Category: Home Builders

Home Builder Email Marketing Templates To Close More Deals

Posted on June 2, 2022 by - Home Builders, Templates

Email marketing for home builders concept

Like it or not, email isn’t going anywhere any time soon. It remains a great marketing tool and an important channel for cost-effective communication, especially in the home-building industry. You, too, can drive lead conversion and increase efficiency in your business by making the most of email. And we have a blueprint right here.

Home builders and construction companies generally have a lot to gain from using email to connect with new clients and close deals. Consider that home and building services enjoy an email open rate of 34.15%, which is much higher than the 29.87% average across industries – according to recent statistics.

With an engaged and receptive email audience, it’s only a matter of hitting the right notes in your messaging. That means following a strategy with content tailored for each stage in the sales journey, from lead-nurturing to post-sale follow-up.

We can help you do that. Below are seven time-saving email templates, covering key points in the sales process, that will help you get the benefit of email automations for home builders.

Email Templates for Home Builders

New lead first contact

Break the ice with newly acquired leads, people who have already expressed an interest in your business by opting in and providing their details.

Hi [prospect name], Are you looking for a home builder? Because that’s us! I’m a salesman with [name of your construction company] and we build amazing homes around [geographic area].
We’re proud of all our work, but here are some of our recent projects. Take a look to get an idea of what we can offer you: [link to gallery]
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards, [your name] [your contact number]
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Follow-up meeting

After meeting with a prospect, this follow-up message could help convert them.

Hello [prospect name], It was great to meet you and I feel it was a very productive meeting. Building a home doesn’t have to be a stressful process – we’ll take care of everything including engineering, procurement, and construction. Would you like to know more about our services? I’m happy to answer any questions, so feel free to drop me a line. Thanks,
[your name]
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Lead going cold

If a lead hasn’t responded after a few weeks, you can reach out to them in a helpful way. They may wish to know more about other areas.

Hi [prospect name], I hope you’re well. I was just wondering if you’ve had any luck finding a home builder in [your geographic area]. If there’s anything you’d like to know about the high-quality materials and modern designs we can offer, or how we can accommodate your plans, please let me know. It pays to do your homework before you make an important decision about your future home. We can help, so stay in touch. Kind regards,
[your name]
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New customer early stage

A new customer is sure to be excited about deciding to commit to a home builder, and some reassurance that they’ve made the right choice will help to earn their faith.

Hi [client name], Committing to your new home is an exciting moment, and the start of a new project is also an exciting time for us. Rest assured, you’re in good hands. We look forward to working closely with you to make your vision a reality. In our range of available high-quality materials and designs, you’ll find a great deal of choice and flexibility. You can also count on our expertise and professionalism. We build homes that feel like home, and you’ll be moving into yours in no time at all. If you have any questions or concerns along the way, I’ll be happy to assist, so don’t hesitate to contact me. Chat soon, [your name]
[your contact number]
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Project completion

Once a project has concluded, thank the customer and wish them well in their new home, but also remind them to keep your business in mind for future recommendations.

Hi [client name], It’s been an amazing journey together, and we’re thrilled to see the completion of your new home. We hope that you and your family will be very happy there. If down the line you hear of someone looking to build a home in [your area], please remember us. Until next time, [your name]
[your contact number]
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Request a testimonial

Some weeks after a customer has settled into their new home, check in with them and request a testimonial with a link to your preferred platform. Reviews are a powerful way to demonstrate credibility to other would-be customers.

Hi [client name], I’m just checking in to see how you’re liking your new home – I hope it’s everything you dreamed it would be, and that you’re settling in comfortably. If it’s no trouble, please would you write us a testimonial on [platform] – it would mean a great deal. Thank you! [your name]
[contact number]
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One year follow-up

A year after a construction project’s completion, get in touch with a client to see if they’re still happy and mention the possibility of alterations, extensions or remodeling in the future.

