This transcript was auto-generated using AI-powered software. Please excuse any typos or grammatical errors.

To listen to this podcast episode, visit Ep 117: Did You Fix Your Website Yet? with Scott Stratten. 

Kevin Oakley 00:12

Welcome to Market Proof Marketing, the podcast from the marketing minds at doyouconvert.com, where we talk about the current state of all things digital and how they impact Home Builders and developers around the globe. We’re not here to sell you, we’re here to help you and to try and elevate the conversation. I’m Kevin Oakley and with me today, as always, is the ad doctor, Andrew Peek,

Bryce Baker 00:31

Episode 117 with Becca and Bryce, how’s everybody doing?

Becca Thomas 00:35

Excellent. How you doing? Great

Bryce Baker 00:37

doing great. Kevin, you have some exciting news about the pulse. It looks like Oh, I

Kevin Oakley 00:41

thought you’re gonna say you’re gonna make a comment about the fact that I’m wearing a hat.

Bryce Baker 00:44

You are everyone is Friday. Friday of any kind though, before I should do that, because I’m always like, I have to do my hair. Otherwise I look like a crazy person. Oh, yeah. And sometimes I just don’t feel like doing it. But if I’m on camera, I kind of have to do it. So I should get hat.

Kevin Oakley 01:01

wearing a hat is because today is pulse pulse prep day. So I have one call this afternoon with with you Andrew and someone else but otherwise, I am both mode. No more cameras for me except for for that call. So yeah, pulse update. We’ve got over 140 registrations recording this on Friday, September 4 from more than 90 different homebuilding organizations. Oh, cool. And yeah, so we’re way ahead of the game because we know virtual events. It’s like last minute because no one’s got to get there. Yeah, Eric airfare, hotels booked, it’s like I’m in so we know there’s gonna be a rush. Just reminder. 915 September 15 will be the cutoff date at midnight for when we’ll be able to take everyone who’s registered up to that point. And start creating VIP pulse groups where we’ll curate them, make sure you’ve got the best possible match of the people that you’re in will also give you an opportunity to get on a call with members from the D convert team and those people in your group so you can meet everyone ahead of time be a little bit ahead of the game, start networking talking to each other right away. Registration will stay open way right on up until the day before the event but we do have a new scholarship opportunity available now. We talked about this on our Facebook Live a week or so ago. And so for every 25 tickets that are sold, we’ll have one scholarship ticket available partly due to the great response we’ve had from our sponsors. So we have a record break I think we’re up to 17 now thing itself on Xbox brownie all signed up as well. Which is great because we use both of those organizations Becker or Bryce You okay?

Bryce Baker 02:38

Yeah, just a sneeze. Okay,

Kevin Oakley 02:41

it’s like you’re about to throw up so real life isn’t I’m gonna go fast because there’s so many but I do I do feel compelled due to their generosity to mention their names here. This is in no particular order. O’Neil Interactive, NterNow, BombBomb, Avid Ratings, Novi home, Zillow new construction, Focus360, BDX, Homebridge, Tuten Creative, uTour, Outhouse, anewgo, Clear Evaluations, Box Brownie, Opendoor. And last, but certainly not least Lasso that’s crazy. Just to see all these names on one screen

Bryce Baker 03:23

like the whole home building world, right?

Kevin Oakley 03:28

Yeah, I don’t know. I feel like this time we pre sold without fail the sponsors somehow it’s

Bryce Baker 03:35

easier to sell, travel your whole team and ship all your equipment. And right there.

Kevin Oakley 03:40

Yeah, the products right. And I did have someone else asked me again, I feel like we’ve put this out there. But the online sales and marketing summit is not the pulse. There are two different events, we’ll continue to do the pulse and other years. However, for this year, most of that content that you would have wanted to get from the summit will be in the pulse. So the summit is is on for 2021 in Dallas, Texas. You can learn more about that at Do you convert.com slash events. We also have had a rush of people signing up for the first ever market proof marketing Academy, which we don’t have time really to talk about much more today.

Andrew Peek 04:15

And we haven’t even talked about it really

Kevin Oakley 04:19

as well as the online sales Academy, which is coming up at the end of October. So lots of stuff and today’s a very special episode because we’ve got a very amazing guest Scott Stratten, multiple New York Times bestselling author on marketing is probably the book that our audience would have known him for the most, but he’s incredibly funny, and a blast to talk to and he’s going to be one of our keynote speakers at the pulse. So we’ll get a little preview of who he is and how he thinks later on this episode, but first, we got to start with storytime. Yeah, who would like to go?

Becca Thomas 04:56

Oh, no. Okay. I’ve been sued. We’re busy this week with pricing increases. And actually last week, as well. And it got me thinking about the different strategies for implementing those price increases. And I know there’s a lot of different ways you can do it. But I’m a fan of the smaller increases that are more frequent. And I’m a fan of increasing the communities that can handle a bigger price increase

Kevin Oakley 05:26

more and spread it out. Yeah, no, across the board increases.

Becca Thomas 05:30

No. I heard it’s easier.

Kevin Oakley 05:33

It’s faster, 10 grand for everything, but some of your communities, even if they can absorb it, right now, once we get back to normal, this is what we talked about a little bit, once we get back to anything that looks more like normal, those communities will be the first ones to suffer. And it’s really hard to go backwards. Remember, it’s it’s easy to go up. It’s harder to go down without trying to take more out of the house, or else you’re gonna have a lot of people upset with you to that backlog. Since your locks are much bigger. That’s a bigger risk as well.

Bryce Baker 06:05

Do you have a favorite day for those price increases as far as marketing? And that wouldn’t just apply on any day. But

Kevin Oakley 06:12

today, how about that? Yeah,

Andrew Peek 06:13

okay.

Kevin Oakley 06:14

Yeah, no, not Friday, just today, like, Oh, I mean, I can’t tell you how many times someone walked by. Hey, Kevin, we’re going to increase prices when now we just did. Yeah. Okay. So it’s not just bad for marketing, because we’ve got a scrambled egg, everything updated. But it’s also bad for sales because they can’t use it as a tool. And that, again, would usually happen when you’re way ahead and operations suddenly realizes we’ve got to catch up now. But in most situations, and for great customer service, usually want to have some, even if it’s 48 hours lead up time to let those people who are on the fence know,

Bryce Baker 06:50

yeah, that they need to move. As we’re increasing the price on this on Thursday. Just a chance to take advantage of the lower price. Before it’s increased. Something like that. Yeah,

07:01

exactly.

Andrew Peek 07:02

Well,

Kevin Oakley 07:03

Bryce, what about you? Yeah. So

Bryce Baker 07:05

as I’ve been going through and checking on everybody’s ads, I’ve noticed a lot of ads are going with comments, or just left hanging, which those comments can turn into leads? It’s just who’s the follow up person? Is that the online sales? Is it marketing? I know both teams are so busy dying or giving one person the role is really important for these leads that are just left standing at this point.

Kevin Oakley 07:31

Yeah, it’s the positive and the negative. Right. There’s the there’s the moderation of not in my backyard crowd or the well, wouldn’t it be nice if everyone could afford those homes? But why don’t you build new homes from the 60s so I can buy one? You got you got those people too? So? Yeah, the positive and the negative? both need to be? Yeah, there’s a lot of opportunity being missed out there. No doubt.

Bryce Baker 07:56

Do you think it matters? Who has it? It’s more important that everyone knows it’s that person or those two, three individuals responsibility. Or in this like right now, OSS do not need to be talking to comments on Facebook, I guess it depends on the organization like they’re

Kevin Oakley 08:12

busy, our marketing, definitely an jewelers on I think she’d be great to talk about this too, since she was a backup for her online salesperson at ideal homes. That’s where marketing has to have some capability to be able to help with a surge. So if if there is a lead surge, and there’s there certainly they shouldn’t be looking at comments before answering the phones. But then who else is and if it’s not marketing, marketing should be asking the question, so that we can get, you know, a sales assistant in the model. Who again, why do we need to have models open for walking traffic, we don’t I can’t wait. By the way, the article that I wrote for professional builder that I think is going to come out in the next issue is like the most exciting, they did such a great job of making whatever I gave them look really good. I was like, Man, this is awesome. But the gist of it without really is that walking traffic is that’s the main thing we should have learned from the pandemic is that we don’t need walk in traffic to be successful. So Bryce, I think it makes perfect sense. Just get a sales assistant, that’s Android, part of it is, ideally have someone who can take them just a little bit further down the process, instead of just, you know, repeating back to them what they already saw in the ad, or just constantly asking, would you like to talk to a professional? Would you like to schedule appointment?

Andrew Peek 09:33

You know, give us some course. Yeah,

Kevin Oakley 09:34

some bit of feedback is helpful to awesome. My storytime is really just a high five to Ryan snarr from destination and we’ve had him on the podcast. He’s an amazing designer. And he was pretty open about some of his own weaknesses that he’s had to work to plug in terms of his role when it comes to digital and understanding some of how that works and the importance of it, but I want to give a shout out to him because he is one of them. Only three or four people, but he’s the most consistent at using a tool that I gave him about two years ago. Now, every day before we have our call, or the day of our calls, he will send me this tracking form that I gave him, which is a version of something I used that every builder ever worked for. That helps you know, if you’re on pace for the month or not, and, you know, are things good or they’re not good, just a, it’s just a great overall sheet of metrics to consider when you’re in the roll. And without fail, he’s got that updated, and it makes our calls much better, just more nuanced. We can look at the entire funnel, visually on this one sheet. And it just reminded me how much discipline is necessary. Because if you’re only looking at data sporadically, which is why we’ve always talked about coffee and analytics go together, or whatever warm beverage you get, like, if you’re not looking at the data on a consistent basis, it just doesn’t work the same way, you’ve got to, you know, the other way I got it, it’s got to feel like a thumbprint. Like, you recognize that you know, the patterns. So big High Five to Ryan. The other caution out there cautionary tale cautionary story is every builder right now is looking at build on your lot and thinking that’s amazing, I should consider that because they’re either running out of home sites. And there’s there’s plenty of land out there. Sure, you might have to have a septic system and might not have city water, whatever. But it seems very attractive, it is a lot of hard work. Go back and listen to Dawn’s episode about that. It’s not just hard work, once you start building. It’s really hard work educating and helping people understand how the pricing works, that you’re going to have to pay for development costs, etc, etc. So just a caution that, if you’re already overwhelmed with leads, adding a build on your lot, division or portion of your company is going to exacerbate that dramatically. Because people don’t understand the price point. And so if you’re already overwhelmed with leads, if you are going to go that direction, just go very, very, very slowly. I wouldn’t run for example, Facebook and Instagram ads about on your lot. Just Just focus on search and other things that are not going to cause the same volume of people who are confused because it takes a lot of education. Yeah,

Bryce Baker 12:23

I think, would you say there’s an average number of like, five times more leads on your lot builders received compared to community?

