By Oren Jacobson, Market Analyst - New Home Star
In a post published in February, I suggested that sales and marketing professionals challenge themselves to think about how effectively they are communicating the narrative of their product. Every day, you watch commercials on your iPhone or television and within thirty seconds you make a "buy" or "no buy" decision. You may not immediately go buy that product, but you immediately 'buy in'.
When your prospect sees your advertisement, browses your website or walks through the doors of your sales center, they go through this exact same process. The narrative you tell them has to be clear, simple and easy to repeat back. Let's take a deeper look at what this means in the world of sales:
Clarity
Avoid any word that isn't universally understood or defined. If you throw in language that is ambiguous, you'll immediately lose the buyer's attention as they wonder what exactly you're trying to communicate. Throw in words that aren't well-defined and the customer's mind will wander. If this happens, what you say next won't be heard and certainly won't resonate.
Simplicity
Your narrative should be short and sweet. Don't waste words. Eliminate industry jargon or over-used sales adjectives. When you say words like "amazing", "spectacular", "incredible" or "impressive", your customer immediately begins to judge you as a salesperson. The judgement isn't positive; these adjectives have a place and it's usually not during our earliest interactions with a prospect. Your customer is a lot less concerned with how you describe something than with what you're describing. Say what you need to say and not a word more!
Repeatable
The last part--'easy to repeat'--may seem like an odd inclusion. Think about it this way: If your prospect is repeating your language, it's a sign of 'buying in'. What keywords would you want them to be repeating? Which ideas are most critical for them to know? They won't always remember the details. They will, however, remember the main themes you present.
- Is your area known for low crime rates, a family-friendly appeal and access to tons of shopping and restaurants? Sounds like your area is SAFE and CONVENIENT.
- Does your builder have a great warranty, build a high quality home and make the process easy for customers with a dedicated seven-step buying process? The terms TRUST and EASY stand out.
- Does your community offer amenities, a close-knit community and lots of spacious open space? Sounds like your community is ACTIVE and PRIVATE.
If I just described your community, then your narrative should be built around these six words: Safe, Convenient, Trust, Easy, Active and Private. These words are the most important words you can say. They are the themes that your customer will remember and repeat. No prospect will be confused about why they should buy with you. Most importantly, you're making it easy for them to buy into what you really offer.
As you market your product with a unique message, ask yourself, "Are these words conveyed in a simple, clear, repeatable manner?" Identify the themes that best describe your area, builder and community and create a stellar narrative for your customer.
Oren Jacobson holds an MBA with an emphasis in strategic management and is currently working on receiving his master's degree in economics and policy analysis at DePaul University in Chicago. As the lead strategic marketing analyst for New Home Star, Jacobson specializes in helping builders maximize their asset positioning through market segmentation, consumer alignment and data analysis. He also leads the NHS team in the creation of training tools and resources to develop and enhance their expertise in sales.
