What To Do to Get More Customers?

Traditionally, many people would answer this question by saying: have a good product, put together a great marketing program, cold call leads...you get the idea!  All over the place, in other words.

Leo Widrich, in a recent BufferApp blog available here, suggests we need to spend time understanding how our customers think -- and increased sales will result.

SalesTouch: Light Up Their Brain..and Go Green, too!

He talks about 10 things you can apply today to get more customers; we've narrowed his list down to 3:

(1) Use Urgency the Smart Way -- creating a sense of urgency or scarcity is known to drive up sales (think: iPad, Elmo, Wii). 

What Howard Leventhal suggests is critical: people tend to block out urgent messages if they aren't given information on how to followup!

Builders: put CRM to use (and ask us how CPS' CRM 2.0 will help you with consistent followup!).

(2) Make Their Brains Light Up 'Instantly" -- It's your brain's frontal cortex that is highly active when we think about waiting for something.

Appeal to pain points -- fast!  Think about using an interactive touchscreen system and "hot spot" local areas and amenities that solve buyer problems.  How close are the schools?  Is there great dining close-by? Highlight your floorplan with a lower level master!

(3) Stand for Something -- "Green" is critical to today's Millennial consumer (and important to Boomers, too!); many builders are incorporating green features in their homebuilding process.

Go Green: use an interactive touchscreen to illustrate your "behind the walls" process.  Take advantage of "print on demand" brochure features -- or provide an "easy to email" brochure as you embrace "green" in your marketing efforts.

Find out more about CRM 2.0 and SalesTouch (CPS' interactive touchscreen system) here: www.cpsusa.com.

Builders, Co-op Agents: Reaching the Asian Community

We've all been reading about our ever-increasing diverse electorate; but, have you considered there's an ever-increasing diverse homebuyer demographic, as well?

Were you able to attend the 2012 REALTORS Conference & Expo? 

Jim Park, President of the Asian Real Estate Association of America, noted that, when hearing people talk about diversity, the Asian community is frequently missed.  He comments, "The last category usually is 'other.' Well, the 'other' community has a lot of people in it."

Reach out to your co-op agent team

17.3 million people in the US are of East and South Asian descent, according to the 2010 US Census.

And, according to Park, Asian-Americans are a great target market for home sales.  Household income is higher than other households and...they prefer buying new homes! Park notes, "Asian-Americans are more likely to live in non-Asian communities."

As a homebuilder, how does your marketing respond to this information? We'd like to suggest a couple of ways: use CRM to help manage your prospects and, more importantly, utilize your co-op agent team to reach out to this community.

Co-op agents often specialize in specific markets -- ranging from relocations to 55+ to Asian-Americans.  They consistently work with their target market and become known as a reliable agent. 

CPS' CRM 2.0 will help you categorize your co-op agents, filter their market interests and manage your activities such as agent caravans, luncheons and other "reaching out" activities. You'll find out which agents bring your prospects (and buyers!), which are your best agents and who attend your events.   

As Park says, "The demographic shift is impacting the market right now. It's the reality we all face. You can say it's a challenge, but really it's a great opportunity."

Interested in finding out how CRM 2.0 will help your co-op agent marketing?  Find out more on CPS' website, www.cpsusa.com.

Veterans Day 2012: Join the Parade of Thanks!

Everyone loves a parade and what better reason to celebrate than thanking our military veterans for their service?

Sit back and enjoy these Veterans Day 2012 Parade photos from one small town here in the Sacramento region: join the youth organizations, adult service clubs, school bands, and residents as they honor veterans for their service.

Cub Scouts Remind Us

The Sikh Community

Girl Scouts Say Thanks!

 

And, all of us here at CPS remember and thank family members for their service:

Bob's father, Robert Musa Sr, US Marine Corps (retired)
Chris' father, Michael Lott, US Navy (retired)
Michelle's husband, Jerry Stone, US Navy
Sean's father, Chris Miyazaki, US Air Force (retired)
Troy's brother, John, serving today in the US Army
Zoe's father, Charles Miller, US Army and brother, Wilson Miller, US Army

Bob Strickland, one of CPS' founders, US Air Force.

Use Interactive to Address Top 10 Reasons for New Home Purchase!

