to the techies and specialists. What I do know is what a CRM should be able to do for you as an OSC in the homebuilding industry. It’s up to you to become the expert on the platform your company uses. And let’s be honest—often OSCs end up being the CRM experts in their companies. So, roll up your sleeves, dive in, and figure it out. Here’s the good news: there are resources everywhere. Your CRM likely has a support team, a knowledge base, and (bless the internet gods) YouTube. You can Google just about anything these days. Or—and here’s a crazy idea—you can play with it. Tinker, explore, and press all…
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Turnkey Solutions Sound Great… But Are They?
I often hear builders say they want a turnkey solution for online sales. Really, they want turnkey solutions for everything. The truth is, almost anything worth while takes time to learn and master. As most builders like to remind me, they are different from their competitors. While we don’t need to re-invent the wheel every time we start up a new online sales program, there will be nuances that are different and require a more…
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Blue Gypsy Inc Doesn’t do “CRM Implementation,” We Teach “CRM Strategy”
Well, you know that old story, “If you give a man a fish he eats for a day, if you teach a man to fish, he can feed his whole village.” That’s how we feel about CRM implementation. There’s no doubt about it, CRM is complex. And there are SOOOOO many of them out there. They all have different features and ways to get to the same thing. When I think of the builders I…
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13 Years… So Much Has Changed
It’s funny. If you had told me I’d be doing Blue Gypsy Inc. for 13 years, my first response would have been, “I spent 13 years traveling around the world, I can’t imagine spending 13 more owning my own business, and not getting out on any adventures.” Little did I know what an adventure owning my own business would be. From the beginning I knew I was going to be an active participant in the…
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IBS Recap: Teaching, Learning, Winning, Caring, Meeting, and Socializing
This year in Vegas was a little different than any other year I can remember. The longer you attend IBS the more people you know, the more companies you interact with, the more invitations you get to events! Teaching and Learning: On top of two presentations – one on the Building Knowledge Track with my friends and Colleagues Alisa Poncher, Angela McKay, and Cori Masters, and one just me presenting in 55+ Central – I…
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Value vs. Pricing – Consulting and Training is the Same as Selling a House
As a builder, I would never want you to chase your competitor’s pricing to the bottom. As a consultant, strategist, coach, and trainer why would you want me to? Remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for?” That’s true in the training realm as well. No matter how much you think you know about the online sales program, there’s so much you don’t know. I know this because I talk to companies with…
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IBS 2023 – One of the Best Educational Opportunities All Year Long
If you’ve never been to the International Builder’s Show, or when you do go, you spend most of your time walking the floor, there is an educational component that just shouldn’t be missed. This year I’ll be presenting two different topics on Online Sales in 2 different educational platforms. The 2023 builder show kicks off in Las Vegas, NV January 31st – February 2nd. However, there are also pre-show educational opportunities and some of those…
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