An Honest Guide to Ensuring a Successful Implementation, Project or Initiative

by Wendi Pannell in Articles 3/16/2010 6:24:00 AM
My colleagues have been telling me for years “Write a blog”, or at least “Give me a break and write a blog entry”. My response, “Blah Blog”. I think they figured since I had so much to say, and passionately so, that I should vent via electronic means. The educational/professional side of me wanted to go look up ‘How to Blog’ or ‘Blogging for Non-Bloggers’- but instead of going that route – I’m going with my gut. My first blog is about implementations and specifically how to ensure a successful implementation with any software. What do I know about this topic you ask? I’ve been facilitating or overseeing implementations for an online software product for 7 years. Prior to that I worked with a company that developed software for several different industries, from the Recording Industry Association of America to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. In all of these industries and more, from small projects to multi-million dollar initiatives – there are common principles that guarantee success. And if you’re missing the first one – you’re success just got reduced by a significant percentage. But maybe you’re the person on the ground floor who is trying to convince your boss that you need a system/tool in place to make you and the company more successful. Then use #1 below as your first goal. But to reach that goal you have to have clear and measureable objectives. More about those in my next blog. Here’s our top 10 tips to ensure success of your next implementation.

1.    Executive leadership and commitment. If the decision isn’t coming from the top down, or you don’t have executive buy in – the chance of pulling the plug is greater. If you don’t start with this, make sure you get buy in quickly. Give them what they want – numbers and reports. Proove that the tool is helping them achieve a return on their investment.

2.    Set clear implementation adoption goals by module,milestone or phase as appropriate for your particular type of project and assign a reasonable timeline for each to be implemented with your Professional Service Manager (PSM).

3.    Do some basic data gathering.  Whatever tool or system that you’re going to start using – there’s bound to be data or information to put in it. Here’s an example of a standard list for homebuilders. Typically gathering this information means getting it into electronic format. Excel is your friend – and if it’s not, find a friend that is a friend of Excel.
•    Have a list of projects (sub-divisions) that you build in,
•    Have a list of lots you will build on in those projects,
•    Do you have a list of Plan names or numbers that you build?
•    Do you have a list of options you offer?
•    Have a list of Trade Partners (Vendors & Subcontractors)


4.    Take all the complimentary on line classes as soon as you can.  Your familiarity with the system will lead to a quicker implementation, potentially saving you money and will speed up getting the return on investment of using the system.  Finding a tool that has free online/on demand classes is a plus/plus. Also look for a tool that has a great help system that is easy to navigate or has a good search tool. Especially if they don’t have a FREE 800 number. BTW, this is one thing I am so proud of BuildTopia for having; an online help system, free on demand classes and an actual person that answers our 800 number. Hey, I get to toot our own horn – this is my blog!

5.    Schedule weekly implementation progress meetings with your PSM to review any uploaded data, steps needed to complete current goal, as well as what may be needed (data) for the next goal.  Keep things moving forward! This may be a 15 minute meeting, but it keeps everyone accountable to touching base and confessing to what did or didn’t get done. ACCOUNTABILITY! More...


Transform Your Marketing With This Powerful Tip

by Erik Cofield in Articles 1/8/2010 1:20:00 AM

What helps sell more homes faster? A) construction science, B) deep pockets C) stellar sales people D) strategic marketing?

 

You guessed it, strategic marketing. You might have said all of the above, but not really because of the word “faster”. Why?  Construction science can build it faster. Money is great, but not if you waste it on poor marketing choices. Sales people help, but only if they have leads.  So, strategic marketing fits that bill.  

Do you think you are in construction? Too bad, you are also in marketing. You may have gotten in to this industry because you are a construction science guru, or maybe you are a brilliant architect, or you graduated from Business College and you got in it for the money or your parents gave you the business. It doesn’t matter, congratulations, you are now in marketing.

 

While most builders don’t usually do blow away marketing, some do. You can too. Whether you could build a home blind-folded, or you are a Harvard business grad, or you were a superintendent and are starting your own company, none of that matters if you are not marketing like a Transformer!  So here is a tip many builders overlook. It will help you out-position your competition. More...


BuildTopia in St. Louis - Seminar - Successful Selling Strategies

by Erik Cofield in Articles | News and Events 12/27/2009 1:43:00 PM

Join us as we head to St. Louis!  Erik will present his "Managing Leads Like a Super-Hero!" as one of the presenters with Builder Homesite.  BuildTopia is part of a road show with Builder Homesite as we head to Home Builder Associations around the country giving builders real world advice on successful selling strategies to sell homes online, or anywhere else. Carol Flammer with mRelevance joins as well.

