We had an ice storm hit this weekend. In preparation for the impending storm we made sure to run to Blockbuster and get a movie to fend off cabin fever. Seems like everyone else in town had the same idea. Needless to say it was slim pickins’

We ended up with our 15th choice – Talladega Nights – The Legend of Ricky Bobby starring Will Ferrell who plays a NASCAR driver. Senseless humor with no real value – at least that’s what I thought.

With my expectations low – I was pleasantly surprised to take away something “valuable”. Ricky Bobby has a mantra in the movie, “If you ain’t first, you’re last!” He races cars with one thing in mind – coming in first place. He didn’t care about second or third – it was all about being first.

As an Online Sales Counselor, we should keep this mantra in mind when responding to our leads. One of the key factors in higher conversion rates is the speed of that first personalized response or phone call.

You are most likely not the only game in town. A savvy shopper will request information from multiple builders. Create the best impression by being the first to respond. Online shoppers have come to expect this and appreciate the effort made when you get back with them as soon as possible.

As you can see – cabin fever has definitely set in as I pull career lessons from Ricky Bobby. Even so, when you receive those leads, do your best to respond the quickest; and remember “If you ain’t first, you’re last”