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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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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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When it comes to building homes, every builder knows the phrase cost of doing business. But what’s less often discussed is the cost of not doing business the right way. Especially when it comes to your Online Sales Counselor (OSC) program. Profit Margins in Homebuilding According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the average net profit margin for builders was 7.0% in 2020 and rose to 8.7% in 2023, the highest in more than three decades. Public builders (like D.R. Horton, Pulte, Toll Brothers) often report consolidated net…
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Let’s talk about something that trips up a lot of OSCs, especially those just getting their feet under them: the difference between marketing messaging and your communication as an Online Sales Counselor. Yes, yes… I know you’re working for a home builder. And yes, marketing is super important. It drives interest. It tells the brand story. It pulls people in. But here’s the deal OSCs: you’re not marketing. You’re communicating. Once that lead hits your inbox, your job shifts from drawing attention to building connection. And there’s a big difference.…
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AI is everywhere right now. And in the OSC world, it can be a great tool – or a nightmare. AI can be like that super-organized friend who always has a to-do list, a backup plan, and a fully stocked snack drawer. It can help you stay on top of lead response, follow-up, and appointment setting without breaking a sweat. It’s fast. It’s tireless. It doesn’t panic when you come back to 42 new leads on a Monday morning. But use it wrong, and it turns into a misinformation machine,…
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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…
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In today’s competitive home building market, setting up an Online Sales Counselor (OSC) program that truly drives results is essential. However, time and time again, I see companies making key mistakes that limit their OSCs’ ability to build rapport with potential buyers and, ultimately, secure stronger appointments that will convert to sales. These errors often stem from unrealistic expectations around follow-up times and interaction quality, undermining what could be a highly effective lead engagement strategy. Here, we’ll look at two specific examples I’ve encountered recently, which highlight critical areas where…
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In today’s world, where we’re all bombarded with information from every direction, it’s more important than ever for Online Sales Counselors (OSCs) to be adaptable, quick, and personal when reaching out to prospective buyers. This means we need to get creative and offer diverse ways to connect that cater to the buyer’s preferences—whether that’s via phone, email, text, or video email. But here’s the trick: we need to let go of our own biases about how we prefer to communicate and instead, meet buyers where they feel most comfortable.…
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In the home building industry, marketing is more than just creating pretty brochures and planning events. It’s about developing a robust strategy to generate traffic to your website and convert visitors into viable leads. Effective marketing involves a blend of creativity, technology, and strategic thinking, all aimed at engaging potential buyers and guiding them through their journey. Here’s a closer look at the essential components of a successful marketing strategy for home builders. Beyond Brochures: The Heart of Modern Marketing Modern marketing for home builders goes far beyond traditional brochures…
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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 Noise As an OSC, the challenge often lies in standing out amidst the myriad of…
Guest Post: Ready, Set, Market!
Guest Post by Carol Morgan Founder & President Denim Marketing Want to reach the finish line and score? Then it is time to shape up your marketing strategy. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many home builders sacked their marketing budget, and it is time to kick it back into high gear before calling for a Hail Mary! With interest rates rising and the Federal Reserve pumping the brakes on the economy, the housing market is cooling…
Online Sales Counselor Training Isn’t About the Hours or Canned Packages
I get asked all the time by builders if I have an hourly rate or an hourly package they can purchase. I also have builders that ask me if I have a recorded set of lessons. The thing is I can’t track hours, and I can’t feel good about putting together pre-canned “education.” If someone wants something that is only 30 days or 3 months… I can’t in good faith do it. That’s just not…
No One is Dying: Ways to Manage Your Time as an OSC
With the onset of COVID and the current climate in the building industry, having time as an OSC is nonexistent. Homebuyers are forced to begin their search online whether they like it or not. Even prior to the pandemic, the internet has become the top source when searching for a new home. With the amount of volume that builders are seeing across the country, OSC’s are becoming more and more spread thin. Imagine you are…
A Love Affair with CRM: An OSC’s Real World Ups and Downs with 3 Different Programs
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we give you a brief love affair with Customer Relationship Management tools (CRMs) and how one OSC describes her relationship with them. We will remove names to protect the innocent and the guilty – both the OSC’s name, and the CRMs. But let’s just call this a cautionary tale. CRMs are the foundation of everything for successful online sales counselors. We know in life just as with any romance…
Follow Up – How Many Times Should You Contact a Lead
Follow Up. The other day in one of the professional groups I belong to on Facebook I saw someone lamenting the fact that prospects were not returning his emails. He asked, “How long do you follow up before you just feel like you are being a pain?” I was astounded by the answers given by these professional social media people. The answers ranged from “one and done” to “You’ve done your job to follow up…
Is Your Inbox Getting You Down?
Last week I was on a mission. I wanted to clear my personal inbox of all the useless crap, spam, and subscriptions I get on a daily basis. Do you have this problem where you can walk away from your email for a day or two and when you open it back up your eyes cross with the 272 emails you have in there waiting for you to moderate? I couldn’t look at anything anymore.…
Email Marketing Tips: Don’t Use Email Marketing Badly
I try to keep only relevant email coming into my work inbox. Work is too hectic to be deleting another LivingSocial or west elm blast out of my work email every 5 seconds. (Don’t get me wrong I drool over their deals and furniture all the time when I have a weak moment) My personal email can build up to 300 irrelevant emails over a long weekend and that in itself is a headache weeding…
When it Comes to Email Communications: Stop-Breathe-Think-Act
Okay everyone, deep breath. I’ve seen a lot of miss communications via email lately, not just in my business, but others seem to be having the same problems as well when we compare notes. This happens in a fast paced, stress filled environment both on personal and on professional levels. There’s a good reason for this. Black and white typed emails are only one third of the story. Communication is a fragile and tricky thing.…
Successful Email Marketing: Permisson Is The Key
Scraping emails off facebook, linkedin, or business cards for your newsletter is not cool. This is why email marketing gets a bad name. First off the key to correct and effective email marketing is to have a permission based list. Translation: a list of people who want to get your emails. Just because someone hands you a business card at a networking event or accepts your friendship on a social network does not mean that…
Slow Economy Shouldn’t Equal Slow Response Time
Just answer the phone. Just send an email! Do you ever get frustrated when you aren’t getting quick answers to your questions? Well think of how your customers feel when the same thing happens to them. Do you know why, as an online sales consultant, I have so many people thanking me for my quick response to their questions? It’s because I do just that… I RESPOND! It’s an interesting world we live in. Everything…