7 STEPS TO RAPID CRM SUCCESS

Transcription

1 I 7 STEPS TO RAPID CRM SUCCESS CRM DEPLOYMENT GUIDE FOR HOME BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS Table of Contents I: WHY CRM IS BECOMING A BUILDER S NEW BEST FRIEND... 1 II: 7 STEPS TO RAPID CRM SUCCESS List Key Priorities Identify Guiding Sponsors Get Buy-in from Users Deploy in Less than 30 Days Establish Common Sales Methodology Train. Train. Train Ongoing Support... 7 III: CONCLUSION... 7 IV: CLIENT FEEDBACK... 8 V: ABOUT THE AUTHORS... 9

2 I: WHY CRM IS BECOMING A BUILDER S NEW BEST FRIEND Other than superstitious quirks, like wearing the same clothes from the time of grand opening until the first sale is made in a new community, there aren t too many secrets left in the new home sales process. At its heart, selling a house is still selling a house - connect with a prospect, show off the community, overcome objections, and close the deal. But is marketing and selling new homes really that simple? Conceptually perhaps, but it s no secret that two forceful changes - the widespread use of the internet and the explosion of online marketing - have transformed how homes are bought and sold. Buyers today are highly informed - armed with data and facts about your company, your communities, your floor plans, the neighborhood, and other competitive alternatives - long before they ever walk into a model home or presentation center. This shopping transformation radically alters buyers expectations regarding response time, quality of information, and follow-up communications. For a long time, in the midst of these profound changes, CRM remained one of the best-kept secrets in new home real estate sales. Today, however, robust CRM systems are becoming mainstream with builders of all descriptions. Why is CRM becoming like a best friend to sales teams in converting more leads into homebuyers? Here are four key reasons: Today s homebuyers are highly informed before they visit model homes. CRM MAKES EVERYONE S JOB EASIER. There is a plethora of moving parts required to sell a new home community. With a CRM system, all lead data resides in a centralized database where relevant information can be easily shared and updated. CRM allows marketers to better capture and communicate with every lead, thereby sending better prospects to the sales team. Sales agents are alerted to new and returning leads so timely follow-up can be completed in just minutes each day. Operations and service personnel are able to access accurate, up-to-date data to better serve purchasers while saving time and money. Managers have reliable information at their fingertips 24/7, so they can coach more effectively and act based on informed decisions. With a CRM system, all lead and prospect data resides in a centralized database where relevant information can be easily shared and updated. Page 1

3 CRM INJECTS SCIENCE INTO THE ART OF SELLING. No question that selling is an art. The best sales professionals seem to possess an innate ability to connect with others. But there is a lot of science to selling, too. Numerous studies have confirmed that speed to respond and repeatable follow-up processes systematically drive improved sales performance. The building industry is making progress, but still has lots of work to do. This is evidenced by the 2012 Online Lead Follow-Up Survey of U.S. builders, conducted by DoYouConvert.com and Lasso, which found that 34 percent of new home communities did not follow up with an online lead via , and 75 percent did not make a single call. CRM can help eliminate these followup gaps so that every lead receives timely, relevant communications throughout the home buying process. CRM DRIVES ACCOUNTABILITY ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. Builders invest a lot in marketing and sales Online and traditional marketing, model homes, open houses, sales commissions and broker referrals it all adds up to big $ spent. Accountability for these major investments should be transparent across the organization. Ultimately, visibility into the selling process allows managers to shift from monitoring end results to coaching sales habits and techniques. Frontline marketing and sales personnel consequently benefit from the guidance of experienced leaders in moving prospects along in the buying cycle, overcoming objections, and managing buyer expectations. CRM EQUIPS PEOPLE WITH TOOLS TO SUCCEED. As popular author Seth Godin states in his best-selling book Linchpin, This isn t about recording the information in a database somewhere. Only a human being can nurture relationships. CRM should simply be viewed as the technology bridge that equips people with the tools to connect, build relationships, and compete in today s evolving marketplace. Technologies like CRM are not intended to replace people, but the companies who leverage technology for their people will surely gain competitive advantage over those that don t. Phone results from 200 new home communities surveyed 1 call, 22% No call, 75% CRM MAKES SELLING EASIER Capture every lead into one central database Integrate online marketing with onsite sales Easily follow up and build relationships Target prospects by online activity and interests Coach sales techniques and activities Convert more sales. Profitably 3+ calls, 3% Source: 2012 Online Lead Follow-Up Survey Page 2