RSVP details are in the flyer below.

If you would like this at your HBA, contact Erik Cofield at
ecofield@buildtopia.com.

St Louis 1-5-10 seminar on selling homes.pdf (54.78 kb)


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Business Week Posts 30 Strongest Housing Markets-See the list!

by Erik Cofield in Articles 8/18/2009 12:21:00 PM
According to Business Week online, located at:
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/aug2009/bw20090810_741278.htm
they have come up with a list of the 30 strongest housing markets in the U.S.

I am not sure how they can qualify Bay City Michigan above Knoxville Tennessee, but they have.

By "strongest" they do not mean positive growth in all cases. However, the list has a lot of information, statistics and numerous images.

Like many online sources, they have manipulated the data so you have to click through over 30 pages to get the data, which annoys me. So, you can see the quick list below, but the link above will give you all of their statistics. There does seem to be a strong overall presence in the southeast.

Speaking of the southeast...
I will be speaking at the 21st Century Building Expo & Conference to be held Sept.16-18, 2009 at the Charlotte Convention Center. Maybe the show will be much stronger than anticipated!

For more information visit their website at www.21buildingexpo.com.

Here is the Business Week List:

1

Boulder, CO

2

Spartanburg, SC

3

New Orleans, LA

4

Binghampton, NY

5

Fayetteville, NC

6

Pittsburgh, PA

7

Little Rock, AR

8

Gainesville, GA

9

Burlington, NC

10

Oklahoma City, OK

11

Cumberland, MD

12

Jacksonville, NC

13

Yakima, WA

14

Springfield, OH

15

Tulsa, OK

16

Champaign-Urbana, IL

17

Albany, NY

18

Lancaster, PA

19

Fort Collins, CO

20

Durham, NC

21

Augusta, GA

22

Bay City, MI

23

Corvallis, OR

24

Greenville, SC

25

Santa Cruz, CA

26

Greensboro, NC

27

Mobile, AL

28

Columbus, OH

29

Knoxville, TN

30

Sumter, SC


Teaching a Builder to Fish? No, Teaching a Builder to Magnetize!

by Erik Cofield in Articles 5/27/2009 4:48:00 AM

We all know the story of teaching a man to fish is better than just fishing for them. Many of us may realize through times of adversity come opportunity. How are these connected to home building?

For decades, in cycles, builders have made money. When times were good, they simply fished with a big net. It was more or less easy to find a buyer for a home one was building.

This concept of throwing a net out there to catch what you can is changing in the world, and especially fast in the United States.  Instead of going out and scooping up, the new way is to become a magnet.  Builders will have to change from being fishermen, to being high powered magnets. Some builders already are, others are planning to catch up, and some have not yet put the planning in place.

How do you pull, instead of scoop? The shift will require companies, including builders, to push out quality content, in mass, very quickly, but in a more sophisticated way than previously done. Builders will have to be more than providers of product; they will need to become trusted resources and destinations of information. They are already a destination for decorating advice; consider the many “looky-loos” using your model homes as examples of decorating advice. Society will force builders, at least highly profitable ones, to do a better job of attracting people. Why? Because people have more choice than ever before, but less time, and therefore can only go where they are strongly attracted. Enter the magnet builder. More...


Using Twitter for Your Business

by Erik Cofield in Articles 5/11/2009 8:07:00 AM

This article was created by, and reprinted with permission from, Blue Tangerine Solutions

How to Use Twitter To Reach A Local Audience For Your Business
It seems that everyone is talking about Twitter these days, and the top two questions seem to be:
1.  What exactly is Twitter?
2.  Can I really use this to grow my business?

What is Twitter?
We’ve addressed the “what is Twitter” in other blog articles, but I must admit that I’ve found an even better definition than ever before.  Yes, it’s microblogging.  Yes, it’s social networking.  However, the best description that I can provide is that it is a lot like CB Radio.  (Those of you who are old enough to remember the CB Radio craze of the 1970’s can appreciate that analogy.)  With Twitter, you can reach out and follow people and even jump in and out of their conversations.  The people can be complete strangers, but once you find them, it’s easy to connect with them and continue conversations.More...

The Builders Trifecta - of Marketing Anyway

by Erik Cofield in Articles 4/7/2009 4:39:00 AM

For builders, the future is always intrinsically connected to what you are doing right this minute. When it comes to marketing, it is really like a trifecta.  Trifecta?  Is that a word? Sort of. You see language, like your marketing, is an ever evolving thing. The word trifecta came about in the 1970s as an offshoot of perfecta.  But trifecta is usually used in gambling. Gambling is exactly what marketing is all about, only with better odds.  When you do your marketing, you want a return.  A trifecta is a type of bet [usually on horse races] in which you, the bettor, must select the FIRST 3 finishers in EXACT order.  So, here is the builder’s trifecta, or the 3 finishers in your marketing package.  Here is my bet on the winning strategy for your marketing efforts. More...


