Online People Talking with Jen Barkan

Kicking Off with the Lyon Life: Mike Lyon is deep into basketball dad life, supporting his son Nate on the Puma Pro 16 circuit—beating Nike teams and getting college looks. Jen's hoping to see Nate at Old Dominion someday!Upcoming Events & Opportunities• Online Sales Academy – Kicks off May 20th with three half-days + eight weeks of on-demand training. Not everyone graduates—but if you do, you earn official certification!• Online Sales & Marketing Summit – Back in Chicago this year with an epic speaker lineup:   o    Rhonda Conger   o    Steve Shoemaker   o    Ryan Taft   o    Brian Boero   …and more DYC pros!Pro Tip from Mike: If you want to attend, ask your boss. Plead your case. Or invest in yourself.Welcome to the newest DYC superstars:• Melissa Fort – 20 years in new home sales, former TriPointe Homes.• Molly Adams – OSC and HubSpot wizard, full of real-world experience and energy.        * Tito (Top Industry Talent OSC) Shoutout Main Topic: When Leads Are Down, Here's What to Do• Always start with fresh lead follow-up and appointment details.• Then tackle prospecting: older leads are converting more than new ones!   o    Q4 saw up to 24% of appointments from aged leads.   o    Dedicate 2+ hours a day to prospecting.   o    Expect 40–60 calls per appointment in today's market."You want us to stop talking about prospecting? Start prospecting." – Mike Lyon Skills CheckPick one area (prospecting, content, CRM, AI, etc.) and commit to growing it.Talk to leadership about how you'll lean in.Bonus: Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast! Thanks for tuning in!Questions? Email: show@doyouconvert.comMore at doyouconvert.com

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs for a bittersweet episode, as it's Jessie's last week at Do You Convert. Jessie shares her incredible journey at DYC, and her what's to come for her next adventure. They also share the exciting news that Online Sales Academy tickets have been released for spring, and shout out Jessica Myers with Caviness & Cates for an amazing video she recently filmed, and her work in humanizing the online sales process.Jen and Jessie discuss: Jessie's time at Do You Convert, and the impact she's made on countless OSCs Where she will be headed to, and what her new role will entail.Her love for DYC Summit, and how her experience shifted from attending as an OSC to attending as a team member. Jessie's most funny, and toughest moment during her time as a coach.The four things Jessie has learned big picture:You can be kind and in control at the same time - some of the people she has most looked up to have been the kindest. You can't wait for change to happen - you have to make change. We get to define what success looks like to us. What does one year look like for you? What does five years look like for you?Surround yourself with good people, and good things will happen. Skills Check (40:42): Being Disciplined in Honor of Jessie Pick one thing that you need to be more disciplined on, and go forth and do that in the next month! 

Jen Barkan welcomed a very special guest to OPT this week, Ryan Taft, the Founder and CIO of Impact Eighty-Eight! They kicked things off sharing key takeaways from the 2025 International Builders' Show, recapping DYC's upcoming Online Sales Academy, and giving a shout out to Lena Burgin with Level Homes, who recently won OSC Rookie of the Year for 2025! Topic of Today: People Over Process  (19:00): There is a lot of conversation happening right now surrounding "We need more sales!"The 2025 spring selling season feels a bit different this year, hence the importance of the saying, "Don't get prepared, stay prepared." In every sales team, often the #1 closer is the online sales professional. There is a difference between getting a customer to agree to an appointment, and wanting to go to an appointment. There's a transfer of emotion when setting appointments, and it's important to promote the experience. Avoid making it feel transactional! People don't buy with logic, they buy with emotion, and it's important not to go too far information-wise on initial calls. The goal of the handoff is to excite the imagination of meeting the sales person, and to reduce anxiety by humanizing them. Addressing friction between online and onsite sales, and understanding that the relationship is a give-get model. Anytime there is friction, you can complain about it, or you can do something about it! Ryan shares the story of Impact Eighty-Eight, and how the question of "What do you want to do?" changed everything. He shares his perspective that when the process becomes priority, the people can get lost, and his goal is to put people first in his training. Skills Check: Are You Tracking the Handoff? (45:30):It's important to be proactive if you feel like your team could be doing a better job with the handoff process. Jen suggests tracking the handoff in your CRM or appointment tracker.This will allow you to have more concrete information to base next steps off of. 