Jay McKenzie recently wrote an article in New Home Source discussing why so many home buyers prefer new homes as compared to resale home purchases.  Even with the recent pick-up in new home sales, many areas of the country still have a backlog of resale homes available and sales agents need to be able to effectively manage the new home sales process vs. a resale (or even foreclosure/short sales) purchase.  You can read McKenzie's blog post here.

What do you think is the top reason for a new home decision?

SalesTouch: Facilitates Your Home Your Way Design!

 Hint: it isn't location!

McKenzie suggests Reason #1: Design your Dream Home Your Way. Buyers are encouraged to think of their new home as reflecting their taste, not someone else's ideas, as models explore the latest trends and Design Centers offer a multitude of cabinet, countertop, appliance and flooring choices. 

Reason #2 isn't too far removed from #1, says McKenzie: Choose a Floorplan and Room Layout that Meets Your Needs.  Interested in a 4-bedroom with lower level master?  That's available in this new home floorplan! High ceilings but..concerned about energy costs? 

We've found use of a well-designed interactive touchscreen will help guide home shoppers through a community and effectively address Reason #1 and Reason #2.  CPS' SalesTouch allows consumers to view current floorplans and mix/match available structural options.  Help your buyer design their home -- complete with den in lieu of bedroom 3, optional bonus room and kitchen island complete with veggie sink and wine refrigerator! They're able to drag/drop selections, print a brochure featuring "their" floorplan -- even email a copy to the mother-in-law!

SalesTouch: Buyers & Agents Highlight Favorites!

And, builders utilize SalesTouch to effectively brand their company and products.  Offering energy-efficient homes?  Add a "builder story" video, energy calculator (even compare your floorplan to similarly sized resale home) or take buyers "behind the scenes" with "stage of construction" construction tours.

Help your buyer understand why your home meets their Top 10 needs!

Interactive Touchscreen Systems: Encouraging Discovery

If you're a regular Solutions reader, you've seen our blogs regarding the value of interactivity.

We've talked about engagement, narrowcasting, the value of touch in decision-making and how using technology in your sales offices/information centers keeps your brand in synch with today's consumers. Whether Gen X, Y or Boomer, today's homebuyer is connected.

Recently, a CPS SalesTouch client posted a YouTube video highlighting their new Grand Palm Discovery Center located in Venice, Florida.

Go Interactive: take discover to an entirely new level!

Their SalesTouch presentation actively encourages the home shopper to explore and discover Grand Palm. The presentation, so colorful and full of life, provides actionable touch points: it encourages homeshoppers to visit the surrounding neighborhood, learn about Grand Palm's amenities, find a floorplan that meets their needs and customize it with desired options, as well as select and place furniture in the selected floorplan.

Take a minute and compare this experience to a buyer walking into a sales office with passive signage and a static brochure.

Everything about the Grand Palm's interactive system involves an action verb -- designed to actively engage the home shopper from the minute they walk into the Discovery Center.

And, when you think about it, shouldn't the homeshopping experience encourage discovery? Your buyers are looking for something new; interactivity actively encourages the process, helps answer questions and encourages the homeshopper to imagine living in this community!

Doesn't this type of marketing tool build your brand, as well?  Your brand is part of the connected world; it recognizes how critical the exploration part of home shopping is to the consumer.  And, take a look back at the Grand Palm presentation, above: wouldn't you want to start touching to discover  what this is all about?

Interested in finding out more about CPS' interactive touchscreen system, SalesTouch? We're available at www.cpsusa.com.

Multifamily Preleasing: Interactive is a Great Tool!

Today's renter economy is strong enough -- in many areas-- that preleasing is gaining popularity as part of a multifamily property's revenue management strategy. 

In evaluating a prelease strategy, we'd like to suggest several ideas to consider after you've determined property specifics, audience, features, amenities and the like. We think they'll make your marketing process more effective as you reach out to your audience and enable them to better see your property's value (and values!).

(1) Use Interactive In Your Messaging -- Start Branding: Of course, you've considered your audience but..we're suggesting a bit more as you evaluate marketing messages to the audience.  Are you thinking, Gen X, Gen Y, Boomers ... does it really matter? 

Recent studies suggest that all 3 demographics have much in common (the "Connected Consumer" isn't limited to only Gen Y, for example).  And, your "most connected" consumers are women..regardless of age group.

 

While Gen Y has grown up in the digital age and are recognized as comfortable with technology, there are unique opportunities with interactive systems (large touchscreens and tablets) to connect with all audiences.

Today's consumer wants immediate information. Interactive touchscreens respond to their particular interest. 