Kevin Oakley 12:30

Probably through I would say closer to three times. But still, that’s I mean, that’s a lot,

Bryce Baker 12:35

especially right now.

Kevin Oakley 12:36

And the problem is, the percentage of those leads that are saleable, or don’t require significant amounts of education and time for them to go through any sort of process is much, much worse. So if you know, our average right now, do you convert is right around 35 to 40% of leads to appointment across all the builders that we work with, on your lot is typically half that. And so three times more plus half as likely to to go to appointment. That’s a lot of extra work. Second, a lot of extra work.

Bryce Baker 13:17

So it’s tempting, though,

Kevin Oakley 13:19

it is tempting. Just sitting there, we can do it. Alright, moving on to the news. I can’t believe we didn’t talk about this last time. I apologize. I’ve posted this out all over the place on social media because it’s a really freakin huge deal. Or this is from cnbc.com. From August 27. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell announces that new fed approach to inflation that could keep rates lower for longer. I believe I’ve talked about this here. Certainly we’ve talked about it with our builder partners on our calls that I really felt like the main thing that was going to change the current market run was going to be interest rates going back up rather quickly, once inflation hit more broadly, not just in housing. And they kind of said not so fast. And I don’t know if this is because the Fed saw the same thing. You guys heard about the K shaped recovery. We’ve seen that anywhere?

Bryce Baker 14:09

No, but right now, I feel

Kevin Oakley 14:11

like half of all i read now is that other

Bryce Baker 14:13

letters, w l b, right.

Kevin Oakley 14:16

So the K just talks about the fact that one portion of the economy might be experiencing a V, while the other portion is not. And I think that kind of goes to the heart of why the Fed realized they were going to have to adjust this is if housing and certain portions of the economy have large amounts of inflation considered comparable to what the ideal inflation rate is. Then raising rates overall would be harmful, doubly harmful to the bottom half of the economy that hasn’t recovered.

Bryce Baker 14:53

Yeah, like travel, entertainment, hospitality.

Kevin Oakley  14:55

Yeah. All those things in my mind. So the main thing that they said was, hey, we normally our inflation target is no more than 2% a year. And if it goes much above that we’ve got to raise rates relatively quickly. And let’s just take an average blended average of inflation over 10 years. And so this just opens the door for them to kind of willfully ignore what I’m not saying we’re in a housing bubble, but bubbles of a certain nature from an economics perspective to occur in favor of the overall economy continuing to grow. So it’s just strange to hear of this being said, because it’s a pretty radical departure from how they typically would look at it, but low rates are looks like are here to stay for quite a while, which makes the more likely scenario for things that would slow us down, going back to supply and labor constraints, and just bad reputations. I mean, there will be no doubt. within the next six months, there will be some expos a story at a major metropolitan paper or news organization about how homebuilder has left dozens of homeowners in the dark, through delays or not being able to move in or whatever. It’ll be interesting to watch. All right, next up from bankrate.com. Why the coming foreclosure crisis will look nothing like the last one. So first, whoa, hold up foreclosure crisis. Yep, it still is a potential to be rising foreclosures. Of course, like many things, the pandemic, we can’t really feel it all in the real time that we normally would, because the government has delayed the ability to, to foreclose, you’ve got the ability, ability to go on forbearance. But, Andrew, you had some thoughts on this one. I know you were slacking me about the other day.

Bryce Baker 16:50

Yeah. And then then they just announced the delayed until 2021. foreclosures. Hmm. So that’s I don’t know. That’s interesting, looking at the markets as far as like Colorado having the highest risk, or more foreclosures, and then some states, I think, was Kentucky had 00 percent change. You have foreclosures. But I was thinking it’s really interesting. Just if you are if you own rentals, and no one’s paying, so there’s that issue. Yeah. And then just prices in general, then you’re really combined the first article with this one, as prices get higher. And then mortgage commitments get higher? I don’t know, I feel like the first article is changing this one, a little bit like it’s,

Kevin Oakley 17:31

yeah, for sure. Yep. Yep. And one of the main reasons for that difference is this time around Home Equity percentages are much greater. I don’t remember the exact number. But it was a, it was a large number of people that were estimated to have more than 50% equity in their current home. And even in a distress sale situation. We’re not underwater, like we were in 2008 2009.

Becca Thomas 17:58

Now, which is a percentage of homeowners to be in foreclosure is much smaller to I think it was only like two or 300,000. Back in the day, it was like,

Kevin Oakley 18:12

for 932,000. Yeah, in one quarter. Yeah. 2010. Yeah.

Bryce Baker 18:18

Is this a Is this a negative outlook, if someone sells her home, now they have tons of equity, if they purchased it, you know, and the right time to afford the home, depending on what their what they could be qualified for, they might have to put all or most of the equity as a down payment to get the mortgage down, which would then so depends on that, I guess, could then change the risk like and say 2021 or 2022. If people have, say a $600,000 mortgage, they came from a $300,000 mortgage, and then their income were to change, depending on if had put all the equity in or not the equity and they either have cash or they don’t have cash, if prices could adjust down, which then could change

Kevin Oakley 19:02

yes and no only because as long as interest rates are going down or much lower from when you bought that house there’s there’s the equity, but then there’s also the cost of borrowing that is getting lower. And that’s that’s it, as long as interest rates continue to, to hang low. Going back to the first article, that plus the amount of equity that people have. It’s usually not not that that distress sale may not have the same value. But if they put all the equity from their their house into it, then again, they have they have equity there to get out of it in a pinch if they need to. Alright, sometimes people will have told me this, that we don’t talk enough about things other than Facebook and Instagram. So we’ve got to Google stories for you today from search engine land.com Google ads, the limit search terms reporting, citing privacy, but not so fast. This is not really a great thing, is it? ginger,

Bryce Baker 19:55

it’s not but it it depends on your setup. So I have a blog post will be out about this. Probably next week, no, it’s

Kevin Oakley 20:01

out this afternoon. Oh, it’s out this afternoon. Okay, we’re getting this.

Bryce Baker 20:05

I finished it yesterday at like six. So the day before, cool, super fast. So what this means search terms is what people type into Google keyword is what we bid on. So you have those two definitions, we have to make sure we understand what Google’s doing is with privacy, they are limiting. They’re essentially setting a threshold on like, if someone types in a search term once, we won’t see that anymore. So if it’s unique, and I think it’s like 60% of searches are unique. So it’s only if there’s an aggregate of people typing in a search term, will we see it on the search term report? So that could be an issue, if you’re like, at Home Depot, in your search term, if you’re a bidding just depends on your match type of how you’re bidding? So there’s the core issue of like, what are your match types, which essentially tells Google, how loose the search term can be compared to your keyword? Or how different can it be? Remember keywords what we bid on search terms, what’s typed in? So if it’s a 90%, the same, it will show up. But if you bid a different way, it could be 50% different. And then you might not see that, like, Oh, I have all these really bad search terms, but you won’t see them anymore.

Kevin Oakley 21:16

Oh, it’s Yeah, cuz a lot of the worst search terms are low volume, which potentially means low risk from your budget standpoint, potentially. And so some people might argue You don’t have to be overly concerned about that, but also depend on how you’re bidding there. There might be like, all those small little terms in aggregate that lead up to 30% of your spend.

Bryce Baker 21:37

Oh, it? It’s Yeah, the so the positive side, if you weren’t really managing anything before, it doesn’t really matter. Because those issues, were they before? I guess, if that’s positive or not, but you should this now, I think, forces people to have more control over how their keywords are bidding. Yeah, I kind of fixed that. This is

Kevin Oakley 21:55

also a bigger discussion, right? It’s a slippery slope of first, Google started doing this with organic Hey, we’re gonna show you less and less data. Now. There’s, they’re starting to tell you, we’re gonna show you less and less data. And it feels like to me might be my tinfoil hat. Comment of the episode, but this is just them slowly changing the temperature or turning down visibility over time to get us to the point where, like, you’ve talked about Andrew, they don’t watch you really to manage this at all. Just give us your money. Tell us what you want to have happen. A keyword list world. Yeah. Okay. Like a Disney World, right?

Bryce Baker 22:30

Welcome to tomorrow. Keywords are no longer what you worry about.

Kevin Oakley 22:36

I think it’s just as interesting that Google wants to create more black boxes.

Bryce Baker 22:41

Yeah, especially because Google, like if you’re on different, say Facebook groups, or marketing groups, like Google is like the best results is still about having the most control. Facebook, it’s about providing the channels for data to flow between what you want, and then like the facebook pixel. So it’s the opposite. And Google’s still trying to be like Facebook instead of be nice that they went the other direction and gave you even more control. But I think they see that as like less revenue, potentially, for them.

Kevin Oakley 23:11

Only I can think of, I think it’s just them saying we think most people are stupid. And so we can make this easier and simpler, more people will do it. And in some way, they’ll end up trusting us because we’re Google. And I’m just not sure that’s a great long term strategy for them to go down at all.

