With new home build numbers down, one road to improved fiscal performance is through the options and upgrades leveraged in the design center and model home sales process. However, if you are reading this, I don't have to convert you, I'm "preaching to the choir". One avenue that many of us have not explored to full potential is post-close sales with your satisfied customers.
In retail, maintaining an ongoing relationship with clientele is critical. Retailers spend lots of money to determine the frequency a consumer will visit, how long they shop, and how much money they spend per trip. Ultimately, though, it is the personal relationships that ring the register. Salesperson providing a solution to the consumer.
Can I tell you how thrilled I was when my personal Nordstrom's sales person called to let me in on the upcoming shoe clearance? And what styles I had tried on that were just marked down? (and yes, he got me...to the tune of 3 figures. I refuse to say what those 3 figures were...)
The April 9th issue of AdAge highlights a study of the importance of friends and family opinions on consumer choices. 84% of consumers said they trusted advice from friends and family over information from TV ads (69%), Internet Search information (67%), Magazine ads (60%), Newspaper ads (55%) and it just goes down from there. Most of us are measuring customer satisfaction, an important measurement, absolutely. However, how many of us are capitalizing on customer satisfaction?
Expand the OutDoor Living Room With the Dakota Outdoor Fireplace
Consumers are staying in their homes longer, for now. Opportunities for a post-close sale include finishing the basement, adding an outdoor living room for entertaining friends and family, adding amenities the consumer regrets not choosing, or making life even better with closet or garage organization, a home theater system, and yes, a second fireplace.
Some food for thought for your home buyer: Who knows your needs better than the builder and designer that just built and personalized your home with you? Who already has leveraged competitive costs and the best quality trades in your region? What builder can take care of things to save you time and frustration on a remodel project? If you have done your job meeting the needs of the consumer in the home buying process, this will obviously be you, their builder of choice.
They are a highly qualified lead, and you own all their contact and personal information! Priceless!
It is time we all developed a "Maintaining a Customer For Life" mentality. Many builders are now building for all the life stages of the consumer; first time, move up, active adult. After building even more value and personalization into their current home, shouldn't you be the builder that your customer thinks of first when they are ready for their move-up or active adult new home?
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The Design Minds at Hearth and Home Blog is geared to support design center staff and the new construction industry in selling options and upgrades to the new home consumer. Subscribe for updates. Contact Krisann Parker-Brown for merchandising or marketing support of your design center. She will be happy to work with you on your assortment and presentation to ensure you are on track for the upcoming decor trends.
Krisann Parker-Brown is the merchandising manager for Hearth and Home Technologies, the leading manufacturer and retailer of fireplaces and hearth systems. Krisann supports design centers and new construction builders in presenting Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire hearth systems, and consulting on design center merchandising, point of sale and the consumer experience. Contact her at brownkr@hearthnhome.com or 952-985-6537