4 II. SEVEN STEPS TO RAPID CRM SUCCESS The good news is that successfully deploying CRM can be achieved faster and easier than most people may think. By utilizing CRM software that is custom-built for the homebuilding industry, benefits can begin to be achieved in less than 30 days. But, just as you would have your construction team start building a community from architectural plans and drawings, following these seven planning steps will lay a rock solid foundation for CRM success while minimizing risk of getting off track during the first few weeks of implementation. 1. LIST KEY PRIORITIES Prior to CRM deployment, it s important to take a little time to articulate some of your specific marketing and sales priorities and challenges that you are facing right now. This process doesn t need to be a complex exercise and usually works best if you create a simple 1-2 page prioritized list, stated in business vernacular rather than features. Completing this process early will help you target the most important issues and opportunities first, and the list can become a yardstick for measuring success. To help you get started, you may want to review our basic CRM Health Check. KEY PRIORITIES (example) Respond to all leads within 30 minutes Pinpoint best media sources Smooth hand-off to onsite agents Weekly update on appointments Regular campaigns to B prospects 2. IDENTIFY GUIDING SPONSORS The importance of establishing ownership to direct new initiatives is often underestimated but crucial to the process. Sponsors of initiatives have a stake in ensuring that all tasks are completed in as timely and smoothly a fashion as possible. These guiding roles may not be distinct people. For many midsize and smaller builders, usually they are not, and the time involvement during roll-out should not be onerous - typically just a few hours per week. In larger organizations, with a sizable volume of users, sponsor roles may indeed be different people. There are three key roles to be identified executive sponsor, business champion and resident CRM expert. Page 3

5 EXECUTIVE SPONSOR This person is a leader who gets how people, process and technology, working together, will improve the professional lives of frontline teams and boost results for the entire company. The Sponsor recognizes that changing old habits is a journey that takes time and commitment to reap maximum benefits. The go-to person whenever there are naysayers who say, I liked doing it the old way or have questions like, Why do we need this? BUSINESS CHAMPION The champion is knowledgeable about how the moving parts of marketing, sales and operations work together. Respected as a can do type of employee, he or she is instrumental in making sure that the CRM system is personalized to work the way you do. RESIDENT CRM EXPERT Most good home builder CRM systems don t require in-house IT expertise to operate effectively. However, a skilled person within sales operations frequently makes a great system administrator, as they see CRM as a lifeline that makes their jobs more efficient rather than working with a myriad of disorganized spreadsheets or other ad-hoc tracking systems. A regular user, leveraging the CRM system daily to coach, lead, and make informed decisions. An internal how to resource for marketing, agents and new sales personal that are hired in the future. 3. GET BUY-IN FROM USERS As you go through the CRM selection process, be sure to get a few frontline marketing and sales users involved and solicit their input and feedback during demonstrations and meetings. Getting buy-in from the sales team should not be underrated as they will be the primary users of the system. If sales agents get the feeling CRM is something that s being done to them instead of being done for them, you are going to have a hard time getting them to use it. Having top sales performers and forward thinkers participate will help them see the bigger picture of how refined processes and a system will streamline their jobs so they can focus on more important relationship and sales-generating tasks. If sale agents get the feeling CRM is something that s being done to them instead of being done for them, you are going to have a hard time getting them to use it. Page 4

6 4. DEPLOY IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS Part of Lasso s approach to getting a fast start to deployment is to schedule a brief kick-off meeting with the client s key stakeholders so expectations, timelines, and any questions can be highlighted at the outset. If not already finalized, it s important during the kick-off session to determine if a phased rollout is the optimum approach. A phased rollout is ideally suited for medium to large volume builders. For KICK-OFF MEETING (example) example, starting with a few communities or a single region allows the builder and CRM provider to work Determine guiding roles together in a controlled setting prior to companywide rollout. If you utilize an Online Sales Counselor, Review implementation checklist Roll out & training approach begin the rollout with the OSCs for a few weeks prior Confirm first day objectives to getting the onsite sales team engaged. This will allow you to polish the process before it is introduced to everyone. 5. ESTABLISH COMMON SALES METHODOLOGY Another element to Lasso s approach is to collaborate closely with each new client to help fine-tune their sales terminology and standards. Having a few simple rules and methods for the sales team to live by goes beyond good common sense it s fundamental to getting accurate information about lead sources, traffic, repeat visitors, appointments, conversions, demographic and geographic trends, and much more. Standard sales ratings and defined sales follow-up processes are two core elements of an effective sales methodology. SALES RATINGS It s quite natural that some leads are more immediately sales-ready (qualified) than others that may be more marketing-ready (some nurturing needed). For this reason, it s logical to rate leads and prospects using designations such as A,B,C, or Hot, Warm, Cool. To avoid ratings becoming subjective by individuals, it is important to define specific rating criteria or attributes that constitute an A prospect, a B prospect, and so on. Consistent ratings allow you to compare apples to apples for better insight into the quality of sales, better coach the selling process, and implement distinct follow-up processes for both sales-ready and marketing-ready leads. Page 5