Does your visitor want to see if their furniture fits into the your 2 bedroom unit  (which they can't visit)? CPS' interactive SalesTouch Move it/Move it feature allows consumers to select from a "sized" furniture palette and move furniture into the unit.

What about your building's amenities? The pool; the clubhouse; the fitness center -- all still to be built What will they look like?

Neighborhood? Will there be a local coffee shop? How about restaurants in the area?

Key to providing information is making it actionable: provide a way for your visitors to imagine visiting the coffee shop (how about an exterior image) or visiting a new restaurant (highlighting the "best" menu item) or riding the bike trail (how about the sunset along the river?). 

Pre-leasing works best when your audience -- boomers, Gen X, millennials -- can imagine living in your building, the selected unit and the neighborhood.  Interactive touch systems let your visitors start telling stories about how the property will meet their objectives! And, you're building your brand in the process.

(2) Energize Your "Green" Messaging: Study after study suggests Gen Y will spend if a product is shown to be cost effective and eco-friendly.  The latest consumer neuroscience studies suggest boomers appreciate marketing messages illustrating what value will be gained.  Highlighting green's cost-effectiveness is a powerful marketing message for all audiences.

And, while there are lots of "big ticket" green products, your message can highlight that it's the little things that count, too.

Do you have a "green" strategy?  Use your touchscreens and tablets to leverage that message.  Start your eco-friendly messaging at the pre-lease process --  highlighting unit features such as low-flow faucet/toilets, energy efficient appliances and low-e windows.

Build on it with the little things that are part of your pre-leasing process: CPS' SalesTouch offers e-brochures and prints brochures "on demand" and only the desired floorplans.

Add-on with features that come as a result of move-in: e-leases/renewals, streamlined recycling programs..maybe even a community garden.

Keep all of this information in front of your prospects as they're touching to discover your property's amenities and your brand.  Touch is powerful; neuroscience tells us touching a monitor generates completely different brain processes than using a mouse.  If you'd like information regarding CPS' interactive touchscreen system, SalesTouch, plrease visit our website, www.cpsusa.com.

55+: Ideas to Fine-Tune Your Marketing Messages

Many marketing studies (and our own Solutions blog!) spend quite a bit of time talking about the Gen X and Gen Y audience.

As they should: these demographic groups constitute a significant buying segment in today's economy -- whether you're selling big ticket items such as homes and cars or day-to-day products including cable, groceries and cell phone plans.

Interactive touchscreens, CRM: nuanced messaging!

Nevertheless, the Baby Boomer generation is still a noteworthy demographic in terms of purchasing power; fresh insights, based upon Nielsen NeuroFocus consumer neuroscience research, suggest revisiting preconceptions and marketing approaches for this demographic.

In essence, mature minds respond differently to messages, input and information.  Differently doesn't mean less or slower or diminished.

No one wants to be considered "old" or be treated as such -- particularly this generation.  60 is the new 50, right?  Stereotyping doesn't work.

But, did you know that mature brains respond better to positive advertising messages and actually have broader attention spans than Gen X and Y? This enhanced attention span suggests more nuanced messaging is not only appreciated but critical. 

Nuanced shouldn't suggest busy or overly-detailed, however; this generation doesn't like clutter or rapidly changing graphics/information. Progressive Grocer's Boomer Brain Marketing Assumptions: Think Again article suggests, "While the messaging can be complex, the delivery and format should be simple."

Implications for your marketing efforts? Imagine you're 55+ (and take the above comments into consideration): when viewing the Colonial Heritage interactive touchscreen "welcome" image, what message do you take away?  Engaging, peaceful, serene, inviting?  Wouldn't you like to explore more?

Interactive touchscreen sales tools respond very well for this generation: the delivery and format can be specifically designed and consumers are able to progress through your marketing information at their own speed.

Consider your CRM activities, too.  Make your product "top of mind" with easy-to-recall messages -- and utilize an automated CRM system providing repeated follow-up with your prospects.  Keep the messaging positive and highlight what your consumer will gain with the purchase.

Boomers might be a consumer segment frequently overlooked; nevertheless, they continue to exert a major marketplace influence in terms of purchasing power.  Enhance your impact with nuanced messaging!

Interested in exploring how to enhance your marketing program to better respond to not only Boomers but Gen X and Y? We'd love to talk to you regarding SalesTouch and CRM 2.0 software products!