Let’s welcome, Leah Fellows, from Blue Gypsy, Inc. (be sure to put those earbuds in, so you can watch this helpful short video):
Leah’s 3 main tips:
- Sharpen your listening skills so you can ask buyers plenty of deep questions
- Know your website so you can direct buyers around it
- Follow up multiple times and multiple ways
Video transcription:
Hi everyone, thank you for joining me today to talk about how site agents can adopt some of the techniques OSCs use, as more and more sales are happening virtually and online. With these crazy times, we are in right now, I’d rather be here, (on a gorgeous open-air patio overlooking a beautiful blue ocean) but instead, I’m working from home like so many other people are. And when you’re used to working in a model home, how can you utilize some of the online sales counselor techniques to connect with prospects, build rapport and close the sales the way OSCs close that appointment? As an online sales counselor trainer, there are specific skills and tools that I teach OSCs to utilize in order to get that appointment. But now that more and more sales are happening online, it’s important to re-emphasize how this can be used virtually to complement your sales.
Let’s talk about one of the simple principles of sales – listening. Now, in some cases, we aren’t meeting people in person to walk and talk buyers through our models anymore. That’s important to fine-tune those listening skills and really ask the deep questions. When I say ask questions, I mean get several whys deep as to what is really driving their mood, their wants, and their needs in a new home. This is pretty much standard operating procedure for OSCs, so they can set the appointment on your sites. And while it’s always been a part of the site sales process, without a model home to help you demonstrate and dive deeper, you need to be creative opening up those questions over the phone or in videos, so that you can better understand what your buyer wants.
Another important aspect of being an OSC is knowing your website. Now more than ever before as a site agent, you need to know the website and know exactly where to find things. Where are your virtual tours? Where are your pictures, your pricing, and your floor plans? These are places where you can easily direct someone to find things that you’re trying to explain during a phone or video appointment. If you’re utilizing video software to hold a live virtual appointment. Make sure to load yourself to the floor plans, the pricing, and the virtual tours. Have those all loaded up on tabs beforehand and know how to share your screen, so that you can switch between these during your virtual appointment.
Lastly, my third tip for site agents to adopt and be like an OSC is to utilize follow up. If there’s anything that an online sales counselor has drilled into them from day one, that sometimes slips through the cracks on-site, it’s following up with prospects and utilizing a process. When I say follow up, I don’t just mean one email or one phone call after their visit. I truly mean a process. If you’ve always been winging it before, now is the time to build out your follow up plan. Utilize at least four tools to keep the follow-up, interesting and engaging, and set those touchpoints up. Make sure you’re prepared to send emails, make phone calls, send text messages, and the dreaded video emails. Video emails are open far more often than regular emails, and it furthers your ability to build rapport with your clients. Ditch any shyness you may have, and start using the video email
These are just three quick skills you can sharpen that OSCs use every day while working towards setting appointments for site agents. These principles and ideas will help you virtually engage in more of an online sales process with your buyers, build rapport, and close more sales. I hope this was helpful, and good luck with your virtual tours and sales. I know you can do it.
Leah Kaiz Fellows, founder and owner of Blue Gypsy Inc. is a national online sales counselor trainer for the new home building industry.
After graduating with a degree in communication from Boston University, Leah chose the unconventional path of a wanderer as she gained insights into different cultures, places, and people. Her Gypsy years allowed for crazy adventures and unique jobs giving her the skills and confidence to work in any setting and relate to a multitude of personalities and professionals.
In 2006 Leah started working in the new home sales industry and in 2007 began managing leads, setting appointments, and assisting with new home sales for a large local builder in Virginia Beach. It was here that she developed her first online sales program with strong metrics for her builder representing nearly a third of overall sales.
Leah then went on to start Blue Gypsy Inc. in 2010 working with builders, developers, and real estate related businesses as she developed a proven Online Sales System along with her very own Online Sales Process. Since 2014 the she has focused on training by helping builders across the country, hire, train and improve their online sales counselor programs.
Giving back to the industry is important to Leah and she is an active member of both her local home builders association and NAHB. She holds leadership roles locally as a board member of Professional Women in Building Council at the HBA of Metro Denver, and serves as the Chair of the Mentoring Committee, as well as a member of the Sales and Marketing Council. Nationally, she is a member of the Board of Trustees for the National Sales and Marketing Council. In addition, she serves as the vice chair of the Education and Communication Sub-committee for the National Professional Women in Building Council.