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs, who just celebrated her four year "workiversary" at Do You Convert! And did you know Jen also just celebrated eight years?! They recap exciting Upcoming Events including their trip next week to the 2025 International Builders' Show! This episode starts out with a new celebration of OSCs, and touches on the scenarios of burnout and rust-out, identifying it as an employee or manager, and finding solutions in an honest and genuine way. Tito Shout-Outs (07:15): Jen recaps our recent National OSC Day celebration, and shares a heartfelt story about her beloved pup Tito who passed away a few years ago on OSC Day, who inspired their new "Tito Shout-outs," signifying the words Top Industry Talented OSC. Their first shout-out is for Kendall Pashak, the Online Sales Manager with Hartford Homes! Kendall's proactive work and confidence has stood out, and made an impact with her management. Topic of Today: Recognizing Burnout and Rust-Out (11:56): Burnout happens when you feel so overwhelmed, you don't feel in control of your day or your tasks, causing you to shutdown. Rust-out is typically an indicator that burnout is coming -- you're unable to go the extra mile due to time constraints, or not feeling motivated-driven. Self-reflection is important when going through either of the above. Looking for certain signs (as an employee or manager) is an important piece. Examples of burnout: not wanting to answer the phone, feeling consistently overwhelmed with tasks, having a hard time with coachability. Examples of rust-out: feeling stagnant with your process, not feeling excited to come to work, not taking initiative to present at sales meetings. There's no one-size fits all solution, however having honest conversations with a coach, peer or colleague will help you gain a different perspective. When you're not sure what to focus on, focus on the things you have control over. When all else fails, do the best thing in that moment for the customer. Prioritize creating time in your day for stress recovery. As an OSC, you're exerting energy all day long, and it's important to give yourself pockets in the day to take a few moments to breathe. Sometimes it's as simple as prioritizing your lunch break, and creating boundaries and margin. Being "hangry" is a real thing! Jen suggests reflecting on your favorite things about your role, and figuring out how to incorporate more of that into your day. Skills Check: How Your Work Space Affects Your Vibe (35:00): Jessie discusses transitioning from a full-time office environment to fully working from home during COVID, and how your environment can play a role in your efficiency. Jen recommends having a designated, quiet office space where you can close the door if you're working from home (or the office!)If you're feeling burnout or rust-out, it's ok to say something! Nothing changes without action. 

Jen Barkan and Jessie Suggs hosted an exciting LIVE episode this week celebrating National OSC Day today! This episode is jam-packed with special guests, stories, best-practices, words of wisdom -- a victory lap to celebrate all of the hard work OSCs have put into their roles the last year! 03:43 - Mike Lyon, "The OG"Mike enters the chat to share the history of OSC Day, and how this special celebration came to fruition.He celebrates all of the hard work that has been put into prospecting this year.They touch on a popular quote from Seth Godin, "Pick your customers, pick your future."09:50 - Martha Clifford, Director of Online Sales with Tuskes HomesJen and Martha share a laugh over the hashtag they used to use: #oscproblems.Did you know Jen and Martha attended the first ever Online Sales and Marketing Summit?She shares her experience as an OSC the last 13 years, and what keeps the role challenging and exciting for her.Martha's OSC Day message: be consistent, stay curious, and your job matters! 14:28 - Lena Burgin, Online Sales Counselor with Level Homes Jessie brings up The Nationals, as Lena is up for Rookie of the Year! She is so excited for the confidence she will bring this year to the role, and use what she's learned over the last year (if you know, you know, being able to answer questions. in the car or in-the-moment is a huge win for her this year)!Jessie shares the power of bringing joy into the role.Lena's OSC Day message: trust the process, because it works! 19:21 - Haley Naebig, Director of Sales with NoviHome Haley shares her experience working as an OSC at Level Homes, and how she's used her experiences in homebuilding to support clients at NoviHome. She emphasizes the benefits of being "pleasantly persistent" and how the consistency has set her up for success. One of Jen's favorite all-time videos is Haley on rollerblades doing a community tour, and her ability to put herself out there and ask for feedback. Haley's OSC Day message: having fun shines through all of your interactions and is a great way to stand out! 26:14 - Sam Barkan, Inside Crossover Sales Agent with Chesapeake Homes While Sam currently works as an on-site, he worked and managed the online sales position while his colleague was out on maternity leave. Sam shares his key takeaway: online sales is hard. He celebrates the persistence, organization and dedication of OSCs, highlighting that it's 100% of the process, 100% of the time. Sam's OSC Day message to fellow on-sites: be curious about online sales, especially the metrics, and take the time to communicate and show appreciation. If you do this, the metrics will speak for themselves. 30:34 - Reyna Estrada, National Internet Sales Director with M/I HomesReyna is back from Argentina, and ready to celebrate OSC Day (she even has balloons)! She began her role as an OSC in 2008, and talks about how the role has evolved. Reyna works with a huge team (30 throughout 17 markets) and is proud to work with such dedicated, passionate and authentic professionals. Jen touches on the role of empathy and the importance of nurturing within the role. One of the biggest changes Reyna has seen within the role is the shift in priorities of focusing on lead conversion vs. wearing different hats. Reyna's OSC Day message: you are appreciated, thank you for your commitment to taking care of our customers, and thank you for elevating us to excellence every single day. 36:00 - Brittany Horner, Director of Marketing & Online Sales with Mitchell Homes Brittany joined Mitchell Homes in 2019 to create the marketing department, and by fall of 2023 spearheaded the creation of the online sales department. Speed to lead, excitement and prospecting has completely transformed their business. She shouts out her incredible team, and all of their hard work! 39:02 - Beth Russel, Marketing Coach with Do You Convert Before coming to Do You Convert, Beth led a team at Stylecraft, and shares her experience with their outstanding team. Jen and Beth discuss how essential it is for online sales and marketing to collaborate, and how often the two should be meeting and communicating. Beth thanks online sales counselors for producing data integrity that marketing and sales leaders rely on so heavily. Beth encourages marketers to listen to online sales counselors, integrate them into the process, and really understand what their day-to-day looks like. 44:23 - Skills Check! As you celebrate National OSC Day -- share your victories! Use #nationaloscday so we can help celebrate your wins as well. 

