By César Mascorro, Jr
The year was 1996 when I was able to purchase my very own cellular phone. I remember how excited I was to start using it, and, in my humble opinion, the feeling of having the latest technology. I remember rushing through incoming calls because I didn’t want to be charged after the first free minute. I was just getting started as a home designer and the money was minimal. Fast forward to 2024, and now I can watch TV on my smartphone, surf the internet, and have things shipped to my home the same day.
It’s amazing to see the progress in cell phone technology in almost 30 years since I purchased my first one. The ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, said it best when he said “the only constant in life is change.”
I look at this type of progress as growth. These newer products have brought us so many benefits and made life very interesting, to say the least.
Now think of the growth and progress in our industry over just the last 10 years. The evolution of our product, the power of our finance offerings, the methods used to install homes, each have vastly improved in the last decade alone.
One of the major successes in the manufactured housing industry is the fact that more and more people have considered purchasing a home, buyers who would not have previously considered our product.
We have so much opportunity to increase sales by tapping into the segment of the site-built market that can no longer purchase a site-built home because of pricing and financing.
For all the growth we have seen in our product, financing, construction practices, and potential homebuyers coming into our segment, there is one aspect of our business that could benefit from some focus, and that would be the buying experience we provide our potential clients.
Having spent 14 years in retail sales of manufactured homes as a housing consultant, sales manager, or general manager, I can honestly say that I have yet to see a comprehensive and intentional initiative to improve the home buying experience provided by a sales staff.
OK, before anyone takes my words to the dartboard, let’s make one thing clear. I am a huge proponent of our industry, our product, and what we can do for homebuyers across the country. However, things seem to have been so good over the years that there hasn’t been quite the level of attention focused on sales process improvement and sales training to bring our representatives and consultants up to a new level. We have been good with the “status quo” because that’s how we’ve done it, and it has worked.
When I say sales training, I am not referring to simply getting people to make more calls, or answer the phones, or place more ads. Making certain our sales consultants are driving traffic to the location is where everything starts. What I am referring to is introducing the same level of respect, pride, and desire to be more that we would see from a sales consultant at an exotic car dealership or high-end retail store. I know there are plenty of sales consultants, managers, and retailers who have shopped at these places for themselves, and know exactly what I am referring to when I say “enhanced” buying experience.
What does that buying experience look like? How would your sales consultants represent themselves, your company, and your product?
Ultimately, how would your clients respond to that type of experience? In today’s world of higher prices and higher rates, our ability to provide that type of buying experience would help offset some of the pushback we get from potential even though they know our product and appreciate that it is more affordable than other housing options..
What we are talking about here is improving our perspective on the business so that we can effect change in the perspective of the homebuyer. We talked earlier about a new segment of the market coming into our industry and our desire to fill this need for housing. Many customers decide to rent because they were left wanting more from the experience they had on the sales lot.
In 2024, homebuyers want more out of the buying experience. And we want even more out of our sales consultants. It’s time we made clear that we are the premier choice for high-quality homes at an affordable price.
Here are a few focus areas I’ve identified that could provide a great positive gain. These also are areas we will be discussing in future editions of MHInsider magazine.
- Selling in today’s market to today’s buyer is less transactional
- Steps toward creating working relationships with clients that built on trust and empathy
- How to establish yourself as a professional sales consultant and NOT the salesperson
- Consider the leadership skills to embody no matter your title
- A successful career that revolves around solving the needs of others
Two things must happen for us to make a change. First, we must want to improve. Second, we have to care to make it happen.
The manufactured home sales is the disruptive innovation that the housing market needs.
Champion Home Builders’ Doug Tollin in a LinkedIn post asserted that we have held that place for some time, and that many people simply haven’t taken notice. I’m here to tell you that they are watching now. IT’S OUR TIME TO SHINE!
