If you are struggling with unsold inventory, there is a lot of ground to cover. To help you to buck up the process, start with meeting the customers.
A Face to Face Encounter Is a Good Strategy
When you meet in person, a lot of air can be cleared. Only depending on telesales or social media will not work.
Builders and real estate developers have a number of projects under their belt; but are they really able to meet their sales target? It is true that most often people are aware of ongoing construction projects and they make enquiries. But turning them into customers requires a good follow up even if it is via telephone or email. It is a good idea to engage the prospect with questions to get to know their mind, make a connection and close the deal.
If the enquiry is over the phone or on social media, ask for a face to face meeting. A face-to-face interaction allows prospects to put a face to the project. You can then build the relationship in such a way that the trust factor draws the customer close to a sale. Getting to know the seller by face will give them assurance about whom they are dealing with.
Good Communication Is the Key
After the initial meeting, communication should be maintained. Unless the customer is completely indecisive, keep connected via telephone.
In today’s competitive world, online marketing, advertising, and social media presence are necessary for visibility. It plays a major role in getting enquiries and turning leads into customers. This requires communication skills like listening and understanding what the customer needs. Once you have an enquiry, ascertain what kinds of residential apartments they are looking for and if your project meets their requirement. Ask questions of your own that will give you a picture of when they are likely to make a purchase. Offer suggestions about financing and even fix a date for a field trip. Studies show that 60% of the time an enquirer has already made up their mind to make a purchase, and that is the reason they are making an enquiry. You just need to apply the right marketing strategy to close the deal. And this can be done with effective conversation and communication.
Don’t Overlook an Enquiry from Rentals
Even tenants make good footfalls and are likely future prospects.
One of the best marketing strategies, which most project builders overlook, is the rental customers they have. Tenants are already living in the apartments and they know all the pros and cons. It is most likely that they aspire to own a premium apartment in one of your projects. You might think they are making an enquiry for rental purposes but the truth is that they might be thinking of a purchase at a later date.
So when they make an enquiry, treat them like a prospect and ask them about their plans of buying luxury villas in Bangalore in the future and include them in your email marketing campaign so they have all information about special offers, discounts, new projects, etc. As they will live on rent, they will also know how good the project is for long term investment.
Follow Up on Social Media Enquiries
Ignore social media and you become invisible to a large section of home buyers. Embrace the technology and expand the customer base with nominal spend.
Today almost all real estate searches begin, and probably end also, online. Every builder needs to have a strong presence in all the touch points including, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pint rest as well as having a business website and blog.
The truth is that the online presence requires you to remain active on social media and reply to all online comments and answer all queries. Automated replies and delayed replies can mar the brand image. So make a swift, personal but professional reply. Show that you value the visitor. This can be done with positive gestures like forwarding a property that matches the enquiry. Remember you are dealing with real people who have families and who would be aspiring for a new home. Show them how the projects you are offering suit their aspirations. The new generation of buyers likes to deal with builders who have embraced the new ways of connecting and catering to their housing needs.
