Builders: Grab Your CRM Tools for Spring Selling Season!

Might be Frightful Outside but..Spring Selling Season is Here!

We have to admit: the weather outside -- whether you're on the East or West Coast -- doesn't exactly encourage getting outside and going home shopping. Even if you're in Las Vegas -- it's snowing!

Take advantage of slower traffic today & get ready for Spring!

But, why not take advantage of the slower traffic and take stock in preparation for your Spring marketing efforts?  We have some ideas to start generating visits to your sales offices and engaging home shoppers once they arrive!

Start Reaching Out to Realtors & Other Neighborhood Sources, Now

There's a great, recent Frank Anton article in BuilderOnLine noting, "Remember that knowing the ground is a decisive factor not only in warfare but  in homebuilding as well."  

Do you know your local Realtor community? Why not get acquainted and start putting together a "Get Ready for Spring" open house and offer a "spa event" raffle for attendees? Or, a "Wine & Cheese" evening with a case of your favorite? Keep the buzz going: don't stop with one event! If you start now (in dreary February), you'll be ahead of 90% of your competition!

Here's where your CRM system can step in and help! Make sure your local Realtors are in their own section so you can easily email and measure your success in terms of visits, home shopper tours and sales.  Not sure how to do this? Let us know: CPS CRM is laser-focused on co-op agent features!

Start Thinking About Demographics, too!

Don't forget: many Realtors focus on specific demographics or groups -- relocations, ethnic or religious groups, 55+ buyers, etc.  Try reaching out to the demographic-centric agents, often.  They always have a group of interested buyers available to visit your community -- provide them with a reason to stop by -- again and again.  CRM will help here, too: establish Rating groups so you can sort through your database and focus on specifics.

Work to Create a Great Buying Experience

You want to be your customer's #1 choice: what can you do to make that happen? First, embrace the idea that home shoppers are visiting today because they're interested in buying one of your homes. In many cases, today!

Next, we'll suggest that it makes sense to start looking at your sales office as a customer does.  What will help you stand apart so the home shopper rates your community #1?

Think about: what are you doing to create a great buying experience? From the minute a prospect drives (or walks) up to your office, they're using all of their senses to evaluate the experience...from smell to sight to touch!  We'll talk about touch in the next Solutions Blog but.. make sure that your "curb appeal" is upfront, clean and appealing!

Followup!

Have you seen the stats? Only 50% of home shoppers hear back from the sales office they visited! Even a simple Thank You! gets you in the top 50%! Think about the value of  an automated & templated followup with a short, cell phone video with a quick tour -- you're in the top 10%!

Do you recall an earlier Solution Blog with Ryan Taft's CRM tips? Take these quieter times to start a top performer habit:

1. Do it!
2. Personalize the Heck Out of It!
3. Be Consistent!

It's President's Weekend -- Spring Selling Season is Around the Corner!

It's true: we're just about to wrap-up February -- and that means the Spring Selling Season is kicking off! This week offers a great time to take stock and develop plans to kick-off new Spring new home sales/marketing efforts.

How do you create a great Buying Experience?

We'd like to suggest several ideas to help generate visits to your sales office and better engage home shoppers when they're there:

(1) Start Reaching Out to Realtors, Now -- We've blogged about the value of co-op agents before (here's an earlier Solutions blog -- Builders, Co-Op Agents: Reaching the Asian Community.)

BuilderOnLine reports Spring is the busiest season for Realtors and suggests offering incentives to make sure they are up on the latest about your community.  How about putting together a Get Ready for Spring Open House -- maybe offering a "spa event" raffle for attendees?  Or, a Wine & Cheese evening with a several bottles of your favorite?

Keep the buzz going: don't stop with one event!  If you start now (in dreary February), you'll be ahead of 90% of your competition!

Don't forget Realtors often focus on specific demographics -- relocations, ethnic or religious groups, 55+ buyers, etc.  Try reaching out to the demographic-centric agents, often.  They always will have a group of interested buyers available to visit your community -- provide them with a reason to stop by.

(2) Work to Create a Great Buying Experience --- You want to be your customer's #1 choice; what can you do to make that happen? First, embrace the idea that home shoppers visit your office because they're interested in buying one of your homes.. in many cases, today!

Next, we'll suggest that it makes sense to start looking at your sales office as a customer does. What will help you stand apart so the home shopper rates your community #1?

