New Home Sales Training: 40.5 Reasons to Follow Up

Do You Give Up Or Clean Up On Follow Up?

The undeniable truth is most new home or homesite sales occur as a result of multiple contacts.

Follow up is not an effort to negate the fact that many prospects will choose to own on their first visit. And certainly follow up is not an exercise to diminish the results of those salespeople and communities that achieve a high ratio of first-time buying decisions. It’s just important to understand that the nature of our business requires multiple calls, and most sales are completed on return visits to the community, usually after the prospect has already shopped and, by the process of exclusion, crossed all other competitive offerings off his or her list.

FOLLOW UP: Convert Your Contacts Into Contracts

Since research indicates the average sale requires five contacts before converting the prospect into a customer, the Superachiever who possesses the courage and technical ability to follow up and follow through to the fifth contact will make the lion’s share of the sales as well as the commissions.

So, if this is what it takes to make a sale, are you currently contacting and calling on your prospects an average of five times after they visit your sales center? And do you presently have a system, backed with a proven process, to maintain the contact until the prospect is converted into a customer?

Before continuing, let’s define follow up. According to Webster, follow up means (a) to pursue closely and tenaciously; (b) to increase the effectiveness by further action or repetition; (c) to pursue to a solution or conclusion.

But what do you say when you follow up with a prospect after the second time? You don’t want to be obvious: “Hello, Ms. Prospect. I know you won’t make a decision on home buying until I call you at least five times, so this is my third attempt to get you as a customer. Expect two more calls next month. If you haven’t made a decision by then, I’ll just keep trying.”

Here are some legitimate reasons to follow up with a prospect.

40.5 Reasons to Call or Write

1. You have some Answers to their Questions.
2. You have calculated How Much Home they can afford.
3. You have compiled a Personal Financing Chart for them showing fixed vs. adjustable rates.
4. You wanted to talk to them about the Tax Advantage of home ownership.
5. A Brand New Financing Program just became available that might interest them.
6. You want to make them aware of some scheduled Price Increases.
7. You can meet the Required Date of their move-in.
8. You regret that they were not able to spend much Time with you, so you wanted to give them another opportunity to get together or talk by phone about their housing needs and/or concerns.
9. There is a preview showing of a New Phase (model) in the community.
10. You have someone else interested in their One-of-a-Kind Home.
11. There’s been the recent Release of the Model Type they are looking for in your community.
12. You wanted to share with them the benefits of Owning Versus Renting.
13. You’ve compiled, just for them, a checklist showing the Extra Value your builder is offering.
14. There is New Information concerning schools, churches, shopping, neighborhood, amenities, etc.
15. You weren’t sure that they were aware of your builder’s professional Service & Warranty Procedures.
16. There is an Ad Running This Weekend featuring the very home they are considering.
17. Invite them to Walk at Their Leisure through your preferred homes (home sites).
18. You thought you’d take a moment to demonstrate your commitment to Quality Control.
19. Make them aware they can view your updated Web site and online floor plans.
20. You have Shopped the Competition for them and done a comparative analysis.
21. You have some Urgent Information concerning your one-of-a-kind offering.
22. The wide range of Color Selections has expanded.
23. You can highlight your Style and Design center.
24. Just that morning you Clocked the Drive Time from the community to their place of employment and thought they might find it of interest.
25. There are so upcoming Special Events – gourmet cooking class, new model opening, grand opening, spring cookout, etc.
26. Explain to them how they can save money with your Energy-Efficient Construction.
27. Apprise them of a recent confidential report of Rising Property Values.
28. You were talking with their Realtor and Thought of Them.
29. Say: “I know you’re looking around for a new home. Has anyone taken the time to enlighten you on how to judge Quality Construction?“
30. Ask: “Has anyone taken the time to enlighten you on how to judge a Quality Neighborhood?“
31. Ask: “Has anyone taken the time to enlighten you on how to research the Credibility of the Builder?“
32. Tell them you want to explain to them the essential, but often Obscure Knowledge, i.e.: exposure drainage, covenants, conditions and restrictions, homeowner’s associations, easements, setbacks, privacy, etc.
33. Invite them to play a round of Golf (kids can enjoy the other neighborhood amenities).
34. Tell them you’ve worked out some ideas for their furniture sizing and Decorating Requirements.
35. Your community is offering some Special Incentives for a limited time.
36. You’ve come up with a possible answer to their question: How Can We Sell Our Home?
37. Tell them a home like the one they wanted has come Back On The Market.
38. Your builder has just changed some Building Specs to enhance value.
39. You would like to do (or have done) a Value-Added worksheet for them.
40. You have organized an index of the home’s Brand Name Products with individual warranties.

40.5 You have some Bridge Loan Information, so they do not have to wait to sell their existing home before acquiring a brand new home.