Builders: Adding Some Apple to Sales/Leasing Office Marketing!

Have You Heard About the Value of Laptop Tilt?

Did you see one of our earlier blogs talking about How the Apple Store Seduces You with the Tilt of Its Laptops? You can read it here!

Engage your home shoppers with new channels!

Carmine Gallo had written an article for Forbes suggesting that Apple had the tilt designed to encourage customers to adjust the screen to their ideal viewing angle.

In other words, Apple was encouraging consumers to touch!

Apple's Actions as a Differentiator Are Worth Investigating

There's a recent Builder article by John Rampton highlighting Apple's marketing tactics and ways Apple has been able to differentiate itself to become the strong competitor it is through their marketing efforts.

Are there takeaways for sales/leasing offices? Let's take a look at several of the ideas presented:

• Create unique buying channels: Rampton suggests that companies can enhance their marketing efforts by finding new, unique channels that competitors aren't using. Consumers like to explore products, engage and find out information. Rampton suggests marketers should explore ways to make shopping more enjoyable and exciting.
• Think about the user experience: Here, too, Apple goes beyond competitors as they've created unique, exploration-based shopping experiences. Rampton suggests an enhanced user experience creates more loyal customers.

Engage Your Homeshoppers as Soon as They Enter Your Office

Interactive touchscreens engage consumers and provide the unique shopping experience Apple and Rampton suggest meet today's consumer's objectives. You're able to differentiate your business by not only adding technology but using it to enhance the buyer experience.  Interactive floorplans, drag 'n drop furniture, dynamic/real-time sitemaps -- they're all focused on creating a value-unique experience for your home shoppers.

Use technology to enhance the buyer experience

Your home shoppers not only gain the information they're searching for but recognize your brand as forward thinking and offering a unique home shopping experience.  That's the "hyper-focus" that Apple applies to their consumers!

Let's Talk About Adding Some Apple!

CPS' interactive touchscreen product, SalesTouch, is designed to engage home shoppers the minute they walk into the sales office with interesting, useful, emotional images and content. Whether exploring the neighborhood or trying out virtual options (where is the local elementary school? is there an optional den available?) they're finding solutions -- and creating an ownership experience!

Isn't building an ownership experience what home shopping is about? CPS is celebrating 35 years providing engaging, dynamic software solutions for the homebuilding industry. We'll be at IBS2020 in Las Vegas; you can visit us at Booth SU631 or ask us for a one-on-one demo here!

Home Builders: Delivering the Warranty Service Your Buyers Expect!

Home Buyers Want Convenient & Quick Warranty Service

Today, in the age of Amazon and 2-hour shipping, consumers have sky-high expectations regarding customer service.  And, that's regardless of industry says a recent Radial article.  Customer service is now a key differentiator at time of purchase as well as for after-sale referrals. 

Home Buyers Look For Personalized Customer Service

Home buyers aren't any different than other consumers when thinking about their post-closing warranty service.  Gone are the days of handwritten forms, snail mail and slow turnaround.

Your buyers want convenience and quick problem resolution -- in addition to an environment that is proactive with personalized service.

Self-Service Functionality Is Today's Customer Service Hit!

Self-service is reported as one of the hottest trends in customer care. Consumers love the idea of being able to quickly and easily meet their objectives -- from submitting a warranty request to checking status to being able to review the history of a service item.

Technology Enables Builders To Meet Buyer Expectations

Technology innovations and advancements enable builders to meet these home buyer expectations.  Take a  look at CPS' WarrantyWatcher software -- particularly the Portal -- as an example.  Watch the video here: https://vimeo.com/296088297.

Homeowners are able to access the Portal via the builder's website -- 24/7, anywhere/anytime, to submit requests.  No more waiting until Monday morning or someone is off the phone or ….! And, homeowners are able to check request status at any time -- no more calling for info, back and forth voicemail, or missed calls.

The same self-service Portal is available for subcontractors.  Although formal work orders can still be sent via email, it's always possible to log-in to the Portal, download work orders, check associated drawings/photos and confirm availability. 

