Small builders and remodelers with limited staff can learn how to be their own sales and marketing teams with three pre-show courses at the 2011 NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando next month.

Held Jan. 8-11, pre-show courses are intensive one- or two-day programs designed to help industry professionals increase their business skills, technical knowledge and marketability.

Attendees will learn comprehensive sales and marketing skills specific to the new-home industry, including how to maximize their limited budgets, increase referrals, conduct market research that can benefit their businesses and more.

• “Understanding Housing Markets and Consumers (IRM I)”  (Two-day course)
  Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 8-9
  9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. each day
  
  Attendees will learn how to find information that's critical to their business as well as gain a better understanding of the demographic, economic and psychographic factors that affect housing supply and demand. They also will learn how to employ a model that projects opportunities for their specific local markets.
  
  Graduates will be able to:
  • Affirm the importance of market research to new home sales marketing and sales programs
  • Recognize the essential elements of market research
  • Use an absorption model to predict potential new housing demand and absorption rates in a defined target market area

Continuing Education Hours: 12.0
Designations: CMP,MIRM
Continuing Education Credits: CAPS, CGA, CGB, CGR, GMB, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, MIRM

• “Customer Service”
  Monday, Jan. 10
  9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
  
  Attendees will learn how to manage every phase of customer interaction — from the initial contact through construction, the warranty period and more — and keep customers satisfied and generate referrals through planning, execution and follow-up.
  
  Graduates of the course will be able to:
  • Understand customer expectations and behaviors
  • Set appropriate service criteria
  • Establish quality standards and communicate them
  • Administer the customer service process
  • Know their obligations for warranty service and fulfill them
  • Enhance their repeat and referral sales

Continuing Education Hours: 6.0
Designations: CGA, CGB, CGR, Master CSP
Continuing Education Credits: CAPS, CGA, CGB, CGR, GMB, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, MIRM

• “Marketing Strategies, Plans and Budgets (IRM II)”  (Two-day course)
  Monday-Tuesday, Jan. 10-11
  9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. each day
  
  Designed for mid- to large-volume builders, attendees will learn how to maximize results from every dollar they spend on marketing. With optimum product placement, pricing and promotional tactics, they will learn how to plan future results with confidence.
  
  Graduates of the course will be able to:
  • Understand the key relationships that should exist among company strategy, finance and marketing
  • Define marketing and its three levels of detail from promotion through company strategy
  • Apply the key relationships among company vision, value and volume as related to key drivers of company strategy
  • Use three competitive strategies and understand their impact on company marketing strategy
  • Connect the contributions of place, product, price and promotion to marketing strategy
  • Identify the financial results of marketing decisions
  • Distinguish the challenges of growth to marketing management
  • Implement a complete system of reports with which to control marketing management

Continuing Education Hours: 12.0
Designations: CMP, MIRM
Continuing Education Credits: CAPS, CGA, CGB, CGR, GMB, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, MIRM

Pre-Show Information

Pre-show course fees are in addition to IBS registration. Visit www.buildersshow.com/searcheducation for a list of courses and their fees.

Course attendance is limited to 50 students per course and some courses sell out prior to the show, so register in advance.

For more information about IBS pre-show courses, visit www.buildersshow.com/preshow.

In Today’s Market, 'Think Sold!' With Help From NAHB BuilderBooks

“Think Sold! Creating Home Sales in Any Market,” available at NAHB BuilderBooks, is a practical, how-to guide for developing the self-awareness, knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the competitive field of new home sales.

The book covers everything from the home buying process and new home financing to strategies for making better sales presentations and sizing up the competition. It teaches readers how to overcome customers’ concerns and provides specific examples of how to explain the benefits of new home features in customer-friendly language.

“Think Sold” provides insights on how to approach sales and life from a position of optimism that will create successful outcomes; how to improve upon potential customer prospecting and follow-up skills; and how to communicate effectively with various types of buyers and learn how to adjust communication strategies to increase rapport and alignment with buyers’ motives.

To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.

Subscribe to Sales + Marketing Ideas Magazine for Cutting-Edge Information

For additional cutting-edge sales and marketing information, subscribe to NAHB’s Sales + Marketing Ideas magazine (www.smimagazine.com).

Click here to learn about membership benefits of the National Sales and Marketing Council and the Institute of Residential Marketing.