Hi [client name], It’s been a while, I hope you’re well. And I hope that you’re still comfortable and happy in the home you built with us. But things do change, and it’s good to change with them, so if at some point you’re thinking about extending or altering anything, or perhaps if you’d like to do some remodeling, I’d love to sit down and discuss it with you. Feel free to get in touch any time. [your name]
[contact number]
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With the above email templates, your home builder marketing will be equipped to streamline a large portion of your lead nurturing and conversion communication and see clients through to the end of a project and beyond. Email is too effective to ignore, and you’ll soon see the benefits of making proper use of it. We can help you do that in numerous ways, from guidance to strategy and execution, so get in touch with CODESM.

Text Messaging for Home Builders

Posted on May 19, 2022 by - Home Builders

Home builder messaging concept

20 SMS Message Examples for all Stages in the Home Building Industry

These days it’s crucial to go above and beyond your clients’ expectations in the home building industry. The best way to do that is to ensure clear and effective lead management with your client from the very first point of contact through to project completion and beyond. We can help you do that, with automated SMS messaging for home builders and a winning set of templates.

Why use text?

Good, effective communication is the key to preserving client relationships in the home building industry, and chances are your customers would prefer to be reached via text. A study by GSMA found that 67% of those surveyed preferred SMS or instant messaging to communicate with a business about appointments and scheduling, as opposed to email or phone calls.

Mobile Monkey puts the open rate for SMS messages as high as 98% as opposed to email’s meagre 20%. What’s more, millennials – a key target demographic for home builders – tend to open and read text messages very quickly, an average of 90 seconds, to be exact. That means your messages are more likely to be read and responded to in a timely manner.

Here are some effective message templates that home builders can use for smooth messaging from prospect to post-project review.

Home building SMS templates

Engage with potential clients

Make contact with new prospects to entice them to choose your business for their dream home.

Hi [prospect’s first name]. This is [your first name] from [your company name]. We spoke in the past weeks about your dream home. Please keep us in mind for your building plans.
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Hey [prospect’s first name], there’s a lot to consider when choosing a company to build your dream home. Let’s chat about how we can make it happen. Please give me, [your first name], a call or reply to this number.
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Arrange meetings with prospects and new clients

Once a client is keen to meet to discuss plans, use text messages to arrange the meeting.

Hi [prospect’s first name], this is [your first name] from [your company name]. I’d love to sit down with you to discuss the building plans for your new home. When would be a suitable day and time for you?
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Hi [prospect’s first name], this is [your first name] from [your company name]. Are you available on [date] at [time] to talk about the plans for your new home? Then we can start making this happen!
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Arrange meeting with existing clients

Hi [client’s name], it’s [your first name] from [your company name]. I need to sit down with you to discuss the project. Please propose a suitable day and time.
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Hi [client’s name], it’s [your first name] from [your company name]. I’d like to meet with you in person to discuss your home build. Are you available on [date] at [time]? Thanks.
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Meeting reschedule

Meetings invariably need to be moved, postponed or cancelled so be sure to communicate effectively around such issues.

Hi [client’s first name] it’s [your first name] from [your company name]. I’m very sorry but due to unforeseen circumstances, I have to reschedule our meeting. Would [date] at [time] suit you?
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Follow up with new clients

Once a construction project has been initiated, make contact to establish a line of communication via text (if you haven’t done so already).

Hello [client’s first name]. It’s [your first name] from [your company name]. I wanted to let you know that you’re free to text me with any questions you have about the new home construction process. Always here to help!
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Hi [client’s first name], it’s [your first name] from [your company name]. You can reach me on this number throughout the project and I’m always happy to assist. Have a great day.
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Let clients know you’re available after an earlier introduction has been made.

Hi [client’s first name] it’s [your first name] here. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the home construction process. I’m always happy to help. You can call or text me on this number. Have a great day!
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Hi [client’s first name], I just wanted to let you know that I’m available to answer any questions you may have at any stage of the project so feel free to reach out on this number.
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Check-in on current clients

Remind existing customers that you’re easy to reach should they have any queries or concerns.

Hey [client’s first name]! This is [your first name] from [your company name]. I’m just checking up to see if you need any assistance on your new home construction process. Keep me posted!
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Hey [client’s first name], I’m just checking in to see if you’re happy with everything so far and if there’s any way I can be of assistance. Please let me know.
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After a meeting

Send a message after a meeting to thank a client for their time.