Self-service channels consistently outperform other channels in terms of consumer satisfaction. Your homeowners love self-service because it reduces friction and provides immediate and consistent answers.

Put Omnichannel in Place!

A builder website-based Portal provides for a personalized, omnichannel experience. That is, the Portal can fit into your business operations seamlessly.  Make it available from your website main page, skin it with your logo and colors, personalize it with team member photos.  It's all about winning and sustaining loyalty!

When Service Exceeds Expectations, Referrals Jump!

Remember: the #1 reason for homeowner referrals is keeping buyers informed during construction and post-closing!

We're All in the Customer Service Business!

Not that long ago, many organizations didn't necessarily think they were in the customer service business. Doctors, for example.  They treated illness, set bones and the like. Home builders, possibly.  Their business: homebuilding.

Get Proactive! Offer 24/7 communication channels

Today, with the advent of social media and culture changes, interaction with customers needs to be top of every organization's mind. Whether its Twitter, Facebook or an organization's own web page, customers have plenty of opportunities to speak their mind about product, service, followup... just about everything!

And, satisfying expectations for "good service" has expanded, as well.  It used to be a "thank you" card was considered thoughtful and enough.

Today, a continued conversation needs to accompany a homebuyer from purchase to closing and throughout the warranty period. BuilderIQ notes that buyers "start to regret" the purchase when they don't hear from their builder during the post-sale process. That's a fairly radical thought!

One solution: get proactive! Setup processes and systems that enable your buyers (and homeowners) to engage with you in a consistent, straightforward manner. Timing is everything: when an item is top of mind, people want to be able to communicate!  And, communication doesn't have to mean conversation.

Take a look at CPS' FieldCollaborate and WarrantyWatcher Portals as examples of proactive and effective customer service. Are you a homebuyer that doesn't live in the immediate area but is interested in seeing the latest stage of construction images? How about a schedule summary or a list of selected options? It's all there -- available via desktop, phone, tablet!

Maybe you're a homeowner with a disturbing leak, leak, leak in the master bathroom shower. No need to wait until 8am, Monday to contact your builder's customer service department. Log-on Sunday night and submit your warranty request -- and then check status on Monday when the office opens.

And, remember: the primary driver of new home buyer referrals is a homebuyer satisfied with their builder's communication process!

Social Media Marketing & Homebuilders: Turn the Funnel Upside Down

Spencer Powell had a great article in TMRDirect highlighting why social media works for homebuilders; you can read it here.

Social Media Turns the Marketing Funnel Sideways!

Powell suggests social media is somewhat of a game-changer in the marketing world. Previously, the traditional marketing funnel described client acquisition, conversion and retention.

Today, Powell suggests there has been a pivot to focusing on retention.  Social media has created a process for consumers to interact with a company's media platforms and obtain as well as spread information through digital word of mouth.

It used to be that word of mouth engagement was a slow, individualized process -- and it utilized traditional media (newspapers, magazines, broadcasting) as well as actual conversation!

Today, builders are able to effectively start a conversation and disseminate information using visuals in social media.  Some of the more popular uses -- in addition to images of your homes (inside and out!) include:

• Post Community Updates  -- Your home shoppers want information so let them know about Grand Openings, community activities, Phase Openings.
• You might see a "Check Out My New Home" image in return!
• Highlight Neighborhood Events -- Sharing information about the local area gives a sense of the area -- which is key to purchase decisions.
• Should encourage local area businesses to get involved with your community!
• Give a "Behind the Scenes" Tour -- Here's another way to showcase your homes as well as the building process.
• Showcase a Field Manager providing a walkthrough!

Social Media Wall Starts the Conversation!

Take a look at CPS' Social Media Wall bringing social media platforms inside the sales and information center.  Your home shoppers have a single location to check out recent posts & Tweets as well as traditional marketing images and copy -- and add their own.  They're now part of your conversation!

Construction Data Portals: Immediate Collaboration

Are you familiar with the concept of a Portal -- sometimes referred to as a neutral platform in the cloud?