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs, who kicks off this week's episode with advice and lessons learned from her recent milestone -- running a marathon! Jen shares exciting announcements surrounding new training opportunities, including an available Online Sales Coach position with DYC.

For this week's episode, Jen Barkan and Jessie Suggs are joined by a very special guest, Adyanee Perkins with StyleCraft Builders An award-winning online sales counselor, Adyanee shares her best practices for prospecting, overcoming objections, and approaching the new year with preparedness and specific goals. She also talks about embracing the phrase "intrapreneur" and how it has shaped her career journey.Topic of Today: The Importance of Being Prepared and Setting Goals (07:35): Jen shares the importance of being prepared in the face of the unexpected The two welcome a very special guest -- Adyanee Perkins, Online Sales Counselor with Stylecraft Builders! Adyanee shares her background with the military and in criminal justice, and the beginning of her journey with Stylecraft They talk about making a difference, and being a part of the brand experience Adyanee's word of the year for 2024, and for 2025! She shares common objections at this time in the year, and shifting the focus to helping customers be prepared for when they are ready Jessie shares the strategy of "pause, agree, pivot" and not being afraid to ask questionsAdyanee shares her process on prospecting, and how she has seen this affect Stylecraft as a whole She shares the phrase "intrapreneur" and how she has taken ownership of follow-up and going the extra mile Skills Check! (35:52)Send us an email at onlinesales@doyouconvert.com! What is one goal or skill you wanted to improve this year to grow your skill set? Is there someone from the industry you'd like us to have on the pod to talk to?

Join us as Mike Lyon, Jessie Suggs and Amanda Martin take over OPT for a holiday episode! They cover ECI's Top New Home Sales Tips for 2025, the DYC 2024 Holiday Gift Guide items to check out, and share some important skills to check yourself on as we enter 2025! 

Jen Barkan is joined this episode by special guest Rodrigo Segnini, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Stylecraft Builders in Texas. Jen and Rodrigo discuss their unique journeys to the homebuilding industry, how Stylecraft has transformed its online sales team to now be on pace for a 70%+ contribution rate, and advice for sales leaders when it comes to expanding online sales. Jen and Rodrigo Discuss: Rodrigo's sales background, and incredible growth within Stylecraft Advocating for online sales teams and the impact of data and reporting Stylecraft's superstar online sales team and its growth over the years The benefits of having an Online Sales Manager and why this position was created at Stylecraft The introduction of long-term follow-up processes and the incredible sales influence this had -- resulting in an additional 60 sales in one yearRodrigo's advice for leaders getting pushback from sales on managing online leads Effectively shifting company culture when setting up a brand-new online sales teamAdvice for online sales specialists on always thinking outside of the box and looking for ways to get out of your comfort zone Key takeaways for online sales leaders Skills Check! (39:20)Jen recommends taking the time to go deeper with data this month, and pull a full audit Make sure that your messaging is accurately reflecting what the lead source is Reviewing email templates and follow-up processes Have you done everything you could do with follow-up leads?

Join us as we celebrate one year of OPT and releasing the 2024 Homebuilder Online Follow-Up Survey ("Secret Shop") results with a special live episode recorded November 6th. Jen Barkan is joined by Mike Lyon and Jessie Suggs to present key takeaways from our most comprehensive shop to date. The secret shop is designed to show homebuilder follow-up from the customer's perspective. Topic of Today: Secret Shop Results! (4:15)The origins of the online follow-up survey (and a fun fact about an auto dealer survey!)Logistics of how the shop and our partnership with Clear Evaluations Recapping response times and the year-over-year improvement -- 72% picked up the phone and made a phone call after the online submissionInitial response time key takeaways -- 44% of builders responded in under an hour How many times in a month were the online sales specialists touching leads?Personalization decreased year-over-year -- 29% of builders sent a video email How are online sales specialists opening the door for the organization in the live phone shop greeting? Opportunities for improvement in qualifying areas of the live phone shop Slowing down and taking your time through qualifying customers on the phone Jessie and Mike's take on the percentage of online sales specialists who were able to overcome objections Summarizing the handoff process (it's a hand-off, not a hand-hold!)Speed-to-lead is the biggest differentiator Key takeaways for improving each element of the secret shop 