7 SALES AND FOLLOW-UP PROCESSES Follow-up today is all about speed, persistence, and process. For the purpose of this guide, a sales process is defined as an approach to moving a lead toward purchase using predefined steps, and automating these steps and activities with reminder triggers. Automated sales processes can be set for different ratings types, such as A,B,C, or different lead sources such as online leads (see example illustrated) and walk-ins. Keep the process simple as it will make it easier for your sales agents to follow through and, most importantly, stay in touch with prospects. Day 1 Day 1 Day 3 Day 7 Day 14 Day 21 ONLINE LEAD FOLLOW-UP PROCESS (example) 30 minutes: Thank you 4 hours: Follow-up call 2nd & 2nd Call 3rd & 3rd call 4th 4th Call 1 month 5th (Re-rank) 6. TRAIN. TRAIN. TRAIN. CRMs that are designed specifically for new home sales are the easiest for frontline people to learn and adopt to as these systems should inherently mirror a home builder s selling approach and business workflow. But user training, via online sessions or onsite in a builder s locale, remains an important cornerstone for a rapid, successful rollout. Lasso recommends that training sessions for sales-oriented people be kept short, to less than two hours, covering the basics of how the system will make their jobs easier. Follow-up training sessions can be scheduled a few weeks later to review the basics and introduce more advanced features. Some builders have made great use of quarterly one-hour online refresher sessions during the first year of deployment to reinforce the commitment to new selling habits across the company. TRAIN SALES AGENTS TO USE THESE FEATURES DAILY: Receive auto-notification of new leads Use dashboard for daily activities Access prospect profiles Update ratings, view notes & contact history View web analytics for follow-up with returning leads Send follow-up s (from personalized templates) Create future activities Segment lists to target prospects View traffic, web analytics, & e-marketing reports Page 6

8 7. ONGOING SUPPORT IS BEST ON A FIRST NAME BASIS While most of the heavy lifting of deployment should be completed Work with a CRM software in the first few weeks, it s advantageous to utilize a CRM software provider that understands the importance of having their client provider that understands the manager maintain an ongoing relationship with key members of importance of having their client your team. The client manager should remain a primary point of manager maintain an ongoing contact so you have access to an experienced resource that already relationship with the key members understands your needs, your system configuration, and is vested in your CRM success for the months and years to come. Other services of your team. team members will be introduced at appropriate times so you receive the optimum in training and support including friendly, knowledgeable, timely answers to users questions. III. CONCLUSION With the Internet transforming everything from how new homes are marketed and sold to the way we communicate with prospects, it s critical for home builders to leverage online technology that equips them to keep pace with the expectations of today s buyers. CRM is quickly becoming a mainstay of the building and new home sales industry due to powerful software that not only captures every online lead but provides proven methods for nurturing leads, improving conversions, and promoting organizationwide accountability. The foundation for effective CRM adoption and success is a rigorous deployment strategy. When builders plan ahead, determine their needs, select a world class CRM software provider, and invest the time in training their teams, they ll quickly begin reaping extraordinary benefits. Page 7

9 IV. CLIENT FEEDBACK Working with the Lasso team and following their approach has made it really straightforward for us to roll out Lasso CRM across our regional sales teams at William Ryan Homes. Kudos to Tolga Canatan, our Client Manager at Lasso, who coordinated all the moving parts along the way. Todd Warshauer, Director Sales & Marketing, William Ryan Homes Thank you Lasso for making my team look like Rockstars and always being there to answer my questions quickly and give suggestions on better ways to get things done Thanks for caring about our team s success Jenn Nowalk, Sales & Marketing Director, Homes By Dickerson Effective communication to our prospects and purchasers and the ability to measure results is extremely important to us. Lasso provides this and their customer service is so outstanding, they are like an extension of our marketing department devoted to helping us achieve our goals. Lasso has been a big part of our success. Curt Jansen, Director Resort Real Estate, Bellstar Hotels & Resorts Page 8

10 V. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Dave Clements, President & CEO Dave has been a trailblazer in technology, marketing, sales, and operations for 25 years and is part of the vanguard of Internet professionals who have been building the web into a useful business tool since the mid-1990s. He is passionate about helping business and their frontline marketing and sales teams leverage CRM strategy and software to consistently achieve better results. dclements@lassocrm.com Dave Betcher, Vice President of Sales Dave has been in the homebuilding industry for eleven years and a key executive with Lasso Data Systems since its inception in He has presented the benefits and best practices of technology in marketing, sales and customer service to builders and real estate developers around the globe and has trained thousands of builder representatives on the power of CRM. dbetcher@lassocrm.com Lasso Data Systems is the leading developer of innovative on-demand CRM software specifically designed for home builders and real estate developers. Lasso, deployed on thousands of new home communities globally, equips builders, developers, and sales agencies with tools to convert prospects to purchasers and sell out their developments faster and easier. The company s online software manages potential homebuyers from interest list to occupancy including marketing, sales, inventory and contract management. Lasso works equally well for urban high-rises, suburban town homes, single family, master planned and senior communities; and golf, mountain and ocean destination resorts. Lasso is designed for ease of use, rapid deployment and pay by usage to not only maximize each client s ROI but reduce their technology and financial risk as well. Page 9