Bryce Baker 23:29

And back of use, you’ve seen it like the better results we get, like the more a builder wants to spend on Google. Yeah. Which comes with providing more control. Yes,

Kevin Oakley 23:41

yeah, I guess that’s another way of saying I feel like Google’s betting that vanity metrics and people getting excited about activity, regardless of sales, is making a play on it’s just seems very, very strange. And we’ll get one specific example they’re talking about is right now a lot of lot of you listening might look at your your search terms, data, and add negative keywords based upon what you’re seeing there. And this is making that and less viable strategy, you’re going to have to have a better negative keyword list of what you know. You know, without having really, necessarily any data moving forward to go off of you’re going to have to

Bryce Baker 24:17

know Yeah, you’ll have to look a lot of research on your Yeah, look at larger date ranges. I guess the polen if there’s more clicks or just from beginning not have those keywords that are potentially pulling then those irrelevant searches. Yep. Yeah. All right

Kevin Oakley 24:33

from globe newswire.com, which I think means that this is something that this company wrote and just paid a PR release firm to put out into the world but it was sent to me by someone that I like and trust. And so I think it is worth talking about data’s from homes usa.com I guess that we just gave them a free ad but we don’t add we don’t have as a real estate agent survey reveals how Home Builders can increase sales, Dallas area agents want the same access to new homes that they have for existing homes. It’s a very interesting idea. And so basically what homes usa.com did, which by the way, they claimed to be the number one brokerage for new home sales. That’s a little bit interesting because they get credit for every sale in their system through the MLS, whether they actually are involved in the sale or not. So that’s a great way to make it look like you’re the best

Bryce Baker 25:28

record holder.

Kevin Oakley 25:29

Yeah, Guinness world record holder online, but they’ve surveyed more than 4000 agents. And they said real estate agents are nearly unanimous in what builders can do to help them sell more new homes, agents need more flexible scheduling, in order to show them and this creates another interesting use case for tools potentially, like youtuber answer now, rarely, etc. I don’t know that real estate agents would use them. But maybe those companies can create the like a simultaneous MLS access capability in the future. And if they have those now, I’m just not aware of it. But just an idea that they just they want unfettered access to the homes, which

Becca Thomas 26:09

so they really want kind of like a super lockbox that they can just exactly access at any time.

Bryce Baker 26:15

Yeah. But if

26:18

during any stage two,

Kevin Oakley 26:19

yeah, interesting. I’m sure. I mean, nothing against most of the agents listening, but most agents don’t really want access to a house and framing or just you know, that’s too too early in the process unless they really are experts in new construction. My question for you is if you guys had to pick one, a super type box that the MLS would normally use, or a YouTuber, enter now, Brent light types in a situation? Which would you rather spend the money to pay for because super lock boxes are not inexpensive? If you had to pick one, which one would you rather use on your home’s inventories and models?

Becca Thomas 27:01

Isn’t that a long time since I’ve used a super lockbox but I think in order to go You have to go with a realtor, they don’t necessarily share with you their clients information. So follow up is difficult. But if you’re in one of those areas, that’s highly populated by realtors. And almost every sale gets a realtor, I think I would go with a Supra because realtors are not always great at technology and using what they know best. And making it easy, might help you sell more. I think on the other hand, if you live in an area where realtors are not a huge part of your sale, I will go with some one of those others that you can use to capture information for follow up.

Kevin Oakley 27:55

Anyone else?

Bryce Baker 27:56

I’ll go so I think what’s the perspective on the question like just or just answer the question you

Kevin Oakley 28:01

can only afford to use one type of law, okay? Either a lock that caters dominantly to agents or a lock that caters predominantly to consumers.

Bryce Baker 28:09

Yeah, I’ll lean towards jackets answer if I we have tons of realtors come in. And I want to make it easy over the competition for realtors to get into our homes if we have a lot of inventory homes. So if they’re all elderly, or technically challenged, or whatever, like I want them to show our houses whenever they can, even if that means I don’t get to bombard everybody with my follow up. Because if they’re interested, they’re going to follow up with us. Right. Like thinking right now,

Becca Thomas 28:38

you could follow up with the realtor because I know it registers when they enter. And then I think but I don’t know this for sure. Because it’s been so long, that there is kind of like a scheduling software that goes along with it. So you can say hey, I want to visit now. Is it possible and it’ll either say occupied or not occupied?

Bryce Baker 29:00

And if the realtor’s unresponsive, then

Becca Thomas 29:02

then you know, like, I don’t know.

Bryce Baker 29:08

Yeah, yeah. challenging question,

Kevin Oakley 29:11

Bryce. Any other?

Bryce Baker 29:12

I agree. I agree with exactly what they said, depending on the market is depending on the clientele, and whether they’re technology savvy or not. That’s a key role into selling when it comes to lockboxes on the front door. I know entertaining, I would never be able to send my grandmother to go open a lockbox. Like, I can’t even get my mom to know how to work remote. So no offense, Mama, you’re listening. But I think that would be the struggle. So therefore having a real estate agent go along with I think is the most beneficial. Therefore, I think I would actually mainly probably send it only for real estate agents. All right, you guys may have the better answer. That’s just not my answer.

Kevin Oakley 29:58

I’m not saying good. I’m writing You guys are wrong. All the time, I guess I have a different take. And this will prevent also YouTube and enter now folks from you don’t have your actresses, I would only put in the consumer device kind of wherever I was. And for two reasons. One, the agents who are successful and sell the most number of homes, generally speaking, don’t have technology issues, and are like, they’re the ones that are keeping up to date, their current, most of the time, there’s always other situations like my clients call the button, we’ll get it done chain smoking real estate agent who wouldn’t show my house, even after you called twice. This was like 12 years ago, 15 years ago, I think but so I think most of them would, as long as you change your messaging are communicated to them. If they did call and ask for a showing, hey, all you have to do is put in your driver’s license, you can access the home with your client, take them through. And more than anything, I just always want to keep the consumer in my focus. And we know that most people are asking their agent to help them get access to a home. And so if consumers are leading agents much of the time, in terms of things, showing them things, they like things they’re interested in seeing, I would rather start with a customer and have that connection to them. And then over educate over communicate over compensate with the real estate community to get access to it. I actually think the super boxes are more expensive overall than either the other alternatives as well.

Bryce Baker 31:44

I think the it’s interesting, I think the intent is whatever makes it easier to get people in. So if the messaging on your site is realtor friendly, I guess. Yeah. And yeah, I think both work. But if they’re like, Oh, geez, one of those things, like, they’re gonna want me to register. And I’ll have to do this. And like, I just want to drive there now. And show it just like a

Kevin Oakley 32:06

short if you think about the folks that abrazo and Fisher and Mongo and a whole bunch of other folks who had very quickly put about put put out messaging around virtual sales opportunities and on demand access, I think it just would need its own campaign like that director at the real estate community that would get their attention and help them understand that it’s simple and easy. Yeah, but the other thing before I move on, I really like this insight, because most builders are trying to how, let’s give him more bonuses, let’s, let’s just throw more money at the agents that’ll solve the problem. And he says it’s common for builders offer a financial incentive or a bonus to a real estate agent for selling a new home. But the survey shows that access to a home is far more important to an agent than a bonus. And that goes back to control and they don’t want to have to tell their client. Sorry, I can’t get us in until Thursday, when there used to be no say, Yeah, let’s go see it. Yeah, they do.

Bryce Baker 33:03

It’s good night.

Kevin Oakley 33:04

They want to control that. Only coffee makes total sense.

Becca Thomas 33:07

So Amazon principle,

Kevin Oakley 33:09

exactly. Yep. All right. last article for today, Google to start growing digital audio ad business. The headlines, direct direct from Google is listen up new features to grow your digital audio business. And what they’re creating using Google Ad manager is to expand to support audio ads, with dynamic ad insertion for audio programmatic use. So whether it’s something like tune in, or Spotify, as someone is downloading an episode or streaming it live, it will insert the right ad in the right place at the right time. And this is a little sneaky. We’re just talking before we started. Spotify, I pay for the family plan, so that everyone can listen to their music without ads in the house, man. Yeah. But if I listened to a podcast on Spotify, I still hear their, you know, native ads, you buy a word from display, right? Yeah, they can just say whatever they want. And there’s an ad in that. So I think this is a way for them to get around that where I will still be paying for the ability to stream music without ads. But they could argue with their own consumers that it’s impossible for them to remove ads entirely from podcasts because they’ve always been there for the larger shows. Anyway.

Bryce Baker 34:28

Yeah, this I think it just does simplify. It will turn podcasts into monetize YouTube videos, which could be sponsored by whoever, but then still ads every five minutes if the person monetizes our videos.

Kevin Oakley 34:41

Yep. Exactly. Or it’s like display ads with sound, you know, in terms of how you’re bidding that way.

Bryce Baker 34:48

I wonder what the cost would be for a,

Kevin Oakley 34:51

like a builder. No, but I feel compelled to tell anyone listening because I’ve got to set up a new email system just to stop with the people who are like I listened to your last episode, and I would like to suggest myself as a guest, and they have no home building or anything like that. I’m the only person who’s cold spam, emailed Amazon and got business, blah, blah, blah. It’s like, I don’t care who you are. So we are not accepting ad advertising. This will not be on our program. Don’t bother asking

Bryce Baker 35:20

what speed? I think we make, like $7 or something. But that’s on there. Yeah, I get this on LinkedIn all the time. Well,

Kevin Oakley 35:30

all right, let’s take a quick break. And when we come back, we’ll sit down with Scott Stratton, author of on marketing, as well as a book that I just love the title of QR codes kill kittens. We back in just a minute. We’re back with Scott Stratten, a future keynote speaker at the pulse which we’re going to talk about, but more importantly, He is the Creator and marketing, international speaker six Times best selling co author with his wife and business partner. And us. Alison Stratton. Right. Scott, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you.

Scott Stratten 36:26

The people listening right now have to know have to understand that Kevin? Did the perfect thing right before going live there. He made me laugh. I don’t understand that. When you start a show like a lot of times you have the chat like we chatted before you started recording and you just start and you’re just like, okay, let’s, let’s start talking. And you’re like back to square one. Coming into an intro and I’m laughing it changes the dynamic of a show. So I just this is my kudos to you.

Kevin Oakley 36:52

If there’s anything I’ve learned from listening to podcasts over the last 10 years it is to let the audience know that something fun just happened that they missed out on Yeah,

Scott Stratten 37:00

we can we can just kind of ostracize everybody and including Andrew, by the way, because I’ve just been complimenting you. And Andrew, you also made me laugh, but I just haven’t. It’s not not right.

Kevin Oakley 37:12

Yeah, well, Scott, we’re gonna talk a lot about who you are, what makes you tick, but I want to start off with a really softball question for you. Okay, fired in there. True or False QR codes kill kittens.

