Many builders are discovering that the days of Word of Mouth have either passed by or are about to. More than ever, it is important to keep your name and business in the minds of the public. People are still buying homes but just not as many as before. So builders have to adjust and find creative ways to keep business active. Otherwise they might as well close up shop. There are fewer buyers in today’s economy and the few that are buying are doing their research and so by the time they reach the builder, they are prepared having done their homework. And, they have most likely widdled things down to the few builders they want to talk to.
How are they researching?
90% of new buyers are going to the Internet to do their research and looking for recommended builders. Then they are going to the builder websites to see their work and to get an idea of who they are. So if you aren’t on the Internet then you are at a big disadvantage.
The simplest way to resolve this is to get your self a website. And not just any web site. You are competing with billions of websites out there and so it matters how your site looks and how it feels. That can make or break you as far as getting to the table with those buyers. It does not have to be fancy (far too many sites use flash which is virtually ignored by the search engines). It looks good but it does not drive traffic. But you do need something that looks very professional and shows off your work. And be selective as to what you show. Photographs that are too far away might not show the detail and look just like any other house. And make sure you take down signs, move garbage cans, pick up litter before you snap those shots. People want to see the homes, the features and in you want them presented in the best light.
Then, you need to interject some personality. Just having a gallery of photos will get you so far but if you don’t engage the customer so that they find you interesting, knowledgeable, personable…they will find someone that will and you can bet that is who they are going to hook up with. Even on the Internet, you have to realize that you have to give people reasons to call you and in such a way that you are not trying to just sell them. And how do you do that? You provide quality information that is helpful, reflects your knowledge and expertise, and makes people feel comfortable in taking the next step.
Look at other builder sites and see what you like and what maybe ‘bugs you’ such as not knowing where to go on their site. And step back a bit from your industry and look at the sites from a regular consumer standpoint. Is it easy to understand without using all sorts of industry acronyms? Can you easily move from one point to another? Is the site appealing? Does the site encourage you to come back? And is there enough there for someone to want to come back? And is the site memorable in any way?
And what about the colors? Remember one thing: what we like sometimes is not what the consumer likes. There are color patterns that encourage and there are color patterns that turn people off. You can do some research on colors and moods they reflect by Googling a bit and it could be time well spent.
As mentioned, and it warrants being said again, recent studies have found that 90% of buyers now do their research on the Internet well before they ever call an agent. The days of agents sitting in the office and taking calls is long gone. Buyers are smarter, better informed and they come prepared. Builders need to adjust accordingly.
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