Hi [client’s first name], I really appreciate you taking the time to chat with me today. Take care.
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Hi [client’s first name], thank you for a productive meeting, I really appreciate you taking the time to chat with us. Until next time.
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Connect with current clients on an urgent decision

Sometimes a matter can’t wait and a text message can let them know you’re trying to reach them.

Hi [client’s first name], something urgent has come up and I need to speak to you right away. Please contact me as soon as you can.
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Hi [client’s first name], please call me as soon as you can. There’s an urgent matter I’d like to discuss. Thanks.
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Request a review

Once a project has been completed, see if clients are satisfied and if they’d be willing to write a review on your preferred platform.

Hi [client’s first name], we are so glad to have been able to build your family’s new home. I hope you have many happy years there. We’d really appreciate it if you wrote us a short review on [platform] – thank you!
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Hi [client’s first name], I just wanted to say that it was great making your dream home a reality. Thank you for choosing to work with [your company’s name]. Please write us a review on [platform name] – thank you!
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Boost your network

Contact old clients and others on your database to scout for new opportunities.

Hi [prospect first name], this is [your first name] from [your company name] – remember us? If you know of anyone looking to build their name, please keep us in mind. Thanks.
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User guidelines

Competition among home builders is high, so a good reputation is invaluable. Automated messages can help you deliver the standard of communication that today’s customers expect.

GoCRM can help you make the most of automation with templates like these and plenty more. Our CRM solution for home builders with VOIP SMS capabilities and templates could prove to be the game-changer for your business needs.

So, get started by requesting a trial today!

Get Started with SMS Marketing for Home Builders

Posted on March 22, 2021 by - Home Builders

SMS marketing automation cover - concept people

People almost always have their phones on them, but calling them isn’t necessarily the most effective marketing approach.

Cold calls tend to be ignored (or blocked), and trying to talk to someone during a busy day can be a good way to earn their annoyance rather than their business.

There is a better way for home builders to market their services, nurture their leads, and build connections over the phone: SMS marketing.

The Power of SMS Marketing

Average Open Rates comparison of Email vs SMS

Text messages are powerful tools for engagement: over 90 percent of all text messages are opened and read within 20 minutes.

Open rate isn’t the only indicator of SMS marketing’s effectiveness. Consider these other SMS marketing facts:

  • 99% of 18-49 year olds are capable of receiving text messages
  • 18-34 year olds prefer texts from businesses
  • Text messages are read 138% more often than emails
  • SMS marketing yields 8X the number of responses as does email
  • 47 percent of consumers who engaged with a business through text made a purchase

Fast, simple, and effective, SMS marketing can boost your home builder marketing ROI and save you time over crafting more complex email and paid marketing campaigns, all while helping you connect with target audiences in a way that appeals to them.

Uses of SMS Marketing for Home Builders

SMS marketing can benefit many industries, but home builders in particular can effectively integrate CRM with SMS marketing into many of their communications. Consider using text messages to accomplish any of these marketing, sales, and customer service tasks:

  • Engage leads with links to videos, blog posts, articles, layout options, and other resources
  • Set up client meetings or design consultations
  • Send Open House invites
  • Send reminders about appointments, task deadlines, or Open House events
  • Check in with clients throughout the design and building process
  • Follow up with clients after home completion
  • Request feedback (e.g. Add to references list or request review)
  • Earn leads (e.g. Announcing new subdivision or special offers)
  • Follow up after online form submissions
  • Communicate with realtors and brokers regarding newly built homes for sale

Business texting allows you to create a quick and easy line of communication that leads, clients, and your sales and marketing teams will all enjoy and use throughout the entire process of capturing, engaging, nurturing and converting leads.

Getting Started with SMS Automation for Home Builders

How to get started with SMS Marketing automation

Texting is faster and easier than sending emails or making phone calls, but sending timely text messages to dozens or hundreds of leads and clients may still be beyond the resources of your sales and marketing teams.

That is why SMS marketing automation works best when integrated with a robust CRM for home builders. The right platform, such as GoCRM, can automate many of the SMS marketing tasks you have, streamlining the process while maintaining the personal connection your leads, clients, and team members need.