Scott Stratten 37:25

True and False. If I when you write a book called QR codes kill kittens. And it’s a picture book of business screw ups. That’s what it is. When you write that book. And I we still stand by it proudly. But then Seven, Six years later, a pandemic heads. And so everybody is contactless. And so restaurants start using QR codes on their menus. And it works because Apple finally has a native QR code reader in their camera. Do you know how many people send you articles about the resurgence of QR codes when you write a book every day, a plethora if I may say and but thing is the funny thing about QR codes you’ll get and there’s actually a backstory to to that whole thing. So first off, as I would say, seven years ago, and I still say it now. There is nothing inherently wrong with any technology. QR codes included. I’m a huge geek. I’m a huge tech geek, I love anything tech, anything disruptive, anything that could also make the path to buying easier for consumer. But that’s everything about it. And the problem with QR codes. I always said in a vacuum and a closed system, they’ve not only do they work, they have been working for a very long time boarding passes for airplanes, tickets to a venue for a concert or a sporting event or anything like that. They’ve been working for a very long time. Thank you very much. Doesn’t matter what Scott says about what they do to kittens or anything else. And that’s true. They are brilliant. It’s when we rolled them out to consumers as a marketing tactic, where the QR code took up a third of the ad or half of the ad or part of on a on a bus ad by the way do I run after the bus while scanning? I don’t know. Anyway, so it Scott,

Kevin Oakley 39:08

there was a mini logo in the middle. So it was a branding. qR.

Scott Stratten 39:15

Don’t get me wrong QR codes were great for marketing agencies. They’re great. That’s a whole new thing you could sell you like oh, we will we will also for $500 we will generate the QR code

Kevin Oakley 39:25

generate. Click on

Scott Stratten 39:27

Yeah. And and so it was funny. So on stage once on a gig. So I’ve done like over 500 talks for in conferences for keynotes. And I said in 2013 I said on stage I was written. Anything I always talk about starts off as an impulsive rant on stage in front of people, which is not over the best way to do things, but I was losing it about QR codes. I said Look, listen, I said every time use a QR code and your marketing kitten dies. And the place went nuts laughing and I’m like, Oh, I’m onto something. And so I started using that because I had a QR Code ran in the middle of most of my keynotes. And it was the lunacy of doing him like somebody emailing me a QR code, I’ll give you I’ll give you a sec. You know, it’s just like, it’s like it’s like, and so then I did a whole like skit of where it were an email comes in on a phone where the camera is and like doing like a whole point of view where the camera and you want me to scan it, but the big problem was they weren’t natively recognized. And like the iPhone camera, Android did it much earlier. But it’s like when you pull it up your camera, the QR code, it automatically senses there’s one versus opening up a different reader downloading it and understanding it. I’m like, you’re asking humans, too much to do right now. And people like, well, you just get an you just download an app? And I’m like, have you met humans? Like, overall? Have you met humans? in technology? Have you ever like, I am still having to go reset something or plug something in for a multitude of people in my family, because I want to show them I could reset the clock on a VCR. So it’s like the that was the big problem with it. And and now they’re finally it only took a pandemic. And I’m so glad

Kevin Oakley 41:00

it was all that stuff, too. And we’re not going to talk about QR codes this whole time. But it was it was also just marketer saying, well, this is great. Now, all the stuff that the marketer can get from it really never, I would argue it never was about making the customer experience easier. Nine out of 10 times Anyway, it was well now we’ll know how many people are looking at our signs in real estate

Scott Stratten 41:20

like, And therein lies the problem that we do the things that may cause an issue or cause another hurdle because we want something else, which is fine in business, like there’s a lot of things we go especially on the back end that allows us to look, we always want to find out if the intent is good or not. Here’s the thing, I think people were confusing, or I was confusing with it as well that it was not the intent. That was the problem. It was the execution of so that when somebody wants to, like I want to know if I’m selling if I’m putting in like the famous line, right, I know, half my advertising works, I just don’t know which half and that whole thing like that, you know, age old type of of saying is that I want to know, to everybody should want to know what is actually creating action, right? a good chunk of marketing is pushing people towards an action towards a brand and then a sales takes over. But with this type of stuff, you know, Call now and ask for operator 23 or call now and ask this it’s all tracking, right? It’s all extension 123. It’s all tracking type of stuff. It’s not new type of things. The problem is when we use it, because a lot of times I feel that these codes were also used to show that we’re using QR codes. Absolutely. It was to show that hey, we are this company that we are hip, we are cool. And all it does is make the hipper, younger, cooler people that use the tech make you look dumb because it didn’t work because also half the time you’d scan it and then it wouldn’t go wouldn’t go to a mobile friendly site or wouldn’t go, all these things would happen. I’m like, so it actually makes you look worse. But as we all know, people are like, well, let’s let’s, you know, people come up to me, and they’re like, should we do a snapchat campaign? And I’m like, Can you fix your website first?

42:50

Yeah, I’m

Bryce Baker 42:51

like, Yeah, because

Scott Stratten 42:52

it’s from 2002. And it’s not rendering exactly right. You need to be I need to be responding, you know, has to be responsive design, and they’d look at me and go, what is What are you saying, I don’t understand the words you’re using. I’m like, this is why you shouldn’t go on Snapchat slash Tick Tock slash QR code, like build, fix your base first. If all of this stuff if all the marketing we’re doing if all that, and I don’t have a problem with no marketing is bad. I really need to say this. Because my work on marketing people are like, you’re against marketing? No, I greatly enjoyed marketing greatly. And anytime somebody says, Well, this is dead. So direct mail is dead, you need to use this, they’re usually selling the solution. Exactly. Okay, they’re selling the alternative. And by the way, I and since I’m going to tell you that it’s all social media and these 27 sites, I know you don’t have time, but I’m gonna tell you about all of them, I’m going to overwhelm you. So then at the end of this webinar, conference talk, you’re

Kevin Oakley 43:43

just gonna be happy to help you with that. We’ll be happy

Scott Stratten 43:45

with that consultation. There is no bad marketing channel. There’s just bad marketing in those channels. And everything. I think direct mail right now is better than it’s ever been. To be able to use, I think I think addressed direct mail is one of the best methodologies you can possibly use right now marketing if it’s done well. So when you look at all of these things, we tend to throw things away or, or, or the opposite. We want the shiny new thing. We want to talk about Snapchat versus saying all this effort we do. And I don’t care if you do Snapchat, tick tock QR codes, everything else, where’s the end goal here. And if it’s to go to your site, if it’s to go and think about buying a new home, investing in some properties, or looking at what’s going on in your neighborhood, and I get to your site and all this effort, and all this time comes and I can’t read your site on my phone, or I can’t contact you properly through it, or you’re forcing me down a road that I don’t want to contact you in a certain way. What’s the point of all this?

Kevin Oakley 44:38

Yeah, Seth Godin. This quote was, we’re always obsessed with the next big thing and we don’t realize that the the big things already here and we’re ignoring it. I get

Scott Stratten 44:46

asked every every year around November, December to add my thoughts to everybody’s lists. Right and it’s a wonderful privilege. I get to have people like so where’s the guy talking about disruption a lot and they’re like, so where do you see and I also get, you know, known for the social In your world, and like what do you what do you see in 2021? What do you know? What should companies do? And I said, we have to do 2014 still, we have a better six years ago than we do it because it’s then it’s just a jack Russell Terrier running around on a ferret, like here, here, here, here here. Focus is what is I think is sexy and marketing. Yeah, plan is the hot thing to me to do it well and do it right, and then yet accountable and trackable and figure this stuff as

Kevin Oakley 45:29

scary, though, for marketers, because the more you focus, and the more you learn something, the more you realize what you don’t know.

Scott Stratten 45:35

I think on the surface, it’s scary. No, I agree. I agree. It is scary. But I think the good marketers, I think the people who are in marketing, because marketing is a way to get messaging out there properly and resonate it, you actually, I think you want a lot of this stuff to what because I think your marketing is data. And because the problem with marketing is, especially the the wrong type is just like we’re just gonna put it out there. And we hope it comes back. And that’s not nothing works well, that way we can talk about branding, and sponsors and impressions and sentiment and all those type of things. But at the end of the day, I think in marketing, we do want more of this stuff, because then we can be more there’s more accountability, we can directly relate mark to dollars. I mean,

Kevin Oakley 46:17

Scott and I are completely aligned for those of you can’t see my facial expression that I just said. But what we talked about internally at D convert a lot is that we find is as not not everyone for sure. But a lot of people that we work with, and certainly those that we don’t marketing is is like the least accountable. Oh, like, we’re going to talk about the CRM and actual lead counts. And what’s happening after that, Oh, for sure. No, that’s the sales like, we don’t want accountability. And I think that’s an absolutely huge mistake, because accountability is what gets you paid accountability is what increases your career path. accountability is the one that gets us gets you a seat at the executive board so much. Yeah,

Scott Stratten 46:54

yeah. And you can sit there and go this made this happen. And now not, but not because we can also have a whole long, multi day debate on data, right, and vanity data versus correlation versus causation. And we could there’s a lot. So it’s also the problem is also make sure you’re reading one of them. One of the main things for me, one of the talks I would do is data is called Data digits and dummies. Right? And is it all the things that is dangerous and vanity metrics and, and so that’s a scary thing, too, because I can make and you and anybody listening to this right now can make you know, with with any stat, I can make it up that whole line right? 79.6532% of stats are made up.

Kevin Oakley 47:32

Right? And without context, especially, you know, bingo.

