Have you ever wondered how your homebuilding company stacks up against others with online follow-up? Well, the results from the 2021 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop are here! For the second year in a row Blue Gypsy Inc., Melinda Brody & Company and Denim Marketing compared and evaluated the follow-up efforts of 50 local, regional and national home builders across the country. The results might surprise you.
As an industry, home builders don’t get an A on this report card. Maybe a C at best. The findings are based on important considerations such as personalization, speed, frequency and diversity of touchpoints.
Most home builders experienced unprecedented obstacles over the past two years including supply chain issues, increased homebuyer demand for new homes and extended build time estimates brought on by materials shortages. Builders responded and adapted by throttling sales, hosting bidding wars over available inventory and creating lottery systems. The 2021 survey reveals the efforts builders made to communicate with potential buyers amid the constant changes of the new home building industry.
“We are operating as an industry in absolutely unprecedented times. Year two of the pandemic has continued to put pressure on builders while homebuyers’ desire to buy has not ebbed. It seems as an industry, follow up is a little lax. We need to button this up as we look to the future and work to build the customer experience,” said Denim Marketing President Carol Morgan.
A home builder’s marketing may drive traffic to builder websites, but strong follow-up is key to increasing lead conversions. Connecting with potential buyers keeps them engaged, increases confidence, provides transparency and creates clear expectations that drive sales.
“This year’s mystery shop results reveal that there’s room for improvement and steps builders can take immediately to significantly boost their follow up efforts,” said Melinda Brody & Company President Ben Marks.
“The 2021 Mystery Shop may surprise you. It did for me,” said Blue Gypsy Inc. Owner Leah Kaiz Fellows. “While there are more OSCs out there working for builders this year, their follow-up performance isn’t as strong. This tells me that burnout, lack of training or lack of a definitive direction are at play. Or all three. While it’s important to implement this program, doing it with intention and an eye toward success is important as well.”
The 2021 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop Report is available for download at www.denimmarketing.com/onlinemysteryshop.
To view the full report and learn more about the agency, visit the Denim Marketing website and sign up for the Denim newsletter. Call 770-383-3360 for information on tailored marketing strategies and packages to perfectly fit your company’s marketing program. Morgan encourages you to, “Try us on for size, you will find Denim to be comfortable, reliable and personal. Our agency isn’t one size fits all – neither are jeans!”