Here is a look at how you can use SMS marketing with GoCRM to capture, nurture, engage, and convert your leads.

Make SMS part of your automated workflows.

GoCRM allows you to automate many sales and marketing tasks, from engaging cold leads to nurturing or qualifying leads to onboarding new customers and following up with them when their homes are completed.

To set up these home builder workflows, you create a series of emails, phone calls, and text messages, arranged according to your company’s best practices and your target audience. You create the emails and text messages once, and activate the workflow, and GoCRM implements the workflow based upon your parameters.

SMS marketing can be an important part of these workflows. If you create a workflow to engage leads who submitted an online form, for example, you could use text messages to achieve the following:

  • Confirm their form submission
  • Provide a link to homes similar to the one they are interested in building
  • Alert the lead to your newest offer or subdivision

Within GoCRM, SMS messages come from the assigned team member’s personal phone number. As a result, recipients can connect directly to a real person and seamlessly transition to a personal conversation. Simple, personal connections created through automated processes make SMS marketing a win-win strategy for home builders.

Use texting alongside emails and phone calls.

SMS marketing works best when it is paired with other marketing strategies. In particular, text messages combined with emails and phone calls create a powerful way for home builders to connect with leads and clients.

For example, say a lead submits an online form requesting a design consultation with your home building business. A text message can confirm that their form submission was received, but a personal phone call the next day from a team member can create a personal relationship with your business.

Together with emails and phone calls, SMS marketing makes it easier to build meaningful connections with leads and clients.

Use SMS messages to connect after leads take action.

Say a visitor to your website likes what they see and want to learn more about the homes you are building in a nearby subdivision. They submit a contact form. Unfortunately, it is late in the evening, and your business is closed.

If you use SMS marketing through GoCRM, you can still connect with your lead (and hopefully beat out your competitors).

GoCRM can automatically send SMS messages triggered by specific action from website visitors and leads. Use texting to respond to activity such as the following:

  • Confirm form submissions
  • Confirm appointments
  • Send event and appointment reminders

Use SMS marketing to cut down on response times.

If someone requests information about your home building business, chances are that they are requesting the same information from other businesses. Prompt responses can be the key to capturing that lead’s business.

Text messages can help you cut down on your response times even when your sales and marketing teams are busy.

For example, GoCRM can automatically thank a contact for scheduling an appointment or send a text with your business hours and expected time of reply if they reach out after business hours.

Prompt communication through text can help leads to feel seen and begin the process of nurturing them even when no one is immediately available to respond to them personally.

💡Takeaways

GoCRM can help you to create a robust SMS with CRM marketing integration for home builders. Take advantage today by scheduling a free demo. We would love to help you capture, engage, nurture, and convert more leads with less work this year!

7 Ways to Automate Marketing for Home Builders

Posted on December 7, 2020 by - Home Builders

Home builder marketing automation

Home building can be a tricky field when it comes to sales and marketing. Lengthy sales cycles, indecisive consumers, and a crowded market make efficiency and productivity essential for success.

Enter CRM-driven automation. By automating the rights tasks and processes, you can save yourself time while boosting productivity and ROI. How can a homebuilder CRM like GoCRM help? By using automation to make earning, engaging, qualifying, nurturing, converting, and following up with leads quick and seamless.

Here is a look at 7 ways you can use automated home builder marketing strategies to benefit your home building business.

Call Tracking

Call tracking for home buildersWith a process as lengthy and complex as home building, leads are going to call your business. Whether they want to discuss your warranty options, ask about a floor plan, or schedule a meeting, you need to capture these calls in order to capture the sales.

Homebuilder CRM marketing automation can help. In particular, GoCRM delivers automated call tracking to help you stay on top of all the information you gather via phone.

We use a cloud-based VOIP system to automatically route every phone call to the assigned team member’s personal device, allowing them to answer (and make) phone calls anytime, from anywhere.

GoCRM then automatically records the call and imports important information from the call into a central database. With call marketing automation that delivers up-to-date information, you,  and any member of your team, can easily accomplish the following tasks:

  • Nurture leads with relevant follow ups
  • Set up consultations
  • View client preferences and project changes
  • Answer questions

Home Builder Lead Engagement Workflows

Lead engagement workflows for home buildersMaximizing ROI for your home building business means maximizing the number of leads you earn, and the interactions you have with them. Capture, qualify, and nurture leads more efficiently with automated lead engagement workflows.