Think about: what are you doing to create a great buying experience! From the minute a prospect drives (or walks) up to your office, they're using all of their senses to evaluate the experience...from smell to sight to touch!

Mollie Elkman, a Philadelphia-based marketing expert, reminds us that pictures offer "virtual curb appeal."  Why not build on standard imagery and Go Interactive to make your office stand apart and grab home shoppers' attention?

An interactive touch presentation actively engages prospects from the minute they step into your sales office and can continue the conversation with interactive floor plans, the ability to select and place furniture inside your homes and e-brochures.

CPS offers software to help you zero in on the co-op agent community (that's CPS CRM) as well as SalesTouch, our interactive touchscreen system for both the large and small (think tablets) screen. We're here to help -- even when it's snowing and raining!

Might be Frightful Out but..Spring Selling Season is Just Around the Corner!

We have to admit: the weather outside -- whether you're on the East or West Coast -- doesn't exactly encourage getting out and doing home shopping this weekend.

Take this Dreary Weekend to Kick-off Spring!

But, that same weekend could be a great one for taking stock and kicking-off your Spring new home sales/marketing efforts.  Here are several ideas to start generating visits to your sales office and engaging home shoppers once they're there:

(1) Start Reaching Out to Realtors, Now -- We've talked about the value of co-op agents before (take a look at an earlier Solutions blog entry --  Builders, Co-Op Agents: Reaching the Asian Community.)

BuilderOnLine reports  Spring is the busiest season for Realtors and suggests offering incentives to make sure they spread the word about your community.  How about putting together a "Get Ready for Spring" Open House -- offering a "spa event" raffle for attendees?  Or, a "Wine & Cheese" evening with a case of your favorite?  Keep the buzz going: don't stop with one event!  If you start now (in dreary February), you'll be ahead of 90% of your competition!

Don't forget Realtors often focus on specific demographics -- relocations, ethnic or religious groups, 55+ buyers, etc.  Try reaching out to the demographic-centric agents, often.  They always will have a group of interested buyers available to visit your community -- provide them with a reason to stop by.

Get Interactive with Virtual Curb Appeal!

(2) A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words --- Mollie Elkman, a Philadelphia-based marketing expert, reminds us that pictures offer "virtual curb appeal."  Why not take one step further and Go Interactive with a touch screen system?

You'll start engaging prospects from the minute they step into your sales office and can continue the conversation with interactive floor plans, the ability to select and place furniture inside your homes and e-brochures.

Take your home shoppers "behind the walls" and visually talk about your location, amenities, and features.  Show them you're "in their location" and highlight what is available in the location or the great amenities provided by the HOA.

CPS offers software to help you zero in on the co-op agent community (that's CPS CRM) as well as SalesTouch, our interactive touchscreen system for both the large and small (think tablets) screen. We're here to help -- even when it's snowing and raining!

Co-Op Agents Helping Home Builders Sell to Millenials

This year, it seems, is all about Millennials. In 2015, they surpassed Baby Boomers as the nation's largest living generation.

A recent John Burns Consulting report found that, by sheer numbers, the generation is huge and their impact on home design and home sales will be huge, as well.

68% of Millennials interviewed only 1 resale agent!

Those facts and studies make a recent Visual Capitalist article, Millennials are Buying Their First Homes and Here's What They Want, particularly eye-catching.

Particularly this statistic: 90% used a real estate agent or broker to buy a home.

And, 68% interviewed only 1 agent. 

44% self-identify as belonging to a minority race or ethnic group.

These numbers suggest that it is worthwhile getting your co-op agent game on!

We have several suggestions to develop and nurture your co-op agent pool:

• Make sure your CRM system enables you to identify and track co-agents and their prospects!
• Then, you'll be able to send targeted emails to these agents highlighting available homes, features and special events.
• You'll also be able to use your CRM system to manage special events, such as agent lunches and wine & cheese get togethers so you're able to manage the invitation list and know who attended.
• Why not schedule "drop in" events at a local broker's office and bring in a tablet with your community's interactive touchscreen presentation pre-loaded.  You can share your floor plans, options and local neighborhood amenities to remind them what is available at your community. How about a downloadable app available just for agents?
• Remember: your co-op agents need to be able to sell your location, features and amenities just like you do!  Make it easy for them to do so by providing the materials they need.

CPS has been providing agent-friendly CRM since 1985; contact us to find out how we can help you build and nurture this increasingly important traffic source!