AtlasRTX

With the International Builders Show (IBS) in Orlando only a week away (Feb 7-10), we wanted to give a quick overview of some of the great educational sessions presented by Outhouse, industry partners, clients, and friends. The event may be smaller this year, but the programing is top-notch! We also look forward to exploring the show floor, attending The Nationals, the VIP Builder Party, and meeting up with you all. Speaking of the Nationals, the Home Builder Digital Marketing Podcast featuring our own Kevin Weitzel is a Silver Award winner. We are excited to be in the running for the Gold!

Here are a few of the sessions we look forward to attending.

Strategies & Success Secrets for Creating the Online Home Shopping Experience Buyers Expect

Featuring Outhouse’s own Kevin Weitzel, and Greg Bray of Blue Tangerine
Thu, Feb 10 \ 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm EST \ W308-C
Homebuyers now have an online expectation that must be met and are more comfortable than ever purchasing a home without having to physically visit it. Join us for an engaging discussion with a group of top industry technologists who will show you the online experience your customers expect and expose how e-commerce technologies can drive new home sales.

The Power of Dynamic Thinking: Embracing Change as the New Normal

Featuring Al Trellis of Home Builders Network and Kevin Oakley of Do You Convert
Mon, Feb 7 \ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST \ W304-A
In this Master Workshop, a powerhouse panel of industry experts explore the concept of dynamic thinking and how you can create a culture of change across your organization that constantly allows for improved operations, competitiveness and profitability. From design through delivery, you’ll explore and rethink all aspects of your business.

Marketing Strategies for the Future: Level Out & Level Up

Mollie Elkman of Group Two, Kerry Mulcrone of Kerry & Co., Bryan Mecsey of Zillow, and Karen Schroeder of Mayberry Homes
Mon, Feb 7 \ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST \ W304-C
As the clouds part and things begin to level out, now’s the time to reassess your marketing efforts and set a course that keeps you ahead of the competition. This Master Workshop has you covered! The Marketing Umbrella approach is about thinking broadly when it comes to research, strategy, branding, content, digital and experiential marketing. We’ll explore the five elements for building a marketing plan with low spend and big results, and dive deep into the most effective tools out there.

Managing Through Success Complacency: Keeping Your Team on Top of Their Game

Chris Hartley and Cory Charles of K. Hovnanian Homes, and Jennifer Cooper of Evolution Marketing
Tue, Feb 8 \ 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm EST \ W311-C
How do you keep your team on top of their game regardless of market conditions? By sharing a proven process, a panel of experts will take you through the steps that support sales, marketing and training to ensure your team does not fall victim to a great market. Learn how to build, develop and grow powerhouse teams that focus on customer experience, sales and marketing. Understand what roles are vital in today’s world, how to train your teams for success and how to get buy-in for roles that you need in the future.

Extreme Makeover Sales Edition: Empowering Your OSC to Guide Sales Conversion & Customer Experience

Featuring Ingrid Prince of Century Complete, Leah Fellows of Blue Gypsy, Cori Masters of Beacon Homes – Shared Drive, and Heidi Schroeder of ECI | Lasso
Wed, Feb 9 \ 9:15 am – 10:15 am EST \ W315
Are you letting your OSCs take the lead, and are your customers getting what they want? If not, it may be time for an Extreme Makeover of your lead handling process. In this fast-paced, game show style session, our five OSC experts will provide their unique and spirited views to this process. Receive unmatched advice as you learn today’s best practices for lead qualification and conversion while giving your customers the experience they desire.

From Prospects to Profits: A Systemized Process for Sales Success

Featuring Erik Cofield from Association of Professional Builders
Wed, Feb 9 \ 9:15 am – 10:15 am EST \ W311-C
Numbers tell a story, and learning to generate and read numbers within your sales process allows for tremendous insight and smart, accurate decision making. But no manual process can deliver the numbers, the story and benefit of an automation one. In this interactive session, learn how to systemize your sales and leverage your numbers into formulas, decisions and a process that will lead to a great level of success.