Within GoCRM, you can set up series of tasks, emails, SMS messages, and phone calls customized to your business practices and target audiences. Then, create related email and SMS templates within your home builder marketing system.

Once you activate the workflow, GoCRM will automatically implement it, including scheduling phone calls and sending the pre-written messages, based on the parameters you set. It will even personalize emails to the name of the lead within the GoCRM database.

With automated workflows, you can accomplish many repetitive tasks, freeing you and your sales teams up to focus on the most important, and revenue-generating, responsibilities.

Use automated workflows for tasks such as the following:

  • Create an autoresponder for incoming leads
  • Automate lead qualification
  • Re-engage leads who stopped responding
  • Respond to website visitors who requested a consultation or asked a question
  • Provide industry information (e.g. Home building tips or financing suggestions) to engage potential clients
  • Follow up after a home building consultation
  • Check in with former clients to request reviews, obtain referrals, and determine satisfaction with your work

Lead Assignment

Make sure no lead ever falls through the cracks with automated lead assignment. A CRM for home builders, like GoCRM, can assign leads to the team member best qualified to handle that lead.

Assign leads based on team member seniority, home building needs, area, or any other parameter you desire. You can also simply have the system assign leads in a round robin style.

After assigning the lead, GoCRM will send a notification to the appropriate team member about their new lead, as well as send emails and SMS messages from their personal accounts, and schedule phone calls and tasks in their calendars.

When you combine automated lead assignment with automated workflows, you create a system that works seamlessly and effectively on behalf of your sales team to earn, engage, and nurture every single lead, all while saving you time on tasks you used to have to complete manually.

Email Marketing Campaigns

Cheaper than print and more effective than social media, email marketing remains one of the most effective marketing tactics out there. Take advantage with automated email marketing for home builders.

For example, GoCRM allows you to build email drip campaigns that are as simple or as complex as you wish within its automated workflows.

You can also trigger emails based on consumer behavior (e.g. Send a “welcome” email when a consumer finalizes a contract, or a “success” email when they request a consultation).

Simply create, schedule, and activate. GoCRM will do the rest, even adding the recipient’s name to the email.

Consider using automated emails to complete some of the following tasks:

  • Communicate with your target audience regarding relevant news (e.g. Historically low interest rates)
  • Encourage potential customers to schedule a consultation
  • Alert leads to resources and information (e.g. A new floor plan)
  • Re-engage cold leads with information on a new neighborhood or new warranty package
  • Deliver resources, such as an ebook on financing a new home, to nurture leads
  • Respond to website form submissions and other communications
  • Onboard new customers
  • Follow up with clients after project completion

Personalized Marketing Communications

Personalized communications within GoCRM go beyond simply adding the recipient’s name to emails or text messages. Our system also sends communications from the assigned team member’s personal accounts.

For example, an SMS will come from the team member’s personal phone number. An email will come from their personal email account. As a result, the recipient can respond directly to the team member, and the team member can seamlessly continue the conversation in person.

Simplifying the process of reaching real people on your team, and simplifying the process of your team members connecting with leads, creates a positive experience for everyone. And that positive, efficient experience leads to more sales and a better ROI.

Data Entry

Complete information is critical in successfully nurturing and converting leads. Obtain that information and save your team hours of labor with automated data entry.

GoCRM integrates with hundreds of platforms, importing relevant information directly into the central database. As a result, every member of your team can see a lead’s entire history at a single glance.

No more repetitive communications, missed tasks, or ineffective marketing strategies. You and your team will have all the information you need to successfully communicate with leads, all without needing to enter the data yourself.

Analytics Tracking

Intelligent analytics tracking for home buildersIn order to choose the most effective sales and marketing strategies for your home building business, you need access to real-time analytics.

Get it with GoCRM’s automated analytics tracking. Our system will assign a unique number to each marketing effort (A process known as dynamic number insertion) so you can easily track which leads come from which marketing efforts.

