Articles

Sales, Marketing, and Management Expertise

The Square Foot Pricing Question Continues

“Every time you can add an attribute to the checklist, you can charge more money. Schools are extremely important, and a house of worship might make a difference, and then there’s whatever the cultural environment brings: ballet lessons, music teachers. You have to quantify all these things.” (more)

New Idea Home a Marketing Success

Jackson had talked with Robert August, also an HBA member, who suggested that Instead of simply showing one of his very nice spec homes, Jackson could make a bigger impact by building a home that presented all the trends consumers were reading about, wondering about, and probably hadn’t seen yet. ... (more)

Sales Management: The Precursor to More Sales!

Sales management is often taken for granted by home building manufacturers, vendors, lenders and even real estate brokerage companies. When the sales management process is well-developed and clearly articulated to sales people, more sales are consummated and closed. Prospects become sales and sales become closings! (more)

Senior Home Sales: Tips and Techniques

For many older buyers, you’re selling not just a house, but a whole new lifestyle. this is more difficult because most of them do not have to move. the biggest competitor is not another builder – it’s the existing home. ... (more)

The Builder/Broker Relationship:
An Overlooked Avenue to Greater Sales

Too often, we forget: relationships are the true foundation of the building industry. Builder and real estate broker relationships, in particular, can be extremely beneficial to both parties. Typically, builders do not engage brokers unless they have a problem selling homes. Builders should regularly introduce their sales teams, companies, and broker policies and procedures to the broker community ... (more)

Can Marketing Influence Buyer Preferences?

According to Berger, there is no reason why these widely-shared observations about the malleability of consumer choices could not be applicable to current preferences for neighborhood types.

Robert August concurred. He owns North Star Synergies, a real estate marketing and consulting firm based in Denver, Colorado, and is a former chair of the National Sales and Marketing Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). In a discussion with Remapping Debate, he said that marketing could “without question” help shift many buyers and renters to a preference for neighborhoods more urban and dense than the typical suburb. Focusing consumers on that type of option, he said, would be no different from other marketing that “revolves around education and teaching and stimulating consumers…When we do that effectively, what we are really doing is…making our ideas other peoples’ ideas.” (more)

Four Simple Steps to Increased Sales

We never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Now, think about the aforementioned statement - read it again and again! There is truth and importance to this philosophy.

Sales are created by you! Yes, the product has to fulfill a need for the buyer, but who has to create or provide the need - you do! Is there usually competition for you? The answer is yes; but you have an advantage over your competition if you are prepared to meet the challenges of selling on a personal basis. (more)

Baby Boomers and Beyond:
Trends for Senior Home Buyers

As home builders continue to prepare for seniors’ future housing needs, it is important for them to note that these home buyers have more discretionary income than any other generation in the history of the United States. They have the option to seek the best lifestyle opportunity and will only make a decision to move from their current home when their needs are not being fulfilled there. Therefore, you must be a better student of the housing marketplace to study housing products, financing, and lifestyle environments for your buyer’s next home. (more)

A Brief Guide to Closing Sales

Upon meeting the customer for the first time, you are beginning the closing process by
qualifying the customer’s needs. Once you -- as a salesperson -- can define what the
customer wants to buy, you can begin the formal closing process! Therefore, it is
necessary to uncover the real needs of the customer and begin qualifying him through the following points of interest ... (more)

Knowledge is the Key to Increase Builder Sales

So, you want to promote and sell more product! Well, the builder’s purchasing agent is anxious to learn about your product and/or service too. This point may be a surprising fact to you because you continue to wonder how you can introduce your product or service to the builder. You will have more confidence to get the appointment when you are properly prepared ... (more)

Buying a New or Existing Home: Which is Better?

As you think about purchasing a new or an existing home, please take the time to evaluate the best course of action for you and your family. There are benefits to both purchasing decisions. You can better determine which home is best for you after weighing the pros and cons of each opportunity ... (more)

Another Road to Revenue: Trade Show Participation

One outstanding marketing opportunity to create an awareness for you and your company -- and an opportunity for you to find qualified buyers for your goods, merchandise and services -- is the Trade Show sponsored by your trade association! The “traffic” certainly is qualified with the theme of the event -- your product! ... (more)