Jen Barkan is joined by Amanda Martin (with an appearance from Jessie Suggs!) to recap the recently dropped Q3 Online Sales Benchmarks! Detailing data coming in from over 50,000 leads, they recap lead volume changes, what increased and what decreased, and new metrics that are in this quarter's Benchmarks! They also give actionable items for putting insights gained from the data into strategic plans. Topic of Today: The Q3 Benchmarks! (05:50)Amanda discusses her passion for numbers and why she values the Benchmarks They recap the lead-to-appointment, appointment-to-sale and online sales contribution numbers -- notably a 4% increase in the online sales contributionDetailing how many sales specialists and markets go into the Benchmarks Decreases in the lead-to-appointment and appointment-to-sale metrics What can online sales specialists do to keep pushing when lead volume is down? Notable trends among leads, and overcoming today's objections Tips for improving the lead-to-appointment metric Focusing on the qualification of the leads and driving quality appointments Trends among top-performing teams and individuals Outlining key takeaways as we move toward the end of the year Skills Check! (25:11)Write down a goal of what you can do (that's within your control) to affect the numbers How quick can you be to get a lead on the phone?Making sure you're qualifying accurately and sending leads to the correct community Identifying holes in your handoff process 

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs for this episode, recapping their recent trip to Chicago for the 2024 Online Sales & Marketing Summit! They recap their first time at the event, and the trends they saw this year. They also welcome a very special guest, Jen's son, Sam Barkan! Sam attended Summit this year as a builder attendee, and shares his unique perspective. Sam works with Chesapeake Homes in Virginia, currently working as an online sales specialist, with experience as an on-site sales specialist. Topic of Today (6:36): Special Guest, Sam Barkan! Jen recap's Sam's background in both online and on-site sales Sam discusses the biggest differences he notices between the on-site sales role and the online sales role They chat about the amount of opportunities there are in online sales to positively impact people and make a difference for them Sam shares his "Aha!" moments from attending Summit Key takeaways he's planning on implementing as an online sales specialist They cover time blocking, and how to take small steps to put items you've learned into action without it being overwhelming Jessie encourages those who have attended to thank their leadership for investing in them Skills Check! (24:33): Knowing Beyond Your Numbers Heading Into Q4 Jessie encourages everyone to outline what success looks like -- to you and to your company -- to be able to forecast what you can contribute in Q4 Go to your leader, ask what your total Q4 sales goal is for October, November, December, and forecast what you can contribute based on your metrics 

Jen Barkan and Jessie Suggs sit down for episode #24, and today's topic is embracing the transparency of online sales and shifting the focus from defensiveness to opportunity when a slower market can lead to finger pointing. Topic of Today: 5 Ways to Embrace Today's Challenges in Online Sales (5:03)Jen and Jessie have heard several stories about OSCs getting pushback, and going into defense-mode When things begin to slow and nervousness kicks in, finger pointing can ensue Instead of getting defensive, let's embrace this and look at it as a challenge! Which is worse, the pain of discipline, or the pain of regret?#1: Be able to confidently explain your role and what you do #2: Know your metrics inside-and-out #3: Have you done everything in your control within your CRM?#4: Stay in front of your peers #5: Communicate proactively Listener Question Of The Day (32:16): "What is the difference between an adequate employee and a valuable employee?" This question is based off of a great book titled 12 Habits of Valuable Employees: Your Roadmap to an Amazing CareerValue employees look to maximize resources, create new efficiencies in everything they touch, eliminate obstacles and proactively solve complex problems What are you doing beyond checking the boxes?Skills Check! (37:30) Jessie encourages you to take action on at least one thing from today's episode you'd like to implement Update your metrics on a weekly basis and make adjustments accordingly Know the word on the street! What is the customer vibe?

Jen Barkan and Jessie Suggs are joined by Lisa Parrish, Chief Creative Chick with Team PMP - Peter Mayer Productions! Lisa has been producing industry award events for 35+ years, and the topic is all about The Nationals-- the NAHB's premier awards event! They dive into awards categories, benefits of applying, tips on the submission process, steps to submitting an entry and more! Entries are due October 7 for anyone interested in applying! Finalists lists will be announced the first week of December. Topic Of Today: The Nationals awards! (04:14)Jen and Jessie welcome Lisa Parrish, a national treasure in the new home industryLisa explains The Nationals, and what categories of awards are covered What categories of awards are available for Online Sales?Diving into who should apply for each category Why should you consider applying?Characteristics the judges are looking for Tips for bringing up The Nationals to upper management Insider tips on the submission process -- clear, concise and digestible  Breaking down the entry submission two-step process Planning for the submission deadline Lisa's thoughts on letters of recommendation Jen shares the importance of providing a story and context behind the data Levels of entry fees - do you have to be a member of NAHB to apply?After submission, when do you find out if you've been selected?Listener Question Of The Day: (26:04) "With the submission process, is there anything that stands out to you, and are applications more merit based, creativity, or a combination of both?"Lisa details it comes down to professionalism, dynamic and results Creativity and passion for what you do are clear standouts Skills Check! (28:12)Jessie encourages you to research The Nationals, and have a discussion with your manager to see if this is something you are able to apply for! Jen shares her experience applying and winning silver and gold 

