5 Ways to Own Online Sales: Top Tips From Award-Winning Sales Pros

AI-enabled search engines now allow homebuyers to input more specific language in their research for a new home. For instance, rather than simply keying in “Suburban ranch house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms,” buyers are using AI prompts that reflect their lifestyle preferences, such as working from home, current and possible future household formations, personal and family activities, and even whether the nearest Starbucks is within walking distance.

AI can also initiate the sales conversation by prompting prospective buyers to get into the funnel. “AI will search the web for homes and neighborhoods that suit that bigger picture,” Berry says.

And in addition to returning results for a handful of builders that fit those parameters, “It may even prompt users to schedule an appointment,” she adds.

As such, online sales teams and professionals are trying to be as “personal as possible,” says Adyanee Perkins, an online sales counselor at Stylecraft Builders, in College Station, Texas.

“People want to feel like they’re talking with an actual person and not a bot,” Perkins says, referring to an increasingly common online “chat” function that relies on AI to answer basic questions from unqualified sales leads.

Although a buyer’s initial contact may be online, Perkins produces videos of herself imparting friendly, personalized messages to prospects throughout the buying process. “We’ve had fewer no-shows or cancellations [of on-site meetings],” she says, “when [prospects] know someone with a name and a face is waiting for them in the office.”

In addition, online sales teams are sticking with buyers throughout the purchasing process. “It’s a fragile time for people,” Perkins points out. “We need to show them we’re here to help them every step of the way.”

Tara Barlia and Simone Bucany, new-home advisors/online sales counselors with EYA, a move-up infill builder serving the Washington, D.C., market, are finding they need to do more hand-holding, particularly with new, younger buyers. “We’re spending more time walking people through the homebuying process,” Barlia says. And during that time, the sales counselors listen to people’s stories. “Things are more personal and less transactional, which helps build trust in the sales process but also makes our job more fun and meaningful.”

3. Use Video

There is no reason to have static anything—websites, emails, text messages, whatever. And this tenet of today’s home sales landscape is one that leading online sales counselors, such as Lena Burgin, at Level Homes, in Prairieville, La., know intimately. Burgin, who took home the honor of Online Rookie Sales Counselor of the Year, sends video emails using humorous subject lines and content that’s not always overtly sales-related to stand out in someone’s email inbox. For instance, she may share a video of herself walking her dog in the park in one of Level Homes’ neighborhoods.

“I create little videos that start with a person’s name. I introduce myself and let them know I’m not a salesperson,” Burgin says, adding that her videos are opened nearly 30% of the time—an impressive rate for email.

Jessica Myers, a new-home specialist at Caviness & Cates Building and Development Co., in Fayetteville, N.C., uses a QR code on model or move-in–ready homes that enables prospects to take a self-guided tour after sharing a photo of their driver’s license and answering a few qualifying questions.

“If we don’t have an agent available or on site to walk them through a home, or during off-hours, this technology gives homebuyers the freedom to tour one of our homes on their own time and not feel pressured,” she says. “Then I follow up with them.”

4. Try Other Tech Tools 

Tracking a prospect’s progress and homing in on leads is a critical task for any sales professional, and online counselors are leading the way with advanced technology.

Karen Evans, an internet sales specialist for the Wilmington, Del., division of D.R. Horton was awarded Online Sales Counselor of the Year at this year’s Nationals. She says she relies on a platform that records incoming calls when there’s no one to pick them up, uses AI to summarize the content of the call, and provides insights into what customers are looking for. “You can see where people are calling from and where your marketing dollars are best spent,” Evans says. The tech tracks when most calls come in, enabling Evans to adjust her schedule to be available to answer them in person. “It also picks up on keywords, which we can leverage for SEO,” she says.

As for software that helps with lead engagement, Evans says her favorite tech tool this year is a button on the D.R. Horton website that initiates a text message from a prospect directly to her. “When a customer clicks that information, it automatically backfills into my CRM database and I can immediately engage with them,” she says.

From the buyer’s perspective, it looks like Evans is texting from her phone, but she’s actually on a laptop. “These are high-quality leads,” she says. “If they’re willing to engage with you either by phone or text, they are serious homebuyers.”

5. Get Back to Basics 

Even in an age of increasingly sophisticated and helpful technology, it’s important to remember that sales is still, and always will be, a people business, and not just with prospects but also with your peers.

“Networking will make a big difference in sales numbers,” Myers says. “When the market slows, you can lose your morale and your fire.” She recommends in-person sales events as great places to connect with other professionals about their processes.

Online sales counselors may be “standing by” for an online inquiry, but they’re not standing still. Those that do it best are active and engaged with consumers, prioritizing their needs and leveraging available technology to go the extra mile. “We work to build trust and rapport by truly understanding the buyer’s needs and offering tailored solutions,” says Alexandra Neller, a regional new-home specialist for Dream Finders Homes, in Charleston, S.C. “I constantly ask myself, ‘What would make me feel heard and prioritized?’ It's all about long-term care.”