Scott Stratten 47:36

Oh, so much number so much. So,

Kevin Oakley 47:38

sales are up 100% here, but the competitors are up 300% wages 100% sounds impressive. You know, let’s just say always,

Scott Stratten 47:46

I always say the most important case study, you can read and mirror emulate as your own. Because the problem is when you see case studies, sometimes I love and I love I love case studies, I love seeing things and giving me the behind and looking at KPI I eat that stuff. And I’m such a nerd, I love this stuff so much. But the problem with that stuff is is then saying, oh, okay, we just have to do this, there is no just in any of these things. There’s no just in case studies, there’s no just in any of your case study, right? Like there is work involved. And there’s an you make it into a post. And it has to be a couple you know, you know, here’s three points and then everything else, but you also didn’t see all the other things that go with it. That the the intellect behind the people who made the decisions, the either the the ability to make certain decisions in time versus getting 17 approvals for something, right? So it’s like all these things. It’s great to have all these best practices, but it’s your stuff. Yes, you want to look at and you know, did

Kevin Oakley 48:42

you know this? Because you’re you’re a keynote speaker, people lie at conferences. Oh, I don’t mean the keynote speakers, every keynote speaker, but the number of people who have come up to me after a talk and they’re like, Well, our cost per lead is $40 here, and then I end up working with them later. I’m like, well, you said it was 40 Well, that was like that was close to where we were somebody’s

Scott Stratten 49:05

like, but I don’t here’s what I have for you both share my pain. I’m like, why is anybody guessing? We have the data? Yeah, we have not only do we have data, we have real time data from Google you have

Kevin Oakley 49:22

any of us have I’m sure Scott though, is that because there’s there’s the creatives and then there’s the there’s the nerd data people and you rarely did the to mix is that the problem? 100% 100% I guess that’s why we’re such rare people, Andrew,

Scott Stratten 49:36

and also though you get some and I’m generalizing here but a creative side of stuff. Sometimes also doesn’t sometimes doesn’t want to break that down too hard, because there’s but there’s two reasons. One is because part of marketing isn’t about direct call to action, or that is there and then there’s a whole thing of there and I do agree with that. But the other side is sometimes and creative, myself included. By the way. I’ve done this with videos, I’ve made another type of things I see it happen, I see the numbers and I’m like, the video is better than that. It’s a better thing than what it got. I’m like, and then I started thinking, you’re all a bunch of fools. You don’t even appreciate good content, right? You know, like for me, so it’s just like I have this also, like a recording artist putting out a single doesn’t chart the way and I’m like you, I’m wasting my talent on you people like that. So we get we get part of that, that just comes with creativity, too. Because creativity is because something’s made. And then of course, it’s hammered down sometimes and then and then watered down and it goes out there, then you have this doubt. And you’re also because also then you also be judged by stuff. And then sometimes your job is judged by this, or a client is judged by this. So I don’t fault that. But if you can find that if you can get that creative with the analytical, oh my goodness, unstoppable on stoppable. It’s hard to go.

Bryce Baker 50:46

And the homebuilding world, the markers I think have a little bit more difficult time because of the influence of like, where that community is where that home is, can make or break your perfect strategy. Now, you know, if you put it two miles this way, nothing’s gonna work that you think would work. Now you’re like, what am I doing? Am I failure is my boss think I’m terrible? Like this worked for 90% of what we do. Yeah. And now this one community

Kevin Oakley 51:10

says, tell the story, Scott, when I went to Pittsburgh in 2009, my builder that I worked for was the official home builder of the Pittsburgh Steelers. And they paid 300 grand a year for the privilege of saying they were the official builder, the Pittsburgh Steelers. And then you had to pay money to tell people that you were the official builder on top of that. And so the first thing I was like, Guys, we can’t do this. Our budget just doesn’t allow this. This isn’t a good use of funds. And they would they would argue with me and I would say do you think anyone says to themselves, I really want to be in the Matt libo School District. But you know what? They’re the official biller, the Pittsburgh Steelers, so my kids can go to canon Mac. Now, that’s not how anyone is making these decisions. And not that we can’t get back to making so much ridiculous amounts of money that we can we can become that again, right now. wherever you are. It’s not we don’t have the funds to get same or better, which is the way that I talked about I think what you were just saying, Scott is what metrics should we hit the same or better every year? Yeah, all these places that

Scott Stratten 52:10

were on benchmark. And that’s where sponsorship is, it’s a it’s a funny part of the industry, because under sponsorship to, you know, used to be sponsorship, and it was brought to you by dentists are being stadium names. And that was moving and that was the and we’ve always had the official this of this right. You know, we from my a lot of the TV when I was growing up like we talked about before coming on here. I was a buffalo new york. So I’m like the official air conditioning of tonawanda of Chico and like so I know the commercials from that. So I know the all those type of stuff. But it’s it’s a funny thing when it comes to the justifying of the cost. And I had hopped on so where we are in, in Toronto here, right that we’ve had different names. I spoke at a sponsorship convention. Last year, I walked out and we’re in Toronto, right. So we have all the main arenas, and stadiums, and it used to be skydome, Air Canada Center and the Molson amphitheatre. And they changed it to the Rogers center, Scotiabank arena and the Budweiser stage. And I walked out and I said, it’s really nice to be in Toronto, but sponsorship, because we have these three places, and I named all their old names. Like, you know, skydome this and of course, the whole audience is like, No Does he not. And I’m like, you’re the only ones that care I sent around. I set them all up, I just set them all up and then just took a swing. And I was like understand nobody cares about sponsorship as much as you do. So and that was a hole it cost them and it caused some issues. But it’s the point, which is I believe in sponsorship dollars, I believe in sponsoring things I believe I think it really does something. But the problem is a part of that too, is access or vanity. and rightfully so, right if I’m going to get Ford for field passes to Steelers game, and my own thing and this and this and it’s also a legit business expenses and other things to Sure. And when money is coming in freely and everything else do your

Kevin Oakley 53:57

there’s no doubt that most sponsorships are merely a way to reduce tax liability of you know, making we have so much money, what do we do with it?

Scott Stratten 54:06

If you build a company in your whole life, and you work and you want to become Yeah, the official driveway paver of the Dallas Cowboys, then give Jerry some money and go. That’s awesome. I think it’s awesome. The problem being is that also you also then you break it down and say, Okay, do we want to have this accountability part of it? Where we’re going to say this equals this and this equals that? And you just can’t say, Well, I think that doesn’t that doesn’t work because you because you can’t. You can’t just say Well, I think because we know and the problem is when somebody says well I think and somebody else says why no because here’s the numbers well who then who gets the invite the table right? I can prove it. That’s why we kind of get our butts kicked sometimes in sales versus marketing because sales has the number here it is there you go. But then you’re like can we attach this to this and this to this and then in fighting for budget, it’s in fighting for the the annual things and I also understand that I also was corporately in HR. So you look at these everybody’s fighting for these positions at the executive table, and you have the the CEO and the CEO and the CFO, is there a CMO? Is there a CMO at all? Are they VP of marketing? There’s only from HR. So you’re fighting for these scraps? Sometimes they’re versus, you know, look, if our business or business is only a few things, it’s either a product or service. And its people. There’s no, there’s no business that doesn’t involve humans and either a product or a service, what makes those things happen? Why are so many different

Kevin Oakley 55:32

trails you keep opening up, but places we could go? I feel like we haven’t even finished the conversation with it. But you’re, you’re you’re right. And yet, I feel like our industry is trying to figure out how to reduce the number of people as fast as possible right? Now, homebuilding is obsessed with, how can we automate? How can we digitize? How can we get rid of as many humans to be helpful in this process, because we’re in this group think Ly, that humans really don’t ever want to interact with another human and they don’t if you don’t provide value. But if you provide value, that’s still

Scott Stratten 56:03

and it really comes down to one thing, to me is how big is the trust gap. But the purchase really, for me, this is what we have. It’s on our wall somewhere behind me here, I think it’s a stretch, but there’s just like, so you look at you look at there’s gaps, right, we and I’m not the first person to talk to you or to your industry and talk about how you have to earn trust. It’s been said quite a bit in the industry. But here’s the you have to visualize it for me. So when I have to go, if I want to go buy a pair of socks, just socks, I’m not talking fancy. I’m not talking, I got to coordinate with my outfit, I mean, just a pair of socks and I got to schlep around and whatever it is, I don’t need a huge amount of trust in let’s say the storm going to go by because there’s already a brand and I’m going to get if I get I get Nike socks I’m gonna get started or whatever that is, but I don’t have to then I don’t have to research for a month, usually run by that or bag of chips, I already see it or I see laser or Lay’s chips and ruffles or anything I see the brand in the store, I’m gonna go get that when I buy a new home, when I’m looking at looking on the trust gap is immense on so many levels, one that’s about the especially location, location, location, that’s also not the first time that’s been said. But there’s also the builder and where I’m going to go. And the problem is when you hear about new homes being built in buying them and it’s exciting, but it’s also extremely extremely, extremely stressful. When you look at any kind of list made by psychologists or psychiatrists from any medical school anywhere on the top five stressful things in your entire life is buying and or selling a home and some people are doing both at the same time. So with higher stress means the Trust has to be even the gap is even bigger. And how the number one way you create trust is build chatbots.

57:40

Right. Sorry,

Scott Stratten 57:43

chat bots. The number one way to build the humility of humanity. This is an automated thing that doesn’t work properly. It usually or you know what’s never been said by somebody who wants to buy a new home. Hey, everybody, you know, you know, hey, Jeff, you know, when I call the bank, and they say my calls important to them. And there’s unusually high call volume right now. And the weight will be eight to nine hours. But they’ve said unusually high call volume for 12 years now which is makes this a usual and then I can’t reach and then I get disconnected. Can we do that virtually now? And just not get anything done? Again? I like I understand automation. We already did. We’ve just got I am. I love making things more streamlined, more fluid, everything Oh, if it wasn’t for automation, I couldn’t do what I do. Right newsletter everything else. Automation has a great place. I love it. But you can’t automate relationships. You cannot you cannot have a would you send a mannequin to a local networking event? You literally are doing that with your logo, but you’re there. Oh, you’re there. And by the way, if the conversation gets too dicey, or they don’t ask within the three parameter questions, we’ll call somebody to come to the event and talk to you. They might be six to 12 minutes to get there. But they’ll come if you can just wait and stand beside the mannequin.

Kevin Oakley 59:05

I’ve talked about the main street USA Disney is not putting animatronics on mate. Welcome to Main Street, thank you for your 510 grand not be the same. This is modeled after an Amazon one of the most technological companies in the United States, if not the world employs more humans. I hate to say it this way and not that this is right. But the right humans are less expensive than the bad automation

Scott Stratten 59:31

is I say to every audience in this industry, and I’m not talking about just just building homes. I’m talking about building homes. I talk about real estate, I’m talking about mortgage industry, every one of these industries have this same type of thing. And they have it’s almost this hypocritical type of thing. And like I talked to them people been business forever. What’s the biggest way? What’s the biggest way to any real estate agent? Any builder Anything else? What is the number one way you’ve gotten new clients? Like Well, it’s for referrals. What creates referrals? Oh, happy existing clients, chat bots and QR codes. How do they get happy? Well, we have a good relationship. So you believe relationships, build good businesses? Yes. And make building them your business? I don’t I don’t understand how this equation is not the most basic equation in the history of this planet. If you believe business is built on relationships, make building them your business. Do you like talking to a chatbot? No. Can they help if you’re looking for something? Baby? Sure you calling you know, hey, press one to do this. Press two. Okay, we can deal with that.

