It’s a great time to become a new-home online sales specialist! Whether you’re looking to start a career in online sales or you’re newly seated in the position, you might have a lot of questions about what to expect when you start, how you can grow, and what happens when the market shifts.
With this opportunity comes a huge responsibility. As an online sales specialist, you’ll be managing an online program, so your success will be based on your hard work. Not only will you be learning the ins and outs of the position itself, but you will also need to continuously learn about all of the communities you’ll be managing. I like to call the website the 24-hour model home, so you must be ready to answer questions on the fly.
No matter if you come from a different department within the new construction realm or you are coming from a different industry, stepping into this position can be a big shift. So, let’s dig in.
You did it! You landed the crucial position of online sales specialist. In this role, you will likely be handling the following:
New lead inquiry management and follow up
Phone Calls
Texts
Video Emails
Aged lead prospecting
Coming soon VIP campaigns for incoming leads
Upcoming new phases for active communities that may be sold out
Utilizing your CRM system daily (lead management software)
Managing the reporting and presenting your online sales contribution numbers to leadership/sales teams of target goals
Fielding incoming calls
Qualifying and following up or scheduling appointments with the onsite advisor
Directing people to the correct person within the company
Answering general home buying questions
Working hand in hand with your marketing team, who make the magic happen on getting those incoming leads into your inbox
Creating and delivering ongoing email campaigns
Website audits/content
What to Expect When You’re Ready to Grow
Growth in this position looks different in every company, but growth in the actual seat of an online sales specialist is watching your online sales contribution continue to increase month over month or even year over year. Online sales contribution means the percentage of overall company sales that started from a lead who worked with the online sales specialist first.
Most homebuyers research online before going to a model home. This provides you an opportunity to connect with customers and serve as the starting point in their buying journey with your company. Online sales specialists get the chance to roll out the red carpet and give these customers a VIP experience from start to finish.
Now that you know what to expect in the actual position, I want to talk about what to expect when the market changes because, in real estate, it will change. The real estate market ebbs and flows yearly based on the time of year. Let’s face it, we all know that as much as homebuyers want a new home, holidays, vacations, etc., are important too.
The buyer cycle is cyclical. So, when things ramp up, online sales specialists need to be prepared mentally, physically, and, honestly, emotionally too. Likewise, when things start to normalize from the busy season, utilize that time to your advantage. You can spend the time performing list clean-up, doing extra prospecting, visiting your communities to see what’s changed, or connecting with an onsite advisor to build rapport. The possibilities are endless.
With a continual increase in demand for online presence, the need for dedicated, driven, and motivated online sales specialists is at a peak. More and more builders now recognize that a successful online sales specialist is truly critical for the overall success of the company.
If you’re not sure the role is right for you after reading this, that’s okay. This job isn’t for everyone, but maybe….just maybe, it’s time to try something new because your future self might thank you for it.
