Our recent Sales and Marketing Power Hour was a dive into everything tech. Hosts Carol Morgan with Denim Marketing and Kimberly Mackey with New Homes Solutions Consulting were joined by industry experts Monica Wheaton, Vice President of Customer Success with ECI Software Solutions, and Beth Byrd, Director of Sales with Beacon Homes, to take a deep dive into technology with “It’s Time to Turn Up the Tech.”

To kick off the discussion, each industry professional shared their top three daily digital tools they can’t live without. These tools help them with writing, creativity, customer retention and project management:

• ChatGPT
• Grammarly
• Canva
• Lasso CRM
• ChatGPT
• CRM
• Trello
• Ninety.io
• Otter AI

How Technology Shapes Consumer Expectations
The conversation focused on how technology shapes consumer expectations, with buyers increasingly demanding innovative solutions from new home builders. Mackey commented on how builders are typically behind in responding to evolving consumer demands, especially regarding tech. At the same time, Byrd emphasized the importance of responding quickly to potential home buyers and how smart technology helps to meet buyer needs. She shared that Beacon Homes is integrating new tools like online chatbots and weekly video updates to enhance homebuyer communication.

Homebuyers want to use online tools to shop for their new home from the comfort of their current homes, and they want as much information as possible at that time. Some buyers even want the ability to price the entire home online, including all structural changes and design options.

Providing visuals allows potential buyers to paint a picture of their new home. If buyers can’t access videos, Matterport or other tools on your website, they will look for another home builder offering these visualizers.

The Technology Advantage

Morgan highlighted the role of technology in home design centers, enabling buyers to visualize design options. Mackey advises custom home builders to utilize floorplan templates to give buyers a visual starting point. Building on this, Wheaton suggests that home builders should simplify choices to prevent buyer confusion, advocating for a roadmap of ideas.

The discussion continued about the challenge of providing buyers with real-time updates on their home’s progress, with the group underscoring the need for tools that offer transparency in the construction process. For example, Byrd’s team now texts buyers weekly updates that include videos of their homes throughout the building process, keeping buyers apprised of the process and happy.

In today’s world, you know precisely where the package you ordered is and where your grocery delivery is. Yet showing buyers exactly where their home is in the construction process is a challenge.

Maximizing the use of available tools, especially CRM systems, is essential. Byrd uses Lasso email campaigns as an effective way to engage with customers on various topics such as home warranties, new communities and referrals. She stresses the importance of utilizing Lasso dashboards to their fullest potential, as many users often overlook these dashboard features or are unaware of their benefits.

Addressing Various Challenges

Implementing new tools involves a learning curve, and comprehensive training is necessary to onboard teams and ensure effective utilization. It is also time-consuming but important to update online tools and software regularly, as many relate to security. Home builders face one of the biggest challenges: getting all technologies to work seamlessly together to enable quick responses that address buyers’ immediate needs.

The ability of home builders to provide timely pricing to buyers, especially in the custom home market, is a long-standing issue.

“Think about going to the grocery store and buying milk without knowing the price. You don’t buy a package of milk, eggs or flour for $12 without knowing what each thing is valued at,” says Wheaton. She acknowledged that many builders prefer not to have pricing on their websites, which can be detrimental to identifying qualified buyers and garnering leads.

Everyone agreed that home developers should assess their systems and resources, utilize them to the fullest and check for redundancies. They should also regularly review each piece of software to ensure that it contributes to the company’s goals.

As always, we hope you get tips from this Sales & Marketing Power Hour webinar that you can implement today!

Continuing the Journey:

Sales & Marketing Power Hour continues on Wednesdays at noon in 2024! Mark your calendar to join industry experts and head coaches Kimberly Mackey, founder and sales and marketing management consultant of New Homes Solutions Consulting, and Carol Morgan, founder and president of Denim Marketing, for this free webinar series focused on your success.

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Save these dates!

• June 5, 2024
• August 7, 2024
• October 23, 2024
• December 4, 2024

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