2. Update your product.
- Don’t let your competitors pass you by with new design, technology, craftsmanship, financing or customer service capabilities.
- Adapt to positive changes as quickly as possible and incorporate the changes into your product.
3. Survey past customers.
- Find out how your product has measured up to the purchasers’ expectations. Buyers can best report how the home is “living” for them once they have moved into their new home. This information will be helpful for product improvement.
- Implement productive changes as quickly as possible!
4. Market to your past customers.
- Typically, home builders and remodelers alike forget their buyers once they take possession of their homes. Home builders march off to their next priority and don’t realize that their best source of referrals is the most recently satisfied home buyer.
- Ask for referrals.
5. Follow-up with prospects, previous and current buyers.
- Review your prospect cards daily.
- Don’t assume that a prospect is not ready to purchase.
- Continue to follow up with phone calls, letters, postcards, mailgrams, newsletters, direct mail and e-mail.
- There are many reasons to follow up including: price increase, home site selection, inventory selection, financing programs, product changes, sales, psychological reinforcement to offset buyers’ remorse and to enhance the buying decision, economic changes.
6. Contact Realtors®.
- Realtors do either one of two things — produce or perish. They are in the marketplace creating new business every day.
- Keep Realtors apprised of your offerings. Although Realtors may not have a buyer today, they will tomorrow.
- Follow-up daily.
- Market Realtors consistently — in good times and bad. Contact a minimum of 50 Realtors each week.
- Offer competitive real estate cooperating commissions.
- Be sure to thank Realtors for their interest and business.
7. Participate in Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development Councils.
- Attend meetings. Meet new business personnel. Get to know your business community.
- There are many leads that can be obtained just by asking the staff. Individual consumers and commercial enterprises are also looking for housing, and the more you let people know what you have to offer the more sales you will make.
8. Keep up with your professional education.
- Attend seminars and workshops about business and personal development.
- Read books about business and recreational interests.
- Learn from each experience.
- Develop a business network to exchange ideas.
- Find two or three mentors to develop and create better business practices.
- Study your profession.
9. Develop and maintain a positive attitude.
- Look for the positive in everything you do. Avoid negative people.
- We have no problems in our industry, only situations. Solve all situations fairly and equitably.
- Praise people.
- Thank people.
- Be enthusiastic.
- Enjoy your job.
- Enjoy yourself every day.
- Act positive.
- Be positive.
- Smile!
10. Maintain your health.
- Take care of yourself physically and mentally.
- Be happy.
- Help others.
- Exercise aerobically a minimum of three times per week, 30 minutes each time.
- Eat correctly. Avoid bad fats. Eat everything in moderation. Graze on fruit and vegetables between meals.
- Sleep.
- Meditate.
- Learn to relax and rest throughout the day.
- Enjoy hobbies.
- Take vacations.
In conclusion, be the best you that you can be. And you will be profitable for you and your company today and tomorrow.
S. Robert August is president and founder of S. Robert August & Company, Inc., a national marketing and public relations firm based in Denver that specializes in providing home builders, developers, manufacturers and lenders marketing/management consultation and sales training. Robert is also past chairman of NAHB’s National Sales and Marketing Council. Robert can be reached by phone: 303-220-8480, fax: 303-220-0107, email: Robert@srobertaugust.com, or by visiting the S. Robert August & Company Web site at www.srobertaugust.com.
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