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs for Episode #22, and they're shaking things up! Jen interviews Jessie, who candidly shares how she entered into the real estate industry, and her journey to becoming an online sales counselor, and ultimately to a coach at Do You Convert. A big topic discussed in this episode is comfort zones, and how important it is to always be seeking opportunity for growth and learning. And finally, they give you a bit of homework so you can put the advice into action! Topic Of Today: Jessie Suggs! (05:58)Jen is interviewing Jessie as this episode's special guest! It all started with teeth! Jessie describes navigating her way through roles to pursue her true passionJen asks what drew her to the online sales role The two discuss the best, and most difficult things about being an online sales counselor Jessie shares what her tenure within the industry has looked like She also shares the ways that she plugged in, and grew within the industry Jen asks Jessie to describe the moment she knew she wanted to be a coach They discuss comfort zones, and how important it is to resist the urge to allow fear to keep you in the same place Jessie shares a typical day-in-the-life of an online sales coachShe also shares what her free time looks like! Skills Check! (30:23)What is one thing you could be doing to put yourself out there, and develop yourself professionally? 

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs and Amanda Martin to recap the recently dropped Q2 2024 Benchmarks! Things have held very steady since last quarter, and in some instances, improved! Also discussed in this episode are upcoming opportunities for growth and recognition, and Amanda leaves you with some homework that will improve your funnel. Word On The Street: Do You Remember Your First Day As An OSC? (15:20) Jen, Jessie and Amanda do! They reminisce on their first day as an OSC! The accomplishment, the excitement, the nervousness -- all the feels! The team is onboarding new online sales specialists, and are loving the work ethic and eagerness to learn they are bringing!  Online Sales Academy dates have been announced (November 13-15) and limited spots are available! Who should apply for The Nationals?Question Of The Day: UTour (26:57)Great resource for onsite sales team Ways to use it effectively and not bypass online sales You should have a UTour follow-up process (light weight, soft selling)Topic of Today: The Q2 Benchmarks! (13:33)What are the Benchmarks, and how do we calculate them?Pleasantly surprising key metrics!Are you tracking "show rate"? Recapping top performers Data you can add to your reports to tell the story about what is happening with your leadsSkills Check! (30:28)Amanda gives you some homework! Correctly defining an aged lead Discovering the why behind your data 

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen and Jessie Suggs are joined by Julia Holloman, a Dream Home Specialist at Red Door Homes! Julia explains what "On Your Lot" online sales specialists do and how its different (and similar!) to production online sales specialists. They go through the metrics between the two and speak to why that might be.Word On The Street: On Your Lot (10:15)Build on customers land.Take care of everything from start to finish.You can build anywhere that Red Door Homes builds.Topic Of Today: Metrics for OYL vs Production (24:26)OYL has to paint a picture, there's no model home, so it's helping the customer create a vision of the future.Your job is to get them excited at the possibility of a home.OYL is a longer buying cycle.Skills Check! (40:27)You got to listen to your calls!How are you answering the phone?Determine what your areas of qualification are."Did I ask for the appointment?"

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen and Jessie Suggs are joined by one of our very own marketing coaches here at DYC, Beth Russell! They have noticed an uptick in OSC's creating overly templated emails that look as though they came from marketing, so the three dig into the difference between marketing emails and follow up emails. Beth gives her expert insight on the purpose of both kinds of emails and shares her concerns if the line is blurred between the two. The three discuss the difference between live chat and a chatbot.Word On The Street: OSC's emails looking like they came from marketing (08:03)Email marketing is not the same as email follow up.Follow ups should not have a template.You risk people unsubscribing when you make your follow up a newsletter.Topic Of Today: The fundamentals - difference between email marketing and follow up from online sales (17:30)Marketing emails are there for awareness and engagement.Email follow up needs to be short and sweet.Follow ups are human centered communication.Skills Check! (36:40)Go do an audit of your email follow up. Is it too templated?Talk to your marketing and see what is going out.

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Jessie Suggs to talk all about how to get an appointment. Jen and Jessie have noticed a disconnect in Online Sales Specialists knowing the best method of making an appointment and in some cases, not even asking at all! So pull out your notepads and pencils for this free educational episode on how to get those appointments the correct way.Word On The Street: How To Ask For an Appointment (05:32)People are struggling with asking for the appointment.Review the call path.Prepare mentally.Be better than the bot! Add your personality!5 areas of qualifications.Topic Of Today: The 6 Ways To Ask For an Appointment (16:44)Assumptive closeSoft CloseTrial CloseHard CloseTie Down CloseAlternative CloseSkills Check! (30:35)Write these tips down.Try one of these methods!

