So many changes have impacted us over the past couple of years, and, particularly, the last few months. Technology has paved a lot of the new pathways for new home sales professionals and their homebuyers. Recently, the COVID pandemic has forced even more challenges. Yes, things have changed. And that means you need to adapt your sales process.
“The way we’ve always done it” is an admission of inflexibility, which leads to failure. That’s an “F” word I don’t particularly like to use, because I believe that missteps are opportunities to learn. However, when you refuse to acknowledge a problem, you fail to solve it.
Fifteen years ago, I published a book, “Supercharged Sales: Breakthrough Ideas for BIg Numbers in New Home Sales”. I picked it up recently and reread the section “Letting Go: Your Old Way of Selling Will Not Last Forever”. Boy, those words were never truer than today!
Millennials in the market
In the years that have passed since I first wrote that content, we’ve seen a dramatic shift in the population of homebuyers and the channels they use for buying. Fifteen years ago, Millennials weren’t buying homes—at least, not many. They were busy going to school and challenging their parents.
In 2005, we had no smartphones yet, so none of this other “smart” technology was around to give us so many opportunities—and the overwhelming need to adapt to them.
Life as we knew it as we entered into 2020 is not the same, so why would your new home sales process remain unchanged?
This new generation of buyers is accustomed to getting what they want with a few taps on their smartphone. Buying a home falls within that same expectation. Communicate with them as they’re accustomed to, not the way you’ve always done it. Sure, they’ll read an email if they have to, but a text message is going to make a better impression. With every buyer, ask how they prefer to receive communication and cater to that preference.
A CRM is a power tool. Stop swinging a hammer.
You should rethink how you communicate with your prospective buyers. Personal messages are more powerful now than ever before. People want to feel your empathy and your confidence. They need to be treated as individuals. Even if you’re using a CRM, like Lasso, you can automate your communication and still infuse personalization.
In fact, if you’re not using a CRM—and I mean maximizing every feature—change that scenario, too. I’m amazed that more builders aren’t embracing the power of a CRM program. Everything you need to access can be stored here, from notes on leads to construction updates and estimates. It’s a total waste of your time to manually filter through leads and tackle them singly, without the benefit of the massive amounts of information at your fingertips. Invest in hands-on training for your team so there is no question they have the power to work smarter.
Get as virtual as you virtually can.
You’ve heard it ad nauseum, but are you responding to the call for virtual tours, virtual appointments, and virtually everything possible to reach your buyers from the appropriate social distance? Leverage the critical value of Matterport tours, on-demand access to your homes (e.g., NterNow), and FaceTiming or Zooming like a pro. We’re in a new age. Graduate from the old school way of selling new homes.
Here’s something from “Supercharged Sales” that offers up timeless advice:
“One absolute I have found is that the greatest salespeople of this age have the following qualities: upbeat, positive attitude; a commitment to deliver the best service possible; current product knowledge; proven sales techniques and strategies, and a desire to succeed that propels them toward their goals. There is one more thing: Super Achievers practice selling.”
Yes, some things change, but others remain constant. Keep growing, my friends!