In addition, you can track the origins of leads who submit forms, schedule consultations, visit your website, sign up for emails, and more. Use all of this information to identify and use those efforts that work best.

💡Takeaways

Homebuilder CRM marketing automation can save you time while increasing the number of leads and conversions you enjoy. Use a home builder CRM for sales and marketing improvements that boost productivity and ROI. GoCRM offers a full suite of automations that can help you work smarter, not harder, in the home building field. Request your GoCRM demo today.

Home Builder CRM Case Study

Posted on June 12, 2020 by - Home Builders

Construction worker in front worker

Customer Relationship Management Solution for Home Builders

The thing that makes GoCRM such a unique Customer Relationship Management solution is that it’s more than just CRM, it boasts a powerful combination of sales and marketing features. Because it has been built with the purpose of streamlining sales processes, clients like Hosanna Construction & Realty usually have amazing feedback.

Since using GoCRM, they have reported increased conversions, optimized sales processes, and streamlined sales management. Basically, sales are easier and ROI is higher. These are some of the main benefits they said are highly beneficial in the home builder industry.

Learned Where Leads Come From

As a home builder, Hosanna relied on marketing channels that include magazines like the New Homes Guide, events like the Home and Garden show, offline and traditional, Facebook and signage. With our tools, they could divide leads into the different channels to track how effective each channel is. Channels can be customized with a unique URL and phone numbers that are used for that specific channel. This way, all leads that connect via a specific number can easily be connected to a specific marketing campaign. Hosanna used many channels over time and would reuse these numbers by reassigning them to new marketing channels once the old ones expired.

Effectively Tracked and Optimized Leads

With a designated area for all leads, Hosanna could see all the details about a lead, such as where it comes from and when it came in. Our Dynamic Number Insertion technology ties to current sessions to give a detailed breakdown of how leads arrived at the site, like via Google. It also tracks all form submissions, states the source, and gives the names of leads.

Once Hosanna implemented the tracking system, all their leads were funneled into one centralized lead list. From here, they could generate detailed reports that break down the percentages of leads that come from different channels. As a result, Hosanna was able to evaluate what’s working and what isn’t. They saw they got most of their leads from Facebook and Google, while magazines weren’t being as successful, and shifted their budget accordingly to get more leads.

Increased Conversions

After seeing where their leads come from, GoCRM helped Hosanna to take that further by comparing leads with number of sales. These figures didn’t align, so they used our tools to pinpoint weak areas in the sales process and optimize those areas for more sales. With GoCRM, they could instantly see everything they need to know about a lead: where they came from, when they made the first contact, or when your team engaged with them.

More Effective Lead Management

From within the platform, leads can be assigned to the relevant salesperson or randomly assigned. Staff can use the app or CRM to call leads via a dedicated VoIP number. These calls are automatically recorded, so it’s easy to listen to all calls on the lead’s feed and know exactly where they’re at. These virtual numbers are owned by you, so you never lose them and can transfer them to new employees if someone leaves. The Hosanna sales team didn’t have to do manual data entry, they just resumed with normal sales responsibilities and everything is logged automatically. Staff can also send promotional or transactional text messages and emails from their phones or desktop and, to make it even easier, you can create templates with relevant information or attachments.

Because they had to navigate through hundreds of leads at a time, Hosanna used GoCRM to figure out who to target next. They could type in specific questions like “Who haven’t I called in the last 90 days?” or categorize leads according to a range of filters, then save different segments.

Automated Follow-Ups for Better Results

Making use of the marketing automation features, Hosanna automated follow up messages to leads. This is as simple as creating a template text or email and setting at which stage the message should go out. You can also choose the day and time the message should go out. This way, you don’t have to worry about missing out on a lead. They also created more powerful marketing automation with a series of emails or texts. Additionally, the outreach feature allowed them to use the drag and drop designer to create email blasts for events like open houses.

Streamlined Overall Sales Processes

With an admin view that shows a full pipeline of all activity in the organization, such as leads, calls, texts, form submissions, and closed deals, Hosanna greatly streamlined processes. This view can also be filtered by team members to track individual activity. Ultimately they reported GoCRM as being an all-in-one solution that offers CRM, call tracking, phones for salespeople, call recording, and email marketing. They could also customize everything to suit their specific processes and business. Ultimately, Hosanna enjoyed that their sales agents didn’t have to do anything differently and instead could focus on what they do best: sell.

