Home builders today are lucky—they have more tools available than ever before to help convince prospective customers that they’re the right choice. Builders who use these tools effectcively are often able to charge higher prices while closing sales more easily than their competitors (Image: Courtesy Dreamstime).
Positive Reviews / Testimonials
People are skeptical of what a builder says about themselves, but they're far more trusting of what a customer says about them. The reason is obvious—the builder has a lot to gain, while a customer doesn’t. The first step in using this to your advantage is to provide an exceptional product, along with amazing customer service. This comes down to setting expectations and communicating with your customer throughout the process, while ensuring top-notch work from your crew.
Next, you’ll need to ask customers for a review that you can use in your marketing. This will usually require a bit of follow up due to the busy lives everyone lives today, and you may need to coach them on what to say. Ideally, these reviews should be included in your website and marketing materials as well as on third-party websites, such as Google My Business and your Facebook business page.
Professional Web Design
Your website must present a powerful and professional image, display properly on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, and load quickly. All three of these factors have a tremendous impact on how credible prospective customers perceive a builder to be, and the last two also have tremendous impact on how highly search engines like Google rank a website.
It’s important to hire a professional (rather than your nephew who knows a little about web design, or taking the DIY approach). It's for the same reason a typical homeowner needs to hire a licensed contractor. There are a lot of potential mistakes the average person would never think about that will result in a bad outcome—both in web design and construction.
Engaging Content (Text, Images, and Video)
Most websites are painfully boring and not engaging at all, which means people tune out and move on to the next competitor. Fortunately, this is a relatively easy fix.
Instead of writing about what happened the year you were founded or industry awards you’ve received (things that home buyers don't care about), emphasize what makes you different. Explain your process and how you make the entire process easier and less stressful than your competitors. Outline your how your employee training and quality control measures ensure that their home will be built on time, on budget, and to their expectations of quality.
Then, include plenty of large, high-quality photos and videos—preferably shot by a professional—so that prospective customers can see your work for themselves. While you’re at it, include a video of you talking about all the things mentioned in the previous paragraph. This helps visitors to connect an actual person to the brand, which goes a long way in building trust.