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen and Jessie Suggs are joined by Elena Mora and Chelsie Glidden of Ideal Homes! This dynamic duo from ideal Homes created an out of the box approach to bettering their post appointment conversion and adoption of the handoff and follow up. They created a red team/green team system to help motivate their OSC's to make sure their conversion rates flourish! Word On The Street: Poor Practices (07:33)Jessie has seen some newer OSC's pushing some negative practices.Tracking follow-ups.Don't get caught up in the CRM policing.Topic Of Today: Thinking Outside the Box (14:01)After noticing a loss of conversions with qualified appointments, they decided to take the issue to management.They created a red/green system. To be on the green team you have to show a conversion of appointment to sale that is 30%.The green team gets priority appointment. Skills Check! (38:55)Observe and report!Get the concrete data. Tracking appointment to sale conversions at the community level and sales person level. 

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen and Jessie Suggs are joined by Kelly Rushin, an award-winning Online Sales Specialist at Berks Homes! They talk all about team dynamics and stepping into the leadership/mentorship role when welcoming new teammates, urging OSC's to shift their negative mindset around it. It's an opportunity to grow as a person and grow the company! Jen and Jessie share what they think is best practice for lead ownership and Kelly shares what she loves most about being an OSC as well as who inspires her most!Word On The Street: Team Dynamics (07:47)Seeing the growth opportunity in bringing in new team members!Someone to have your back.It's not about competition, it's about making sure all leads are nurtured. Mentor and teach someone else!Topic Of Today: Lead Ownership (21:44)Eliminate as many grey areas as possible.Don't let ownership cause a ripple in the customers journey.Make sure there's incentive to help out.Communication and respect are key.Skills Check! (35:32) Outbound calls: Get out there are call your leads!Make 20 outbound calls a day.Call from a call track platform, use a call log, and have your teammate cover inbound calls while you make outbound. 

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Jessie Suggs and our very own, Amanda Martin! The Q1 2024 Benchmarks have just dropped and the team dives into the numbers and gives their thoughts on the results! There's been a shift in the lead volume so the three give tips on how to manage the lack of leads and advise OSC's to be careful not to use the "S" word. They suggest that "When leads go low, it's your time to grow!" and ask yourself if you've done everything you can with your current leads. Word On The Street: Everyone's been quiet! (04:03)The bad 4 letter "S" word: Slow"When leads go low, it's your time to grow!"Calm down, hit the phones.Are you doing everything you can with the current leads you have?Pro-active communication with sales and marketing.Topic Of Today: The Q1 Benchmarks! (12:38)Everything is normal and steady.The numbers are looking great!Early Spring selling season this year.Things are stay pretty consistent.Skills Check! (30:38)Challenge: Look at your follow-up process and figure out how to add your personalization. Tell your leads where to go, where to look!Nurturing a VIP list.Add a video into the very first email outreach.Put your picture in your email signature.

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen and Jessie are joined by the incredible, Ronda Conger! Ronda hops on the podcast to share her knowledge and expertise and give her thoughts on why OSC's are an essential part of the company. They dive into the topic of A.I. and Ronda explains that A.I. is not about replacing the OSC but giving the OSC the opportunity to have better conversations with more information! The three tackle ways to resolve unhealthy competition between your OSC's and Ronda shares who and what inspires her! Ronda's mindset of positivity and curiosity continues to impact and transform the industry day by day.Word On The Street: Everyone's been quiet! (00:35)OSC's haven't been chatty.Time for a motivation and attitude check!Hopefully it's a sign that everyone is in the zone.We need to find the passion in our role again!Topic Of Today: Special Guest Ronda Conger! (03:03)Ronda's message of positivity has stayed the same over the years as she's pioneered the industry!Online Sales Specialists are one of the most important aspects of your company. A.I. is a great resource but it will never replace you if you're human centered!The OSC can never be replaced, but A.I. can enhance the capabilities of the OSC by acting as an assistant.Your company needs to be set up as a team sport, not a house divided. Ronda is inspired by the"doers" in the world!Skills Check! (34:03)Mental skills check!What are you grateful for? Looking forward to?Ponder who inspires you!If you don't know what inspires you, go find it. 

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Trista Nixon of Brohn Homes! Trista hops on to talk about her journey as an Online Sales Specialist, the misconceptions about that role and how she has overcome those obstacles by ensuring that the "proof is in the pudding." Jen and Trista give their insight on how to count older leads and offer some great advice to those facing a team that doesn't understand the work going into the OSC role!Word On The Street: How to count older leads that come back around and who owns the lead?  (03:01)Pick up where you left off.One lead, one appointment, one sale!Put the returning leads in a different color to help keep track..Topic Of Today: Trista Nixon! (08:47)Trista is an Online Sales Specialist in Austin, Texas with Brohn Homes!She is a former on-site sales agent which gives Trista unique perspective.The misconceptions made about OSC's.Brohn's staff gets together once a month to train everyone on what each department does.Skills Check! (31:49)When you're counting your leads, make sure you're going 1-1-1.Keep track of your b-backs.Don't lump it altogether, make sure you keep those leads separate. Double check and be sure to notate the b-back in your CRM.