5 Keys To Home Builder Lead Management

Posted on May 8, 2020 by - Home Builders

Middle aged construction worker smiling with confidence

How Can Home Builders Manage Leads And Track Conversions?

The homebuilding marketplace is steeped in competition. Everyone wants to get there first. Websites are put up and promoted. Aggressive marketing follows. But the moment a lead is generated, many businesses make a critical mistake. They don’t know what to do with that lead. Or handle it wrong.

In the business world, time is money and sales cycles take forever to close.

To mitigate losses and increase revenue, lead generation, and management are now being automated. This automation gives builders more control over sales and profits.

Read on to find out more about:

  • How leads originate
  • How leads are tracked
  • Follow up cycle
  • How to stop losing leads

Homebuilders connect with customers over a series of touch points. But before a prospective customer can be converted, businesses have to pass through a complex sales process.

Home builder customer touch points

While the home builder customer touchpoints can be split into six cycles, we can also divide the entire sales process into four main steps:

  1. Lead Generation
    • Customer visits builder website
    • Customer visits builder office
  2. Financing
    • The customer fills out a loan application
    • Loan approval is waited for
    • The contract is signed between customer and builder
  3. Build Cycle and Delivery
    • Construction begins
    • The builder takes the customer on-site visits, as needed
    • Home is ready
    • Payment is complete
    • CSAT surveys construction
    • Home is handed over
  4. Post Sales and Warranty
    • Repair requested by the owner
    • Builder makes repairs

The only problem is that the sales cycle refuses to follow this neat pattern. Leads slip through gaps in the sales funnel and touchpoints are wasted.

In order to better understand the lead cycle, home builders first need to have a clear idea of the lead management process.

Lead Management Process

An adequate lead management process helps you track, manage, and convert your leads. It gives two core benefits:

  1. Monitor the lead’s behavior, and
  2. Measure the revenue per marketing dollar

Driving leads to your website is still a priority but following up with them is where most home builders fumble. The connection with your leads has to be made. FAST. Prospective clients will either fill out a form, email, or call you up. Drawing them in immediately is the next crucial step, the path where leads turn to sales.

Hence, a robust lead management system should enable home builders to enjoy full lead visibility. This visibility can be achieved through software that assists builders at every step – from lead to sales, post-sales, and customer relations.

CRM systems like GoCRM offer high levels of integration and automation of these steps into your business so you can manage all of your business operations smoothly.

A CRM software takes care of the 5 stages of lead management:

  1. Lead Generation
  2. Lead Tracking
  3. Lead Distribution
  4. Lead Follow Up
  5. Lead Nurturing

With a complete grasp of how the integration work at every step, you can not only achieve sales targets but also get more out of every dollar spent in promotions.

Let us take a look at how different stages of the lead management system works and how CRM integration is able to give a push to sales.

Automating the Entire Lead Lifecycle

 

Funnel with different stages in the sales cycle

1. Lead capture

A lead is generated through multiple channels. Some of these channels include ads on Google, Facebook and YouTube. Also, online directories, rider ads, organic search, and signage can give rise to a sizable volume of leads. Next, you need to capture all of these leads.

Lead capture consists of storing all of the customer details you obtained through all of your marketing channels. Everything is noted in an internal spreadsheet. Unfortunately, lead capture eats into a big chunk of your daily work day.

It is also impractical to manually type in the name, source, contact, and touchpoint for every potential customer, especially when traffic is high. That is why you need automated lead capture.

 

Automation in lead capture enables businesses to add each and every lead into the sales loop. It shows them the accurate point of origin of the customer data – pay per click ads, phone, chat, social media or company website. It performs another vital function – identifying the money-making and money-wasting channels. You can easily see which channel is bringing you the most profits and which are just adding to your expenses.

What does that do for your business?

It gives your sales and marketing teams the liberty to plan a new budget and allocate funds to sources that have a proven lead generation record.