How K. Hovnanian Uses AI & Digital Engagement to Put Buyers in Control of Their Buying Journey

Bassam Salem of AtlasRTX and Dana Spencer of K. Hovnanian
Wed, Feb 9 \ 10:15 am – 10:45 am EST \ Tech Bytes – W230
K. Hovnanian Homes has been at the forefront of new digital technologies to reduce friction between builder and buyer throughout the entire customer journey. Explore how they use their website as an important salesperson, and learn about their wildly successful digital assistant, ‘Ana’, text messaging, and other automated technologies that have helped them revolutionize the digital homebuying process.

Does Your Website Have a “Buy Now” Button?

Greg Bray of Blue Tangerine, Carol Morgan of Denim Marketing, and Paul Gortzig of Bokka Group
Wed, Feb 9 \ 11:15 am – 12:15 pm EST \ W311-A
Car dealers have perfected selling cars online — even allowing for a variety of options and upgrades. Why haven’t home builders figured this out? This session focuses on what home builders need to add to their websites to make “Buy Now” possible. Integrating technology with marketing messaging and learning how the sales team supports the customer experience for early adopters is key.

The New Rules for New Home Sales: Reevaluating Your Sales Process & Tactics in a Digital World

Matt Riley of New Home Inc, Chad Sanschagrin of Cannonball Moments, and Myers Barnes of Myers Barnes Associates
Wed, Feb 9 \ 11:15 am – 12:15 pm EST \ W315
In 2020, builders hurried to adapt to a shift to complete online selling. From home tours to closings, every step evolved to a virtual system. In 2021, the unprecedented demand pushed builders and new home sales professionals to their limits. In the haste to keep up, did you institute the best practices? Have you maintained the fundamentals you need? This advanced session will help you look at what works and where you can improve your sales system.

Is Your Sales Team Ready to Keep “By Appointment” Going?

Kimberly Mackey of New Homes Solutions Consulting, Melanie Mickie of Engel & Volkers, and Linda Hebert of Diversified Marketing and Communications
Thu, Feb 10 \ 11:15 am – 12:15 pm EST \ W311-C
For years, sales trainers have preached the value of setting appointments versus simply relying on walk-in traffic. After everything we have experienced in the past two years, have our sales teams finally seen the wisdom in doing so? Data shows that scheduling appointments creates a far better customer experience and equates to approximately 50% better closing rate. Working by appointment also generates more quality time with buyers, fewer tire kickers, more qualified buyers and much more. Join us to learn the systematic approach to help your sales team recognize the continued value of working by appointment and build their sales flow.

Uncover Hidden Gems in Local SEO Optimization

Cabe Vinson of Blue Tangerine
Thu, Feb 10 \ 11:15 am – 11:45 am EST \ Tech Bytes – W230
You understand the importance of SEO. You’ve spent a lot of time and money to optimize your content, site, profiles, meta data and more. Yet you still find yourself asking the question: “Why isn’t my business showing up at or near the top of the search results?” In this Tech Bytes session, uncover some strategies you can implement now to build upon your SEO foundation and improve your local search result rankings.

60 Design Ideas in 60 Minutes

Featuring Dave Miles of Milesbrand, and more
Tue, Feb 8 \ 9:15 am – 10:15 am EST \ Tangerine Ballroom – West Hall F3
In this fast-paced session, industry-leading architects, interior designers, developers and builders will share the most current design ideas and strategies that you can use to update your elevations, renew floor plans, animate streetscapes, enhance amenities and develop dynamic neighborhoods. Using a wide array of drawings and photos, the panelists will show you how cutting-edge design can capture your buyer’s attention and make the sale.

Tools for Growth & Protection When the Market Ebbs & Flows

Mike Dildine and Jared Maybon of Highland Homes
Wed, Feb 9 \ 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm EST \ W304-C
Markets will always have their highs and lows, and for many small business owners, those variations can stunt or slow desired growth, or restrict holding the status quo. This session will highlight the tools used to help builders and remodelers not only accelerate growth beyond their goals, but also protect them from losing traction when conditions of uncertainty, even unprecedented ones, surface in the market.