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Jessie Suggs and the two share an inspiring story of an OSC who turned a small connection into a meaningful gesture. They dive straight into the topic of AI and Chatbots, addressing recent fears of it replacing Online Sales positions. Personalization is something AI can never replace and it's a vital part of the Online Sales world, however, it is time to step up and be the valuable employee who harnesses AI to their advantage! To wrap up, Jen and Jessie give their strategies for re-engaging leads from closed communities and tell OSC's to go try out an AI tool and see what works for you!Word On The Street: Ai & Chatbots: What this means for Online Sales (08:48)A lot of OSC's are asking about AI and Chatbots.It was a huge conversation at the International Builders' Show Are you a valuable employee or an adequate employee?Utilize AI to help you but know that it can never replace the human connection.Personalizing will "beat the bot"Topic Of Today: AI Tools Online Sales Can Use (16:16)Make sure that if you use ChatGPT or anything similar to personalize the result it gives you to keep the the human touch.CallRail is widely used and Jen and Jessie LOVE Grammarly Self-Scheduling isn't aligned with what Online Sales are trying to achieve.Skills Check! (31:06)Go try one of the AI tools! Look into how it can benefit your day to day.If the word AI scares you: speak to how you can do what AI can do but BETTER.

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan In this episode, Jen is joined by Jessie Suggs and very special guests Nationals Gold Award Winners Terrell Turner and Amberly Mioduszewski! Jen and Jessie talk all things International Builders' Show from close calls to their key takeaways and what topics took center stage for most conversations and sessions. Amberly shares what winning the Rookie of the Year award meant to her after a tough year and shares what she learned from IBS! Terrell won OSC of the year and encourages every to keep applying even when you get discouraged! He shares that his goal for 2024 took inspiration from Jessie's word of the year "less" and is implementing it in conversations with leads to talk less and listen more. To shake things up Jen and Jessie let the top OSC's in the nation give their skills check for the week: adaptability and coachability! Word On The Street: The International Builders' Show & The Nationals (03:57)ChatGPT and AI was a HUGE topic!Marketing and leadership conversations.Talking about AI as a human assistant not a replacement. Thinking about how online sales can use it!Topic Of Today: Gold Award Winners Amberly & Terrell! (08:10)Amberly shares recent wins and why it meant so much to her.Terrell reminds us why it is so important to never give up!Skills Check! (36:29)Adaptability: You've got to bend with the wind, not break.Coachability: There's always something to learn and you have to be ready to take insight. 

On the latest Online People Talking episode, Jen takes us back to a previous episode featuring our very own, Julie Jarnagin! Julie hops on this episode to talk about her book Building Certainty and how it's not just for marketers but also online sales specialists as it relates to creating content. She walks us through her writing career as a published author of fourteen novels and what led her to write Building Certainty. Skills Check! (31:27)Speed to lead! Check your speed of response.Go into your CRM and look at what your average speed is.Jessie has her apple watch connected to her email.Only be in a meeting if you need to be. Jump in, do your thing, jump out.

In this episode, Jen, Mike & Jessie celebrate National OSC Day with a few special guests and a video shoutout from Amanda Martin! We want to celebrate the amazing people who serve as new home Online Sales Specialists and recognize their hard work today and everyday!Online sales specialists play a vital role in new home companies and the entire home building industry. They are often the first people to interact with potential customers. Frequently, they're at the forefront of testing new and innovative techniques that lead to success within their organization. Guests: Eric AlaridJessica MyersElena MoraErin YarbroughWhitney Ghere

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Jessie Suggs o talk workiverseries, 2023 Benchmarks, and onsite leads! Jen and Jessie jump right into the recently hot topic of whether online sales should take over onsite leads and give their expertise into why they advise OSC's avoid doing this! They break open the 2023 Benchmarks Wrap-Up giving a detailed look into last years data and share Q4 numbers as well as state their predictions for 2024. Lastly, they offer some tips on your speed of response!Word On The Street: Should we prospect to onsite sales old leads? (10:48)Why OSC's Taking Over Onsite Leads is a Bad Idea - Jessie SuggsJessie and Jen do not recommend online sales taking on the those leads.Time is best spent with new customers.The statistics show it's better for online sales to NOT take care of those leads.Use your extra time to teach on-site.Topic Of Today: 2023 Benchmarks Wrap-Up (16:59)Appt Made to Kept Conversion 90%Lead to Appt Conversion 41% (up from 36% in 2022)Appt to Sale Conversion 20% (up from 18% in 2022)Online Sales Contribution 47% (down from 52% in 2022)Skills Check! (37:29)Speed to lead! Check your speed of response.Go into your CRM and look at what your average speed is.Jessie has her apple watch connected to her email.Only be in a meeting if you need to be. Jump in, do your thing, jump out.

