In a constantly fluctuating housing market, having access to innovative tools and software can be the difference between surviving and thriving for home builders. If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s the need for structured new home sales processes that transform builder operations and their ability to sell homes. For many builders, investing in customer relationship management (CRM) software has been the sought-after solution.
How does a CRM improve sales for home builders?
CRM software helps home builders increase sales through
- Better lead tracking
- Timely, personalized follow-ups
- Centralized sales pipeline data
- Improved sales team performance with analytics
Even in a housing market facing steep interest rates, low housing inventory, and an ongoing affordability crisis, there are still need-to-purchase buyers looking for a new home. Whether they need a larger home to accommodate their growing family or are relocating for a new job, these are the leads that home builders must successfully guide through the home buying process or risk losing them to their competitors.
What Is a CRM for Home Builders?
CRM software helps businesses and organizations improve their overall relationship with their customers. This software is built to manage buyer interactions, sales pipelines, and customer communication. While this CRM software is used across virtually every industry, tailored CRMs for builders include tools like:
- Lead capture forms from model home visits, email campaigns, and website forms
- Follow-up automation
- Reporting dashboards for leads and sales
Sales Challenges in the Home Building Industry
Home builders face a variety of external market challenges; however, some of the major sales hurdles are actually within their own daily operations. Those operating without streamlined sales processes often face new or prospective leads falling through the cracks due to manual follow-up processes, long sales cycles, and the lack of a centralized view of buyers.
CRM software is designed to solve these sales challenges and help transform high-intent leads into satisfied new homeowners even in a slower market.
How CRM Software Improves Sales for Home Builders
1. Lead Tracking
Home builders and their sales teams know that leads come from various sources, including model home walk-ins, website forms, social media marketing, and word of mouth.
With CRM software, builders can easily keep track of every lead in one place. Once the lead’s information has been entered into the software, the CRM helps visualize exactly where each lead is in the sales process. The sales team can reference this information to learn more about the buyer’s intent. Were they just browsing? Interested in receiving a quote? Or are they ready to make a purchase?
This organization and transparency help sales teams prioritize leads when conducting follow-ups. It can also track buyer interests, including floor plan preferences and desired price range, enabling tailored communication for future conversations.
2. Timely Follow-Up
Builders and their sales teams are busy, and one of the most time-consuming aspects of new home sales is the follow-up process. CRM software can set automated reminders to call, text, or send a drip email campaign to potential buyers. This automation helps reduce the number of lost sales that often result from slow response times from the sales teams.
3. Pipeline Visibility
Inadequate pipeline visibility is one of the biggest factors in leads falling through the cracks. When utilizing CRM software, builders and sales managers can track active buyers, stalled deals, and overall conversion rates. This has twofold results: sales managers can identify and coach underperforming sales agents while also seeing which communities and homes are converting best. This data can help inform future sales and marketing strategies to keep the momentum going.
Choosing the Right CRM for Home Builders
Choosing the right CRM for your home building business may seem daunting at first. However, several top-tier platforms, including HubSpot, Salesforce, and Lasso, have helped new construction companies find sales success.
When shopping around for CRM software, these are some key features to look for:
- Industry-specific workflows (lead stages, communities)
- Easy interface for sales reps
- Mobile access
- Marketing integration
- Reporting tools
Why Home Builders Should Invest in CRM
CRM tools and software solve real-world challenges impacting today’s home builders. Companies utilizing these platforms can expect consistent lead follow-up, stronger buyer engagement, and improved conversion rates. By selecting and using the right CRM for your home building business, you can maintain a competitive advantage in today’s housing market.