Portals provide users with the ability to view -- and sometimes update -- information developed by a variety of systems and managed by different organizations in a single location. Typically, they're accessible via the Internet.

What could a construction Portal do for you, your organization, vendors and/or buyers? An effective Portal provides data access, governed by credentials, to all appropriate stakeholders.

Construction Portals facilitate Collaboration

Let's take a look at a real-world example. Vendors can log into CPS' Field Collaborate Portal and view or print their construction schedules, punch items, and safety assessments.  In addition, they are able to view builder documents and drawings.

Home buyers, on the other hand, log into the Field Collaborate Portal and find their home's schedule as well as stage-of-construction photos.

If we considered just this set of participants, can you think of the reduced number of phone calls, faxes, emails and misunderstandings? Portals make the entire enterprise more productive!

Home builders use Portals to share information internally, as well.  What's more disruptive than having multiple sources for information?  A well-managed Portal provides the same information to everyone (governed by access credentials, of course) -- and it's all available anywhere, anytime via the cloud!

Builders: How Focused Are Your Sales/Marketing Efforts on the 91%?

Back in April 2015, the Blog highlighted the statistic that 91% of home purchase decisions were made by women.  We mentioned women are more "connected," they're interested in relevant information and appreciate relatable content.

Recently, TecHomeBuilder featured an article titled The WOW Factor of Women-Centric Building and highlighted several key factors women look for in the home buying process:

(1) Make an emotional connection -- images can really help with this item.  Take a look at the interactive touchscreen system designed for Newland's Tehaleh master plan community displayed below.  At a glance, you're able to put together a set of thoughts about the community, imagine the energy taking place on a daily basis and want to investigate further.

CPS' SalesTouch Helps Imagine Living Here!

(2) Engage your buyer with a story -- let your shopper get to know you and use language that speak to her such as "build a better life."

Didn't we talk about relatable content back in April?  Let your buyer know your community is the place for her!  You're going to need to do some discovery to determine not only the demographic of your audience but their drivers.  Sometimes, it's schools; other times, recreation, easy access to employment locations or health care facilities.  Take some time getting to know your buyer profile's back story in order to tell appropriate stories to your buyer!

Understanding the Back Story Helps You Tell Relatable Stories!

(3) Focus on a Quality Presentation -- here's where interactive presentations help you engage the shopper! Walk into an office (any office!) with what is called "passive signage" and then walk into another with interactive presentations -- whether in a kiosk, on the wall or presented via tablet.  You can feel the energy, will definitely get engaged and want to explore!

There's more to the WOW factor -- keep an eye on the Blog!

Builders: Are You on Track for Profit?

ProBuilder, in August 2015, had a great article entitled The 12 Processes for Sustainable Profit with the subtitle: How to establish sound business systems that ensure a healthy bottom line.

The processes range from land/lot selection to product design to sales & marketing processes.

ProBuilder suggests builders shouldn't focus on traditional questions or their answers.  For example, the article suggests virtually all sales training focuses on getting the deal.  That's great but..there needs to be a focus on determining the true total cost of the deal to determine it is a "good deal."

We're going to focus on Process #9: Building Schedules. The article says:

The best builders are the best schedulers -- and the best schedulers are the best builders. 

CPS FieldCollaborate; getting to a healthy bottom line!

What are you doing to be the best scheduler?

While it is true that it doesn't make sense to automate a bad process, we'll suggest that it doesn't make sense to schedule with a cell phone or pen & paper.  Take a look at CPS' FieldCollaborate -- an automated scheduling software application designed for homebuilders.  You're able to create your own standard templates and schedule from either a desired start or completion date. Your vendors  are assigned work dates and field managers track, record and monitor progress. 

Of course, there are all sorts of bells and whistles, too: a Vendor Portal to share schedules and drawings, Safety Assessments, Ratings, Punch Lists.

Key is the ability to create consistent schedules and measure results -- anywhere/anytime and accessible by all of your stakeholders (corporate staff, schedulers, field managers and your vendors).  