Automated lead capture should give you customer details like names, phone numbers, email, interest (product or service), and their preferences (e.g. willingness to subscribe to newsletters, messages, etc).

Automated lead capture also allows you to sort your leads into short-term and long-term prospects. An updated list of customer details is indispensable in subsequent stages of the sales cycle. You will know just who to follow up with and which names to send an occasional email to.

2. Lead tracking

Lead tracking for builders plays a crucial role in the customer lifecycle. The right CRM solution will help you answer some of the following questions:

  • Where did your lead come from?
  • What page did the lead visit before signing up?
  • What is the average cost per lead per channel?

Leads or potential customers may perform any number of actions. Whether they are going to deliver profits for you depends on how smartly you can track them. Automated lead tracking can show the way.

Lead tracking screenshot in GoCRM

Lead tracking software shows you the actions leads take and their tendencies. It tracks URLs, and monitors chat and phone calls too.

This software can also show you the source of your leads. How do they find out about your business? What brings them to your online store? Is it the social media ads or the expensive banner you put out? Finding out about the performance of your sources can open up further sales opportunities.

3. Lead distribution

So a few people are interested in your business and you have tracked them back to a channel. What next?

The stage is set for your sales team to enter. You pass on client details to them and hope for sales to pick up. But passing on every detail manually is not only time consuming but also unnecessary, because you can get a robot to do it for you. Lead distribution software can connect clients to specific members of the sales team. A CRM software solution like GoCRM provides automatic instant lead distribution to your sales team.

For example:

  • Pass the lead to John if a lead has called your number have called on your number.
  • Pass the lead to your USA Team if a lead has subscribed to your mailing list.

If a customer has been in touch with your business, they’ve likely repeated the same action on your competitor’s website. They are testing which brand to spend on. The faster you answer a customer query, the better your chances are of selling. Lead distribution quickens your response time.

Also, since you’ve already pre-set the software, customers will always end up with the same salesperson. This helps you build trust and deliver a seamless experience for your customer. Which brings us to the Follow-Up part.

4. Lead Follow Up

Lead follow up screenshot in GoCRM

You can sometimes get sales from a new lead by simply getting to them first – before your competitor has had the chance. However, it is important to identify which lead is already half-sold on your product/service and who is just passing by. Companies usually take the three-pronged strategy of – evaluate, score, qualify. Before you launch a follow-up cycle, make sure you are working with the right set of names and numbers.

This starts when you reach out to a query. You can respond via phone or email immediately. In case you are unavailable, an answering machine/ autoresponder would be practical. Some CRM systems provide call recording. The conversation is first recorded and listened to. If these new contacts turn out to be leads, it is time to connect with them at a personal level with useful information.

Email responses usually contain a thank you note and an acknowledgment. They may also contain quotations, one-time coupons or codes. Now is the time to gauge if your leads are interested in sales right away or whether they fall into the eternal follow-up loop.

5. Lead Nurturing

While handling leads, it is important to keep an open mind. Not every new contact is going to be converted right then and there. Sometimes a lead is just confused. Sometimes, a lead is particular about brands or is facing budget constraints.

Despite a lead’s hesitation, you may be able to convert them in the future. No lead should be a lost lead. They may not want to buy a house right now, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get an ebook as a free gift from you. They will care about your service if they know you care about their needs.

Leads who do not convert at once enter the lead nurturing cycle.

Companies engage with ‘Maybe’ leads continually in various ways – sharing content, industry news, customer feedback, success stories, product walk-throughs, Livechat, promotional codes, and the like. Conversion time is particularly low in some industries. The waiting time is filled with these things. You may send emails or SMS, engage in social media marketing, or target them as new leads all over again.

However, some prospects may be offended by aggressive follow-up and refuse to engage with you further. Instead of bombarding them with generic messages, share meaningful content. No one wants to be treated like a sales target.

Conclusion

All these factors come together in an integrated, automated lead management system. Leads are, traditionally, tracked, followed-up, and nurtured manually. But, manually managing leads makes for a lengthy sales cycle that has no place in businesses that run at a fast pace. The need of the hour is for an instant, automated systems that shorten the conversion time and show you results faster.