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Reyna Estrada, the National Internet Sales Manager for MI Homes and a former OSC herself! Reyna shares all about her superpower ability to make a human connection and how she applies it to her work life choosing to view it as Transformational versus Transactional. Jen and Reyna have seen a lead increase in the first few weeks of the new year agreeing the spring market has come early and they give advice on what a new OSC should do when coming up against resistance. Word On The Street: Leads are up! (08:39)The spring market came early. Traffic is almost reaching record highs!Plan out your day, be prepared.Topic Of Today: Human Connection (15:30)Having the passion to serve others.Build trust by being an active listener and getting curious!Ask "How can I help them? How can I give them reassurance?"Transformational vs Transactional.Skills Check! (37:25)Make the human connection!Practice your "phone greeting"Your tone and what you say is all you've got!  

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Jessie Suggs to celebrate the successful start to the New Year and share some positive data on website activity! They discuss their "word of the year" and how it helps to set their intentions and goals for the year. Jen and Jessie answer the question: "What tools OSC's should be using right now?" and talk about the importance of creating time blocks on your calendar to make sure goals are apparent and at the forefront. Word On The Street: Increased Traffic (07:29)People are busy!Kevin Oakley says website activity nationally is up 10% from Dec 28- Jan 1st.New OSC's are gearing up.Topic Of Today: Word of the Year (11:06)Jessie's word of the year: LessJen's word of the year is: Success (Context: "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it." - Maya Angelou)Do the hard better!Video Mailbag: What Tools Should OSC's Be Using? (18:04)Master the tools you already have!Use prospecting cards to help your memory during calls.Have a set of wired headphones.Skills Check! (24:35)Time blocking.Map out priorities.Utilize your calendar!

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Jessie Suggs and Mike Lyon for an End Of Year Wrap! The team dives into goal setting for 2024 and remind us that everyone's sales goals are different but you should always know where your numbers are. They reflect on the many challenges that builders faced this year and do a victory lap (new programs establish, existing oSC progress, Jessie is proud of seeing how many people care about what they are doing.

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! On this episode Jen and Jessie take us back to a previous OPT live with Kassandra VanProyen from Olthof Homes. Kassandra shares all about how she is successfully working with Realtors. With an increase in new home inventory and a decrease in used home listings, working with real estate agents has become a large part of our business. She's got some great tips on proactive realtor outreach and how to turn them into teammates, not opponents!

Welcome to Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Jessie Suggs and special guest Whitney Ghere an Online Sales Coordinator at Level Homes! The three discuss the interest rate buzz and how everyone is trying to navigate them and offer tips for the upcoming busy season. Whitney shares her recent success in a "coming-soon" community launch and gives insight into how she made it all possible.

On this episode of Online People Talking, Jen Barkan takes us back to a previously aired episode with Tara Barlia! Tara is an Online Sales Specialist at EYA, LLC and sat down with Jen to give some expert advice on having a backup plan. Tara shares that the most important way to avoid burnout is finding a backup person to handle leads over the weekend or during your vacation time so you're not coming back to a flood of emails. Together, Jen and Tara share all the tips and tricks to making your backup plan go seamlessly! Show Notes:Word On The Street: What People Are Thankful For! (01:56)Jen is thankful that we get to work from home!Jessie is seeing that a lot of people are thankful for the little things.Topic Of Today: Creating Your Backup Plan (06:55)Tara urges us, especially solo OSC's, to find someone who can manage your e-leads especially on your off time.They share tips of setting up training and expectations with your backup.For ease of confusion, Tara's backup was trained to communicate to leads as Tara herself and sign as such.They give some pro-tips including starting that transition period a day early, doing trial runs with your backup and making sure your leads are forwarded to your teammate and not being sent an automatic response.Skills Check! (36:29)Go figure out what your backup plan is!Try and figure out what your backup call flow will be when you're gone.Remember that you're human and to be vulnerable with your leadership group.

Welcome to the first podcast episode of Online People Talking with Jen Barkan! In this episode, Jen is joined by Mike Lyon and Jessie Suggs. Jen explains the choice to turn OPT from being a live event into podcast form and her hopes of what the series will accomplish for online sales specialists. Together, the three talk about prospecting and the importance of being diligent and not grumbling over it. They go over the Secret Shop Results for the year and give their thoughts on the stats they found most interesting and Jessie shares a pro-tip on prospecting to help ease the awkwardness during a phone call.Show Notes:Word On The Street: Prospecting (06:02)Jessie says she's hearing both positive and negative opinions on prospecting.Mike can feel the annoyance when they bring up prospecting in coaching and training calls but urges the importance of it.Jen says it needs to be reframed and to think of it as "List Hygiene"Topic Of Today: The Home Builder Survey (14:33)You can access the report here: https://onlinesales.doyouconvert.com/dyc-2023-survey-white-paper/ Jen shares the top results from the survey!What stood out to Mike is that over the past ten years, the results have not changed a whole lot.Jessie was amazing by the "no-call" stat in the results.Skills Check! (28:36)Jessie's pro-tip is to go into prospecting like it's brand new."What do we say when somebody answers": acknowledge the awkwardness.It's okay to talk about things outside normal stuff to be different and break the ice.