Yes; there are trade and material shortages, options/upgrades, all sorts of weather -- the list is endless. But, nothing beats an accurate and predictable schedule to enhance your operations and profits.

It's What You Say -- and How You Say It -- that Can Provide a Competitive Advantage

There's a recent article in the Wall Street Journal by Stefanos Chen (you can read it online here) noting sales agents in Los Angeles seeking a competitive edge might want to brush up on their Armenian language skills.

Trulia reviewed agent profiles across the US and found many salespeople speak languages in addition to English -- and that certain metro areas are now becoming "global markets" in terms of diversity in both agents, buyers and sellers.

Reach out using co-op agents and tradigital tools!

How is your marketing program addressing this increased diversity?  What tools can be added to provide you with a competive advantage?

In an earlier Solutions blog, we discussed the value of  building a co-op agent team to assist in opening new markets with a focus on demographics unique to your community.  Jim Park, at a recent REALTORS Conference & Expo, reminded his audience that the Asian community is frequently missed when surveying the ethnic market.  He comments, "The last category usually is 'other.' Well, the 'other' community has a lot of people in it."  Asian-Americans have higher incomes, on average, and they prefer buying new homes!

Reaching-out via co-op agents is one strategy; another idea is adding tradigital marketing tools and GO Interactive! CPS' interactive touchscreen system, SalesTouch, offers the ability to display a multilingual presentation.  Put a button on the presentation's "main layer" and offer, if you're in Chicago:  English, Polish and Greek -- or, if you're selling in Southern California:  English, Armenian and Korean. 

An interactive presentation also provides a great way to drill down into the surrounding neighborhood so your buyers know that your location meets their needs.  Highlight schools, restaurants, shopping areas that appeal to your diverse clientele.  Let them know they're Close to Everything that is important in their home search. 

Co-op agent teams, tradigital: great ways to speak your buyer's language and gain that competitive edge!

Get Your Audience Engaged; Do Something That Really Stands Out

We're readers: books, magazines, blogs, you name it!  What's new in technology, marketing, the user experience, computer and mobile hardware ... all the areas we touch on with CPS' software products and our interactive touchscreen product, SalesTouch. 

And, we like to highlight articles we think others would enjoy, as well.

Power of Touch: Engage Your Prospects; Stand Out!

A recent Multifamily Insiders blog by Brittany McBride titled Let's Give Them Something to Talk About: Getting Your Audience to Engage with Your Brand is worth checking out; you can read it here.  Tongue-in-cheek she asks if anyone would every say, "Nope, I don't want anyone talking about me or engaging with my brand, said no one ever!"  She talks about the value of "word of mouse" as an influential tool.

We'll suggest the "power of touch" is equally persuasive.  Studies go so far to say as people touch, they make decisions.

And, if you're utilizing an interactive touchscreen system as a marketing tool in your sales or leasing office, consumers are touching your product!  And making decisions: I like Plan 2 better than Plan 1, for example.  Interactive touchscreens get consumers engaged and making decisions..who wouldn't want that?

Jeff Shore, the sales training guru, suggests (in his May 15 blog entitled Why You?)  that every sales person needs to ask, "What will make my product stand out?" to a home shopper as they go from community to community, looking at seemingly endless possibilities.

Shore suggests your sales presentation is key. What is different? What will really stand out in your buyer's mind?  What can you do to make your buyer feel differently about your community than all the others they have visited?

Again, we'll suggest the power of touch!  Let them browse through floorplans that meet their criteria, check out what's going on in the neighborhood that meets their needs (walking trails for one; nearby medical facilities for another), move some furniture around to see how things will look ( we've illustrated the Move it/Move it feature offered by SalesTouch above).

Engage your consumer; stand out in the marketplace; it's all possible with touch!

Builders: How are you taking the Connected Customer into consideration?

A recent article by Brian Solis, Meet Generation C: The Connected Customer, makes a startling point: "the gap between how Gen Y communicates and connects and how businesses, educators, governments, et al. approach them is only widening."  You can read this very intriguing article here.