Kevin Oakley 1:00:31

But but it probably so isn’t that just a loopback of like, you were too lazy to read what it says in 20 point font on our website. So now the chatbot can tell you the same answer that you could like it.

Scott Stratten 1:00:41

These people, these people are making six to seven figure purchase decisions. You can put up with their crap. Yeah, you can like that. You can put up with their crap. If you’re gonna, if you’re selling, if you’re selling bags of chips, okay, I’m not putting up with your crap. You want to know what’s in the chip to read the ingredients? You want to know. But if you’re actually nice about it, and you talk to me about the history of chips, now I’m impressed look creepy, but impressed. If you love creating community, if every single new home builder, every single builder out there, as community somewhere in their signage on their website, because your your your I need to I need to relax. You are the literal builder of community. But the word community is a verb. It’s what you do. Yep. It’s how you act. It’s how you converse with each other. And if you want to start this community, by pretending you’re talking to them, because a lot of bots, my problems with chat bots, and I think it’s a fantastic, fascinating technology is the fact that some places actually pretend it’s a real person, right? The ones who say this is a chatbot. And then we can see if we can help you. If not, we’ll kick you to a good one. I love the disclosure of it. I don’t like the execution of most of them. But I like the disclosure of it. But if I think I’m talking to somebody and I realize I’m not that Olden erodes trust, and trust, is the we just aren’t going to talk it’s going

Kevin Oakley 1:02:12

well, and that’s very even when you’ve got humans, but you try to give them some technology. Like every CRM system out there, we’re gonna Well, we could just automate those emails. I mean, after you have any interaction at all, with another human being, none of those work well enough for what type of risk and an investment people are making. Anytime somebody signs up for my newsletter. So the on marketing newsletter I’ve been I’ve had the site of the company for almost 20 years,

Scott Stratten 1:02:39

I have had the exact same automated, welcome email message when they sign up for my newsletter, okay. And here it is. When you sign up, you go into a marketing account, sign up, you don’t have to, but it’s up to you not do it, and sign up. It’s automated. And they get a message immediately, like automation does. Hey, thank you so much for signing up for the marketing newsletter. I know how crowded inbox can get and I really appreciate you giving us a slot in there. Can we ask what what industry you’re in? We really like tailoring our content and stuff to different industries. And I find it fascinating to see what industry of reason. Sincerely, Scott, every day, I get replies. Almost 20 years, not a lot. I don’t get a lot. Most people don’t reply. And every reply starts saying, hey, Scott, I know this is automated, but I figured out a reply. And then I reply back automated is the nicest thing I’ve been called. So you tell me you work here and here and here. I was just there last year love the love that place or, you know, whatever. Whatever. I interrupted, I would fly everywhere. And the biggest impression wasn’t that the even the intro email, which most places don’t do, ever the biggest thing was, oh my god, you replied. Oh my god, I was on man. And so then I get to turn her on the other side of it and say no, it’s me because it’s me because how long does it take me to type something in a reply 20 seconds to these people who have raised their hand and said I am I’ve read your stuff or watch the video. I like it. And I’m going to return that hi fi back with them with you’ve just signed up. Here’s the information you just gave us. Thanks so much to unsubscribe here buy a house go here do this automated 1234 and they sent from do not reply all caps at home builder.com the way how is that starting a conversation or community? No, I don’t understand. I don’t understand I called

Kevin Oakley 1:04:20

the US. Us football metaphors. The technological stiff arm. It’s like you’re interested prove it. Because we’re like, try to get to me like you do with your younger brother sister when you’re

Scott Stratten 1:04:30

fine. And then we and then we have a whole thing where we get leads. I used to be a national sales training manager of a packaging company. I flew around North America training people how to sell bubble wrap. I’m gonna say that again for everybody so they can really really hear me because right now they’re like, what did you say? I flew around North America train people how to sell air. If you think selling New Homes is hard. Try running two day training schools 16 hours of content on pretty much

1:04:57

that’s it. Wow, double commodity.

Scott Stratten 1:04:59

His greatest greatest level. So when you look at these we and so we would sit in trade shows and I would work the trade shows at McCormick Place in Chicago and all the big places we’d spend a million dollars on these things bring the whole team down. I we’d have all of our fancy bowling kind of shirts and stuff tradeshow booths 10 hours a day on our feet. Collecting leads scan and badges, hobnobbing chat and talking, giving away swag, wondering why a different place gave better swag trying to figure out which booth gave that swag better and everything else. And we’re walking around there doing the stuff. And then at night, I would go to my room 10 hours on McCormick Place floor, I’d go to my room, I would parse the leads out, I would move them around, give them to the right sales people send them out that night training to get back to them by tomorrow while they’re still here. Before the noise happens when you get back the week after the the buying show that week after the trade show. Whenever he starts getting flooded with messages. I’m like, hit him up. This is how we differentiate this stuff. So they still get a message when they’re here. And they’ll come back to the booth and I can’t believe I got your email. And 97% of the leads I sent over those three days. never even got an initial follow up. Yep. And then I asked the salespeople I said, Why? Just Why? Did you not follow up on any of these? They’re like, we looked at the leads. They’re just tire kickers like you sure. All 640 that I spent 30 hours on the wonderful, wonderfully cushioned and comfortable McCormick Place floor. Because we had carpeting. So we paid extra for it. And was the biggest thing is saran wrap you decided not for you? And then what is the complaint? We don’t get good leads.

Kevin Oakley 1:06:45

I don’t know if we have time to go all the way here. But I’m curious your thoughts on lead scoring? Not that it’s always bad. But I feel like that the fact that you are going to score leads is it admission that you know you cannot actually interact with all of them. And that’s the problem that I have with it.

Scott Stratten 1:07:01

I don’t even know if you want my opinion, because you pretty much just gave it that’s it. Pretty much.

Kevin Oakley 1:07:07

We don’t have time then

Scott Stratten 1:07:08

we got time for another but but i think but I think here’s the thing with with anything with with testing, and data and keep going on with with we know what we say about data and my HR background. And I so I took in college, I took HR in college. And so there’s a lot of profiling done so personality profiling MBTI What color is your parachute? A lot of these things right as somebody What are you? You know, FP I’m an ENFP? Some people see that, like, Oh, of course,

Kevin Oakley 1:07:32

are you a blue, red, right?

Scott Stratten 1:07:33

Or, you know, it’s it’s it’s literally the business version of astrological signs. Okay, pretty much.

Kevin Oakley 1:07:38

And there’s a new one every three years, because we’ve got a thank you

Scott Stratten 1:07:42

and most of them have going off the same base test one way or the other. You know, Myers Briggs, Myers nor Briggs, I believe was actually somebody who was actually qualified to create one of these things. But if it’s narratives and the problem with any kind of qualifying type of things, right grading leads, is that we also don’t we don’t check our own biases. Grading leads we do by sometimes by zip code. There’s a lot of bias in there. There’s a lot of layers and problems in there. So be careful how you’re grading things, be careful and check for bias, you don’t know what that is. hire somebody who understands that not me, by the way, hire somebody who understands what data or surveying biases, because do not want the most accurate data. And if you are throwing away leads, can you please, can you please make sure you whatever you’re grading them with is right. Yeah, it is accurate?

Kevin Oakley 1:08:32

Well, and the homebuyer journey is so long. That’s what Andrew and I’ve talked about for a long time. Some of my go back to that community page five times in a week. But you have no idea in that year long ish process. Are they going back there? Because they keep fighting with their spouse about how much they hate your community and never want to live there. But your lead score keeps going up. Look, they’re interacting, they’re back there may site

Scott Stratten 1:08:58

is dangerous. Yeah. Yeah. But it can be because it will confirm bias. It’ll confirm your own misconceptions about things. It may throw doubt money down the toilet. Yeah, you have to make sure the data you are using is right. It then takes Look, here’s our goal. This matches it. And it there’s causation.

Kevin Oakley 1:09:20

Yeah, I think that’s where we’re like, to me, the thing I’m taking away from this is implicit bias plus the right data. Both of those things have to be clear to the audience. Yeah, we’re out something inauthentic is happening most likely.

Scott Stratten 1:09:33

And then it’s just something to confirm what I’m thinking feeling or guessing and that’s when when so and when those salespeople got the leads that I would send them they’re like, Yeah, no, that and it was either industry location, or the person or name right. It was just and it was also there was laziness. It was also you know what I met with the three people at this trade show I wanted to me that I’m not even bothering it’s not worth my time but and also then the sale because the sales people only have X number of hours in a day. I understand that but when you put in the work in the time To say, look, here’s how it’s gonna work and make your life easier, then automating

Kevin Oakley 1:10:06

the irony to is, hey, we need to hire some more salespeople so we can actually interact with all of our customers. Oh, no, that’s not a good answer, either. Because now, you know, my pocket, you know,

Scott Stratten 1:10:18

sometimes who runs your company, and if it’s sales, that’s a huge mistake. Right? So with to me if sales should run a company sales is the division of a company, you have somebody who is above commission, usually, to look at what’s best. Because as soon as you create Commission on something, which is an incredibly great motivator, and it’s one of the most wonderful ways to set to structure as a Salesforce, there’s bias. There’s bought but there’s also bias on the person running the company in the packaging company I worked for our one of our sales people finally eclipsed the president in earnings that year because a commission, which meant he was killing it. Yeah. And the President said, we have to change the comp structure. I will I’m not not making less I’m like you have equity in the company. Overall, so how this works is when you so he’s not getting a commission, when you sell your shares your stock and it was this so then you’re but it’s also the maybe the person is the best to run the company. You have to be careful, because also sales incentives are different, right? Do you hit we’re gonna hit that because I speak at these events, or I did. We speak at these events like you hit that million or whatever, we’re going to do the sales incentive trip, right? I’ve spoken in Hawaii, I spoke in Puerto Rico I spoken in, in Amsterdam, it’s looking like all these incentive trips is one of the big biggest things I got to do. I loved it. But the problem is, then that million becomes the floor next year. And then we’re going to go here, and we’re going to go here, and if it simply does 10 10% increase every year. I’m like, that’s not hard.

