Selling your manufactured home has quite the list of tasks that come along with it. However, a key component in closing that sale is managing the leads you receive for your home.
There are a lot of reasons the professionals in the manufactured home industry sell so many homes. But one of the big ones is following up with the interested home buyers in efficient and effective ways. If you are selling your manufactured home on your own, this article will help you get organized like a pro!
Give them all the info they need up front
Buyers want to know all the details they can about their next manufactured home. Whether you are advertising your home online or with printed flyers the following details should be included:
- Photos! – At least five photos of the home should be included in your ad. A couple of the exterior and then three interior shots of the living space, kitchen and bedroom should do the trick! (Here is a great article on photos!)
- Home Size and Bedroom/Bathroom Count – While this might sound obvious, it is often forgotten.
- Price – Again, this might seem obvious, but there was a trend for a while in the sales world of not revealing the price and instead including text like “Contact Seller” in its place. Thankfully sellers have learned that it not an effective way to get a buyer to contact you. You risk your potential buyer moving to the next home that includes all the right detail. (Here are some tips on pricing your home)
- Multiple Contact Options – Everyone communicates differently and in different mediums, so provide a phone number, an email address, and, hey, maybe even a Twitter handle.
- Description – If you have some space available for a description of the home and the features, it can go a long way!
Manage the leads as they come
Most large companies will have a CRM or an internal system of sorts to manage their leads. However, you can handle the leads you gain with a well-laid-out spreadsheet. When setting up your spreadsheet for leads you will want to have the following details:
- Date Buyer Contacted
- Time of Day
- Medium (Via Phone Call, Email, Walk-In)
- How They Found The Home (Referral, Online Ad, Printed Flyer, Drive-By)
- Any additional details they mentioned of importance
Once you have the above information in the spreadsheet, include columns for how and when you responded. This can help you manage your time better and keeps things in order especially if you have multiple buyers.
The art of following up
The first point of contact is not the only point of contact that counts. Following up with an interested buyer shows them that you value their time, and gives a great impression on how the rest of the home buying process would go with you.
However, you want to be sure you’re following up in the most effective way. By knowing how and when a customer contacted you, it allows you to reply in the same manner and time-frame. This helps to avoid playing phone tag or replying in a medium they don’t often use. So if an interested buyer calls you, don’t reply with only an email. You would start with a return call and then if they gave you their email send them a follow-up email after.
The follow-up email should include any and all details they would need about the home.
When communicating via email keep it personal yet professional. (Pro tip: including their name in your greeting is a warm way to welcome them to the conversation).You will want to reference the home and details, and also sign your email with your full name and contact information and days/times that you are available to talk or meet.
Additionally, if you have more photos or a copy of your advertisement available in email form, attaching that is a great idea.
Be Ready
Once you have followed up with your potential buyer via phone and/or email (a paper trail is useful!). Make sure you have all of you are in order. This means having the home ready to be viewed, your schedule set to accommodate the next phase of the sale and all of the paperwork needed.
So while you may be selling your manufactured home on your own, hopefully, these tips will help you streamline the process!
Want more details? Check out our brand new guide featuring the latest tips for how to sell a manufactured home.