Meredith Oliver and Kerry Mulcrone in a fun session at IBS 2020

How resilience, agility, and focusing on what matters most lead to success in both retail and in home building.

Ralph Lauren Bitmojis on Smapchat

Who knew Ralph Lauren had their own Bitmojis? In a recent webinar featuring Matthew Shay, President & CEO of the National Retail Federation, and Patrice Louvet, President & CEO of Ralph Lauren, the two men discuss the importance of resilience and agility in 2020. Hired in 2017, Patrice is a brand guy and was brought on board to, “write the next great chapter of the iconic brand.” How the company interacts and engages with consumers is where Patrice centers his attention. And that is why, when the pandemic hit, this rather traditional brand stepped outside the box and designed their own Bitmojis for Snapchat. Launched in August, there have already been more than 3 million downloads. Building amazing partnerships with social media in recent years is one of the company’s greatest strengths.

An “opportunity in crisis,” the shift to digital moved light-years ahead in 2020.

Heavily focused on what the digital age wants, Patrice believes digital will become like electricity – we won’t notice it, but it will be everywhere, and it will power everything. An “opportunity in crisis,” the shift to digital moved light-years ahead in 2020.

What was most interesting about this webinar is how retail and home building share many of the same challenges and goals. To move the company forward in the Twenties, Patrice has 5 primary areas Ralph Lauren is targeting:

Elevate and energize the brand – bring in a new generation of consumers.
Shift to direct-to-consumer. Stores will continue to play an important role, but online sales are growing.
Digital
International expansion
Develop high-potential, under-represented categories

A tech-savvy generation of home buyers has accelerated the digital revolution.

In the homebuilding industry, the pandemic along with a tech-savvy generation of home buyers has accelerated the digital revolution. Sales centers will still play an integral role, but much of the interaction between builders and buyers will take place virtually. International barriers are being toppled as builders crisscross “the pond.” Landsea Homes and Sekisui House (Woodside Homes) are just a couple of examples. And, builders are constantly working to develop under-represented categories – affordable housing for one.

Also needing attention are four areas affected by Covid that Patrice believes are here to stay:

Health and safety have become a huge factor in human behavior and will continue to be for quite some time, if not indefinitely.
The move to connectivity – people are not going to quit using apps and having home deliveries. Mom and grandpa just learned how to do all that!
Consumers are looking for a personalized experience.
Importance of values and purpose, “What difference will we make?” Consumer response to companies focusing on these has been amazing. Authenticity is a core Ralph Lauren brand value.

With the world staying home, resilience, agility, and focusing on what matters most have become critical to the success of every business.

Three valuable lessons Patrice learned from Covid:

Focus on what matters most
Resilience
Agility

Companies who quickly learned these lessons and adapted have survived and even done well.

This insightful webinar brings home the importance of your brand, company culture, and marketing. As home builders, our industry tends to not be on the cutting edge. We have been building and selling homes the same way for 100+ years. Builders have been making strides forward, but nothing prepared us for the events of this year. With the world staying home, resilience, agility, and focusing on what matters most have become critical to the success of every business. Engaging with consumers online is key. This is where Zoom, Online Sales Counselors, CRMs like TopBuilder and Lasso, chatbots like those powered by AtlasRTX, and online marketing tools including Interactive Floor Plans, Virtual Tours, Matterport Tours, and Visualizers play an integral role. Focusing on what the digital age wants, and thinking outside the box (Snapchat Bitmojis anyone?) to write the next great chapter of your iconic brand are keys to success.

Drive engagement on your website with the Outhouse Interactive Floor Plan.

On a final note, Patrice talks about citizenship and sustainability. Companies like Ralph Lauren cannot be successful if they don’t take the lead. Consumers and partners expect it. “People will remember you for what you did and the way you behaved.” These words hold true for home builders as well.