Kevin Oakley 1:11:43

Wells Fargo fake bank accounts, eventually.

Scott Stratten 1:11:46

That’s the problem that but that’s where it starts happening. Yeah, that’s where that is because then the incentive becomes the thing, not the company’s goals. And people say, Well, yeah, well, sales are the incentive. Yeah, yes. And no, the right kind of sales are go. Okay, so one of the biggest problems that I dealt with in sales when I used to do the consulting side of it, too, and like the workshops and working with teams, was that there was this whole thing of it was like, the commission side of it again became the point and they got comfortable. And then with commission, right, you you live or die on that sale number. So then you started getting those biases started, you know, narrowing and narrowing your field of vision. Because that worked last year, different conditions, different sales conditions, or whatever was going to be that was a huge issue. We don’t look at that. And it’s not about the set, because also it was over promising and under delivering. So we looked at Well, they got So when did it When did they get the commission? Oh, it’s on this on the signing? Okay, great. Um, it totally makes sense. Okay, got it. But then what happened? Nine months down the road, right? When the builder update and saying, by the way, this will take this long and someone comes and said, Wait a second, no, the salesperson said, if this changes, I can then pull out if I want to do this, because the incentive was based on front loading of that, signing the deal. And we’d have that how many companies not just your this industry, but but almost every industry? When you walk into operations, say How often is sales over promise thing like that? Will they never under promise? That’s for sure. Because it was a smile

Kevin Oakley 1:13:14

to be a good incentive for marketing not to hide all the information behind a wall or behind salespeople, right? We shine more light.

Scott Stratten 1:13:22

That’s why it’s all too There is no wrong one wrong group here, or right group, it’s usually one or two of them. And the other ones have to compensate for that. And sit there like look and their name. Look at our look at our year here are the sales and here it is, and then what your turnover operation is like 190% right? It’s like sales. Having a good sales year doesn’t matter or is worse. If you ruin your operations, your building team or any of that type of stuff. That’s That to me is branding, though. Branding isn’t about the font and the colors and that that has to be done right. But it doesn’t matter anymore as soon as you mess up the first home or over promise or under deliver it this is the problem homebuilding at least where I am in trust west of Toronto. Yeah, we understand homes a small market. Yeah, that market is quite something. And so whole new home developments around here and around at least Southern Ontario and Canada where I am. New Home build buys are getting the reputation of used car salespeople. Oh yeah. That’s sentence you should never have to say used cars. But by the way, no problem with these cars and I feel bad for the beating they’ve taken for decades and decades and decades. Because Where do you think that reputation came from? People said it in the car. There’s like it’s an unfair reputation. No, you made it. You you cause the reputation you’re not all doing it. Right. It was caused based on the it wasn’t some mythical creature that came down and said us car salespeople are evil and then flew away. It was because repeated repeated ripoffs happened. And what is happening in new homebuilding now in the people that I’ve talked to in the research I’ve done for the industry and at least in my area, and the problem is people might hear this and think, well, it’s not my area is that people are tired of getting failed, screwed over. Am I saying all builders set out to screw over buyers? No, No, they don’t. But

Kevin Oakley 1:15:20

what we can say I can say is that they don’t set out to create a relationship. There’s a clear, here is your gift, Scott, you moved in, we left a wrench under the sink. And there’s a plunger by the toilet engraved with our logo. Please never call us again.

Scott Stratten 1:15:38

Yeah, and we push the possession date here for the fifth time here, which is Yep. This and I have never heard out of the people that I know the people that I’ve talked to with no new home builds. Not one has ever moved in within six months of their promised moving day.

Kevin Oakley 1:15:56

Wow. Wow. That’s only

Scott Stratten 1:15:58

gonna get worse without in the industry. People hear that they’re like, Well, of course, because this and this. I don’t care. I’m not in the industry. I when I say I mean, I the consumer. Yeah. It’s your industry. But it was not told to me it was promised in the sales pitch. But in the contract, it’s not. I know that. I know. I know. But instead of sitting down and saying, hey, so you may have heard with new home. But here’s, here’s what we try to do before they buy. Yeah, overcoming objections before a buy. Here’s what happens in the home, by overcoming objections before they bring them up is one of the number one things you can do to build trust. And saying, so with new hosts, oh, this is what happened. This is what what we do at ABC homes. Yep. And this is what our plan is, we will clearly communicate this as far ahead as we possibly can. And then when you send that email out to the your people who have bought and you are pushing the date, and you open it, open it with empathy with it’s this and but here and then give the reasons not to contribute and boil it right down. But I mean, because of this, and this and this, nobody clearly communicate, treat them as a customer instead of buy or goodbye once they buy, right. And that’s a problem with most industries. Right? But in especially this one, which is once you buy once you sign here’s your house and never talk to us again. Right is that I go to a bank, right? I won’t name my bank, it’s TD and I would go in. But I’ve been a customer for like 20 years, and I do I love my people a TD, but also they’ve also ruffled my feathers quite a few times. And I walked in years, a long time ago. And I saw a big, big huge poster. And they’re like, if you open a new business account, we’re going to give you a free flat screen TV and I’m like, I like free TVs and I walked in and I’m like, Hey, I have a business account. I’m like, Hey, can I grab one was like, Oh, I’m sorry, sir. That’s for new accounts. Only I’m like, Oh, can I close my account. And then I walk up, walk over to the next window and like, Hello, I’d like to open a new business account, we treat potential customers better than current customers. That is backwards. That is really backwards. Because going back to what we said, if you’re telling me referrals are the number one things and only happy clients give referrals because regular customers don’t ecstatic ones do static ones don’t. apathy does not crave referrals. Being okay doesn’t create referrals.

Kevin Oakley 1:18:11

Also, for the audience listening, realtors are referrals

Scott Stratten 1:18:14

of sorts to enter they have and you know how they’re happy when you treat their clients want. Right and when you hurt them that goes in reputation. And we never and here’s the thing with all the numbers we look at and we never look back in the mirror and say what do we do wrong? Like, did we mess up that realtors referral? We only do it on the surface, right? Oh, this didn’t work. This number didn’t? Well, have you asked if you have realtors or one of your biggest generators? For a new home? For a development? Okay, let’s say that, Am I safe to assume that is

Kevin Oakley  1:18:42

the country it’s gonna be

Scott Stratten 1:18:44

it’s gonna be percent or higher. So so let’s let’s go, let’s go with that. So it’s going to be referrals from realtor? How happy have they been with? How happy have those realtors been? with the people they’ve placed in the past five years into your development?

Kevin Oakley 1:18:56

And you don’t know enough to even guess?

Scott Stratten 1:19:04

You don’t know. And so what you’re doing is saying, well, we’ll send them a cheese basket. What’s it What’s a cheese basket? By the way? Why braska? Thank you What cheese cheese fighter says she’s in a basket. Sorry. But you have all these type of things happen. Right? Let’s look right to your realtors, the ones who have sent referrals so far right to her for a realtor who sent you one, even one and just give them just ask them three words, three words, which we stopped doing? What should we start doing? What should we continue doing as a builder to make sure that when you refer one of your clients to us, they are ecstatic? You did because we know we are an extension of your brand, send email done, and you’ll know why you are not getting referrals. Mm hmm. But that’s it.

Bryce Baker 1:19:45

I think I think a big portion of that will be educating just because I’m building is so new to most people and it’s such a long process. There’s so many places things can and do go wrong. Just setting those expectations ahead of time. That said we’ll go

Kevin Oakley 1:19:58

back around to Alana money heard good attitude agenda. This builder has their folk sign that says things are going to go wrong. And I promise grain you promise that we will not curse at each other. But we will work together to make them right.

Scott Stratten 1:20:11

And eataly that chain of a great Italian kind of experiential kind of restaurant shopped up in Italy has a bunch of locations, they have a great sign I saw I saw online once and it was the customer is not always right. We are not always right. And somewhere in the middle, we’ll figure this out with that type of thing. Right? So it’s just like, it’s nobody’s infallible. It was expecting it. The problem as you look at the disappointment, it is the expectations being left out. It’s managing expectations. But the problem is you oversee it. We can oversell it, and I understand it, I understand it. But I saw error. across North, I understand getting the sale. I do and I understand and it’s exciting and sales does drive organizations i do i do believe in that I’m not that marketer, who’s like, well sales and I do I just don’t think they should run the organization. Right? Because there’s a vested interest in certain parts of that, I think somebody should run it that can overlook all those things and not have the only ear being sales, because they all have to work together. Because customers don’t see silos. They don’t see sales and then marketing and an operations or client service or any of these things. They don’t see tradespeople builders, they don’t see all these things. They don’t see the fact that there could be a problem because rebar there’s no problem with the in the industry. But they could.

Kevin Oakley 1:21:34

Right. That’s also why customers love the new home specialist or online sales people so much is they’re incentivized to help the individual regardless of community or location, get all the answers to those people and that there’s no surprise then that they A lot of people say can I just meet with you? Yeah, instead of that person? Yes. In the model home, can you just help me with the rest of this? Please? Yes.

Scott Stratten 1:21:54

Be that is called relate that’s so customer with relation and the person they’re talking to? should be the person.

Kevin Oakley 1:22:00

Yeah. And you convert Scott, one of things we say is that that, that position, the human beings that help people convert from a browser to a shopper to a buyer. That’s the ultimate attribution system. First click last click, attribution, right. That’s the attribution system that that creates is the most powerful one that we have so

Scott Stratten 1:22:20

powerful. And it just and this is why then we get in these conversations about using data and convert, it’s all and I love it. But one of the other problems with the data being dangerous is you don’t take these other things into account. Nothing works in a vacuum. Right? Nothing is isolated. Nothing. Because what happens if I do a successful let’s say, AdWords campaign?

Kevin Oakley 1:22:40

Right? Oh, this is your you’re going right to the end, we call Andrew the ad doctor, you’re gonna write Yes.