10 Things to Improve Your Education Program Immediately

by Erik Cofield in Articles 2/8/2009 11:55:00 AM
By Erik Cofield, CGA 

It was my privilege to be tasked with managing the education department for the Greater Houston Builders Association.  We took a curriculum of nearly 30 courses per year, to 110 courses per year. Not only did we offer tremendous value to the membership, help internal departments grow, but obviously significantly raised non-dues revenue for the association. Whether you already have an education department, or are considering one, we hope you find the following information helpful as you seek to provide the highest level of service and professionalism for your association, while making more money of course! 

1) Use CertificatesCreate certificates of completion for all courses other than NAHB courses since NAHB sends their own. Hand these out at the end of the class.  Keep in mind employees like to have things to show their boss. Business owners like to have things to show their consumer customers. The HBA should get templates as well as gold embossed seals professionally printed. This allows the HBA staff to manually write in the person’s name and class title, or to print these out, customized for every class. Applying a pre printed gold embossed seal makes the certificate more prestigious. 

2) Survey SaysBeyond the NAHB form, create your own survey form, with as few as 5 questions or as many as you feel will be tolerated. Make it obvious the form should be anonymous. Communicate about the survey forms before the class, and be there at the end to collect them.  You are trying to find out: was it easy to register, did the class meet the stated objective, was the instructor competent and prepared or did they sell their products and services. You also want to know if the price was correct, or if they have any suggestions for future content, types of food, location, hours, etc. The education department must be continually developed and created to serve the membership.More...

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Industry Best Practices Lead, Prospect & Contact Code List

by Erik Cofield in Articles 1/10/2009 8:20:00 AM

Every company, especially builders, should have a contact management system. A more advanced contact management system allows you to manage the relationships of your customers and is referred to as a CRM (Customer Relationship Management). In any of these types of systems, one should have defined codes for all contact types, and stages of those types. 

The list below is a basic list.  For example, It can be even more sophisticated to include a code denoting the source from which the lead came.  From the list below, instead of 08-B, one could have subsets such as 08-B-Web and 08-B-News, denoting a source of web and newspaper respectively.  The idea is always striving to push a prospect to a number 1. At a glance one can understand where in the buying process a prospect is, simply by looking at the number. For example, with the list below, a 9 is not as good as a 7, and a 7 is not as good as a 5, and none of them are as good as a 1.  

Be careful not to use terms that are subjective in their identification, without the clarification.Not every team member will think of terms such as “interested” or “immediate” in the same way, so those terms must be defined for whatever works for your company.  The term “immediate” must be defined by a number of days so you entire team is using it the same way. Otherwise, your reports are meaningless. 

Keep in mind your codes can, or even should, be alpha numeric.  In the list below, More...


Lead Follow-Up is Your First Customer Service Test

by Erik Cofield in Articles 12/29/2008 5:52:00 AM
Content Provided By Mike Lyon- www.doyouconvert.com

What a powerful speaker Nicky Joy is! In a recent speech, she had a phrase that was extremely relevant. “Follow-Up is your first customer service test.”How true! So many sales executives have trouble following up after a motivated buyer has graced their doorstep. With that being the case, one can only assume all of those internet and phone leads are not getting the royal treatment they deserve. If your sales are all that you want, great for you, but consider the questions below. Nearly every sales person I have met could do better, even if they are already pretty good!

Buyers are more than a little reluctant to walk through that door considering the economic climate and all the related variables. But they are still shopping! Add to that an already busy schedule full of soccer games, oil changes, church, cooking dinner, dance recitals and limited family time and it becomes obvious why doing their initial research on the web has become so prevalent and more important for them, and for you! Your new customers are using the internet to shop, research, compare and narrow down their choices. Ultimately, they use the process of elimination to narrow down their selection to an average of 2-3 builders or homes. Then, they’ll probably reach out to you digitally and ask those final comparison questions. By the time they get in front of your face, many times they are somewhat qualified, and treating them that way is essential to your profitability.

It is at this critical moment that you have an opportunity to gain—or lose—a customer. You are being tested. How you follow-up is setting the standard for both you and your company. You are the face of your company at this point, regardless of the quality of your product, price point or other variables.

Consider these questions and then ask yourself if you would pass or fail the follow-up test. More...

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