Guest Blog Post
In New Home Sales, Where Does the Buyer’s Journey Begin?
When I started working as an online sales counselor, we though only 70% of people began their search for a new home online. Back then, in the ancient times of the early 2000’s it was almost as if your website was just a billboard on this new-fangled internet. (do you even know what a billboard is… I mean now they display the current jackpot amounts for Mega Millions and Powerball…) But before we honestly used…
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Why Your Online Sales Program Isn’t Working
As an online sales trainer I’ve shopped builders’ websites who indicate that they have an Online Sales Counselor (OSC) and I’m often surprised at the results. I provide information on what I’m interested in, an email and a phone number hoping to take a look at their follow up. You know what I get instead? Crickets. In the majority of these shops I do not get a call in 5 minutes or less, and I…
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So Many Great Sessions – So Little Time IBS 2020 Education
While I’m excited to be presenting a quick TED Talk Style Presentation on Mentoring and Sponsorship Growing the Next Generation of Leaders – at Professional Women in Building Headquarters on Wednesday the 22nd between 8:30 – 9:30am at the Las Vegas Convention Center, there are always so many amazing educational sessions to attend and it’s hard to get in and do and see everything you want! Even my local HBA in Denver is well represented…
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How Dog Rescue Keeps Me Sharp for Online Sales Training
I have worked in the world of online sales since 2007. After a year of working on a new home site as a site assistant, I began working in the office for a new home builder, as their Online Sales Counselor (OSC). It was a relatively new role at the time, and I invented it from the ground up, showing successful metrics out of the gate. For 7 years I worked as an OSC before…
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Building the Bridge Between Online Sales and Marketing
While your online sales counselor should not be the same person in charge of your marketing, there are many reasons why these two departments within a new home builder’s office should collaborate. It may seem fairly obvious that the marketing department’s job is to create awareness, drive traffic to the website, and generate leads. Just as important, the online sales counselor’s position is there to field these leads, build rapport, and set appointments that assist…
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What is Your New Home Sales Strategy for 2019?
As the real estate market cools, interest prices on the rise, and competition becomes more stiff there are several things that new home builders will need to do to stay on top of their game. One of the most important elements will be implementing or fine tuning their online sales programs. Having a dedicated Online Sales Counselor, who is there on the front lines, answering phones and emails quickly is the key to beginning successful…
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20 Blind Men, An Elephant, and Your 360 Degree Evaluation
Have you heard that old parable about putting 20 blind people in a room with an elephant? Each person has a different experience with the elephant. The first leans against it feeling a sturdy wall. The second feels the tip of a tusk and believes it to be a spear. The next feels the trunk and thinks he has a snake in his hands. Yet another feels the substantial leg and mistakes it for a…
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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…
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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.…
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Balancing Business and Quality of Life: 7 Lessons
This time last year leading up to the holidays I had a client that ran me ragged. Several times I felt like dropping this client, but I didn’t. Now a year later, looking at an unpaid invoice that languishes in my quickbooks I know that the client was actually a lesson in disguise. Seven lessons in fact Lesson #1: Go with Your Gut – Don’t ignore those red flags. They almost never prove themselves to…
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