Connecting to today's "new" Customer: Different Strategies Needed

Solis goes on to say, "I often wonder whether or not we are simply trying to talk to ourselves in our approach to Millennials."

Should you examine this gap or worry about it?  Here are a few numbers that suggest anyone selling anything needs to care:

 --- Millennials trust strangers over friends and family; they lean on UGC for purchases (that's user-generated content)
--- They are 3X as likely to follow a brand over a family member in social networks
--- 66% will look up a store if they see a friend check-in.

But, Solis suggests, this techno-focus isn't just about age.  There is now a "class of consumer" that can be referred to as "the Connected Customer" and their behavior and habits mimic those associated with Millennials in that traditional marketing efforts aren't very influential in their decision-making process.

At a minimum, it appears the traditional marketing "funnels" are no longer appropriate; we need to consider multiple engagement strategies.  Do you have ways for prospects to "check-in" at your sales offices; do you have at least one "non-traditional and/or experiential" display as compared to the traditional wall images (think: touchscreen, iPad), are you building your brand using technology?

Did you know women rule the Connected Customer world?  As builders, it might make sense to review thoughts about women-centric design and marketing.  Check out our blog on March 2!

Homebuilders: Use CRM Effectively to Maximize Co-op Sales

Are you in a market that offers closing compensation to outside buyer agents (often referred to as co-op agents)?  Statistically speaking, a vast majority of new home communities utilize co-op agents although the practice tends to wax and wane depending on the state of the real estate market.

Homebuilder CRM: Co-op Agents are Critical in this Process

If you are part of the majority, no doubt you recognize both of you have the same objective: closing sales.  And, in some parts of the country, co-op agents represent somewhere between 70-90% of closed sales.  That's a fairly significant percentage!

What are you doing to maximize your co-op agent traffic and sales?  If you know co-op agents represent such a hefty percentage, doesn't it make sense to direct a significant effort to introducing them to your product, inviting them to new community openings and generally, keeping in close contact with this significant part of your business?

Many new homebuilders utilize CRM systems; not too many take full notice of the role co-op agents play in generating traffic and sales -- or manage co-op agents any differently than prospective homebuyers.  You may send emails and be reminded to make follow-up calls; do you have an effective way to specifically market to your co-op agents -- and keep track of the results of such marketing efforts? 

Do know know who your "top producer" co-op agent is?  Which office; which individual?  How many agents are invited to "Realtor Open Houses?" How many attend?  How many attending your events sell your homes?

We'd like to introduce you to CRM 2.0 -- CRM designed for homebuilders and focused on helping you maximize your co-op agent pool.  Take a look here -- and contact CPS for a full-featured demonstration of CRM software designed for you!

HomeBuilders: A Marketing Tool for New vs. Used Home Discussion

A recent Los Angeles Times article by Kenneth R. Harney (you can read it here) suggests home builders have modified their marketing process to confront the potential appeal of foreclosures to homebuyers. 

Harney mentions the expenses home shoppers are likely to encounter if they purchase a foreclosed home -- ranging from appliances to flooring to cabinets to plumbing and, of course, we've heard the horror stories about the "behind the walls" costs, as well.

Selling New Homes vs. Used: There's more to this story!

He goes on to highlight advantages offered by a new home: energy efficiency, ability to select options/upgrades and ease of financing with new home construction.

Harney suggests that home buyers seriously consider the potential risks but...he doesn't mention all the other marketing opportunities home builders have to present the new home in the most positive manner.

Marketing opportunities such as...schools, neighborhood features including shopping, dining, recreation, builder reputation, floorplan options (wouldn't you rather than bedroom 5 than a den, for example?).  All of the "feed good" elements that home builders can offer when they determine the home shopper's needs and objectives.

That's where an interactive touchscreen presentation really shines ...and makes the New vs. Used evaluation process even more persuasive.  Home builders can get assertive about the comparison without being negative.

Home builders are able to take advantage of these marketing opportunities because they control the sales environment...why not maximize the possibilities offered with an interactive touchscreen highlighting your best features?