Scott Stratten 1:22:44

So so so let’s say so let’s say I have an appointment with the doctor. Okay. And and it figures this out with me. And we figure it and we finally we figure it out. And we do it and it makes it’s great. The the the the cost to the per lead works for everything, we figure that we fine tune that duty, to a level that only Andrew can do. We find that we get the lead and it works. And they come in. Well, everything happens after that point. Some people will then blame on the lead. We got this from Google and ad they’ve got this and but we’re only quoting this local people. Yeah. But now Google’s

Kevin Oakley 1:23:17

amazing. It’s all Google, right? It’s Google’s fault. Yeah, it’s either just only do turn everything else off.

Scott Stratten 1:23:23

It’s part of the process here people. It’s like, it’s like when people would interview or something like you’re only as good as each step in sales, you’re only as good as the next step. And they all have to be in cohesion. And this is what happened especially in the guys, right? When the like of the infancy of social media where there started getting kind of brand acceptance and it back in like, like 2010 2011 2012 were really what people are like, I don’t think this is going away. And some places started. It’s like 90, it was like 9697 with the internet with companies, right? Like Internet’s not for us. So you looked at all these things. And so what happened was, I would then go on, and I’d probably my cell phone. And I would go on and the Twitter team would be like, oh, it’d be like so fast. They didn’t, right? And they’re like, Hey, we saw your mentioned like, I wouldn’t even they reached out right away. And I’m like, Yeah, I need this help. They’re like, you have to go into the store. I’m like, Okay, okay, I understand you. But there’s a certain thing. And I go into there, like we’ve said, We told them ahead of time, and you’re coming and here’s the issue and I go there, I’m like, hey, the Twitter team told me to come in and like, what? I don’t even know what that means. What’s the problem? Here’s what we got in the store. And people are like, you know, the Twitter teams aren’t worth it. Or there’s been like, no, it’s every step and whatever step drops the ball, that’s the brand. But if you can all have the same level, or level and higher, then that becomes a bit where each part of the team The problem is, you can’t just slough all this off to a social media person and pay them below poverty level salary. For you then to say we’ll just do the social. This is the epicenter of all of these things. This person has 29 hats on. And they’re like, Yeah, well, no, but my nephew can do it too. You know? I’m sure your nephew could. But this is the communications hub of things and then we say well, it’s not worth it or not worth this every step of that great that sale. You got me on rants, guys, I’m just ranting so much ranting

Kevin Oakley 1:25:11

what is awesome is we just we just talked to Scott for the last 30 plus minutes, and he’s gonna talk for as a keynote at the vaults for a shorter period of time, then you have listened. But can you imagine what else he’s gonna bring later on?

Scott Stratten 1:25:27

But here’s the thing, see, because you guys, you know, you get the right questions to get me going. So you get as Alison McCollum. She knows the right trigger point is he wants to get a ranch. He’s like, Oh, wait, well, he’s got it. So I’ll get keynote triggered, like I’ve done 23 times in our conversation today, you know, trick because, because especially when I do this, right, whoever can see this, it’s listening, right? But I go up in my elbows. Position more, like right here. Look, it’s gonna be an epic rant or something. That’s how because but here for me with all this stuff. I am I’m really passionate about community, both literally and figuratively. stuff, I think communities save the world. And that’s why I get so amped up in anything in the real estate space, anything in the home space, gets me going so much onstage virtually everything else, because I really truly believe the ones that do community, right, have the automatic leg up on everybody else for a very long time if they do it well. And that’s why I get so mad in the industry, I get so fired up a helmet handle, whether it’s QR codes, whether it’s a bias against age groups in buying or where it’s turning to my millennial rant, which is actually on the side of millennials, and people don’t realize that until I flip it on them. All those rants are out of passion. Because it’s so frustrating that the industry that flies the community flag is sometimes the least people that contribute to a community when it comes to virtual conversations and relationships.

Kevin Oakley 1:26:51

Yeah, and one of the questions we didn’t get to was true or false, the bigger budget always gets the best results. And we know, right shortcut to that one. That’s that’s false. But people all the time are concerned, how do I go up against the big guys, you know, the huge homebuilding companies, and I just do 30 I’m like, That’s huge. That should be easier,

Scott Stratten 1:27:11

much easier. I love I love any time somebody came to us and said, back in the consulting days, and they’re like, I just can’t compete. I can’t outspend them. I’m like, good. Because that is a game that is a race very quickly to the lowest margin a lot. And plus, it’s it’s not a way to build the relationship. You can do ads and build them at the same time. But you have more flexibility, you can maneuver they have the old cruise ship versus small boat and you can turn but it’s about that

Kevin Oakley 1:27:37

you can try stuff, when really big companies call us up. Or we’re like, Yeah, no. And then they’re like, No, please, please work with us. Mike actually has like a list of like, 10 rules that it’s almost like the Bill of Rights of some fashion. If you must agree in advance to all this happening, or the answer is no, because it’s not fun for us either. It’s not fun for it’s usually not as fun for the customer to work with a larger humbling organization is usually not as fun for us for a lot of the same reasons. We are way over time. Scott, thanks so much for for hopping on with us today. excited to see you for the pulse coming up on October 6. Me too.

Scott Stratten 1:28:15

It’s gonna be a blast, we’re gonna ask.

Kevin Oakley 1:28:18

And let’s just because I’ve had my third cup of coffee this morning, if you listen to this episode, for some period of time after we posted in the Facebook group, every person who comments with their favorite strat ism, do you have a second chance for your little nuggets of wisdom that you

Scott Stratten 1:28:39

know, your favorite thing

Kevin Oakley 1:28:41

that Scott said, All you got to do is post it I will send you a copy of on marketing. Yeah, because I’m a little lazy. It’ll probably be the Kindle edition. And we’ll send that electronically. But we will get you a copy of our marketing so that you can be prepared to be part of the poll. So let’s go

Scott Stratten 1:28:56

and address that. Thank you. That’s very cool. Appreciate that. had me laughing at the start going into the intro and then giving away some of our books at the end? I like the show.

Kevin Oakley 1:29:08

All right, Scott. We’ll see you in October. Like this, you guys. All right. As promised he delivered Scott Stratton is hilarious and insightful at the same time, a rare combination. We couldn’t be more excited to have him with us at the pulse. De yc pulse.com for more information about that. All right answers to last week’s question of the week. What is your company having a hard time procuring as part of the construction process? lumber, fireplaces, appliances, concrete, let us know.

Scott Stratten 1:29:54

Alright,

Kevin Oakley 1:29:54

well just go around the horn here. Starting with Bryce Read them off.

Bryce Baker 1:30:01

lumber windows from Laura Laurie, Laurie. Dawn says all the above which answers a great amount of question. Melissa Kelly says lumber and Windows as well. So it looks like a lot of lumber and Windows.

Kevin Oakley 1:30:18

Yep, Amy appliances delays. We closed a few homes without appliances at all, never ordinary COVID.

Andrew Peek 1:30:26

That’s crazy. That’s the fancy ones. Actually, the

Kevin Oakley 1:30:29

young seabird also said that they put in loaner appliances until they can replace with what the customer actually selected. So this is the kind of stuff that’s so interesting, like the all white plastic looking appliances that no one wants in their house, when they’re building new are probably quickly going out of stock, as everyone’s like just put in something so that they can keep their milk cold, and then we’ll swap it out later. Katie says all of the above and garage doors. That’s interesting. One, two, closing a home this weekend. We are escrowing the garage doors since they still are not in it.

Andrew Peek 1:31:08

Wow, crazy one there,

Kevin Oakley 1:31:10

Beth from Starcraft appliances. And if I get one more email about a backsplash being cancelled or discontinued due to supply that will make her mad apparently mad cry face, Cindy appliances, doors, and Carranza appliances and lumber, we closed on some houses without appliances over two months ago, wow. Wow, it has caused our prices to increase tremendously across the board, which has scared away buyers. So this is an interesting one. And I guess I should have put this earlier, the oakleys are building the home, we will be building on our lot, which will be new for us. And we are building with a custom builder, which is also newer, like heartland was the semi custom custom builder. But most people would keep like 85% of all this was kind of just start from nothing and figure it out. So what that means my custom builders listening is a word that I think is going to come to haunt us over the next couple months. Which is allowances? Yes, yes, I know what that means. Like Mark gave you a an allowance for your cabinets, we gave you an allowance for appliances, we gave you an allowance for your upgraded windows. But now guess what we get to do over the next 60 to 90 days, upgrade, meet with everyone and figure out what the heck they end up charging us for all of those things. And they’re going to have I hope they aren’t listening a legitimate excuse to raise prices on us. So

Andrew Peek 1:32:35

yeah, well, you order your appliances, like this month. And anticipation there’ll be issues.

Kevin Oakley 1:32:42

So we waited to try to make this all work or we don’t have to sell our existing house. And so we can move in. So worst case scenario, we’ll pull the fridge out of this house and stick it over there somewhere in the garage for oil. Now.

Andrew Peek 1:32:57

I’m interested to know because appliances I think it was like appliances and windows and lumber. But appliances are interesting to me because I it’s like is it a certain model or certain series? And then like, Oh, we have this one, but it’s another 1200 more or they don’t want to go down. So there? I don’t know. Like, where does it all apply? Yeah, my

Kevin Oakley 1:33:16

understanding from talking to different individuals is that appliances has more to do with it is a rather complex thing that’s being created like a window where you’ve got wood, plastic, vinyl and mass. And the final assembly is rather quick. It’s kind of like a small automobile in terms of some of the complexity of what these appliances have in them uninstallation process and most of the final assembly or majority assembly is done in places like Brazil or Mexico or other countries in Latin America that have had more severe shutdowns Pacha because of fears of the virus. So that’s brand wide, all those things kind of Yeah, yep. Wow, crazy. This week’s question of the week is awesome, because everyone wins. So we’re gonna post this question the day that this episode goes live, and whoever comments on your favorite Scott Stratton quotes or insight will get a free copy of marketing that I will pay for and sent to you via Amazon, because I’m not going to a bookstore or do it any other company. But everyone who comments within a 24 hour period of that episode going live will get a free copy of the book. All right. That’ll do it for this week for publish articles, blog posts, videos and more, check out d convert.com. It’s also the best way to find out how to connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and everywhere else we are on line. Have a great week. We’ll see you next time.

Andrew Peek 1:34:52

Bye bye.

The post Ep 117: Did You Fix Your Website Yet? with Scott Stratten [Transcript] appeared first on Online Sales and Marketing for Home Builders - DYC.