How this home builder grew overall sales by 40% within three years of implementing Lasso CRM

The New Homes Division used a contact management system previously, but it lacked a robust lead management and reporting solution that would keep competing builders’ leads separate from one another. Dianne began working with Mike Lyon at Do You Convert to launch an online sales platform. She implemented Lasso at the same time, knowing they would need automation and notification processes to handle a higher online lead volume.

The parallel programs have been a success. Within three years of implementing Lasso, overall sales for the company grew by 40 percent, and the online department was contributing 15 percent of total sales.

We sat down with Dianne to learn how Lasso has helped her company manage leads, how she uses Lasso personally to manage her team’s success, and exactly how Lasso has helped the New Homes Division grow.

• Contact management system did not keep competing builders’ leads separated
• No automation or notification processes to help manage leads

Lasso: Prior to using Lasso CRM, what was your greatest challenge with lead management?

Dianne Gordonn: Participation – it was very difficult to get. At any given time we have 45 to 65 agents who work for the New Homes Division. Getting them to participate in a group CRM system was difficult. We couldn’t figure out how to demonstrate the benefits of CRM, rather than just tell them to do it. When we started using Lasso, coupled with Do You Convert’s program, Jen Barkan (our Online Sales Counselor) was able to throw the softball to the on-site agents, and in turn, the agents were able to hit the leads out of the park. The agents looked around and said, ‘Wow, all of this because we’re using this system that reminds us what to do and when and who everybody is.’

Using Lasso and Do You Convert together is what really convinced some of my more traditional builder clients to explore an online sales program. These clients were content with site books, notebooks and traffic cards. Once we implemented the programs and they started receiving leads in Lasso with automatic tasks and reminders, they realized how wonderfully it worked.

Lasso: As the manager who oversees all this activity, how do you personally use Lasso?

Dianne: For me, it’s my Sunday night go-to to see how the week went for the team. We have different buckets for each builder client, so I’ll review each bucket of information. I’m also a working sales manager, so I’ll review my sites first, then the others. I then run the analytical report to see how we did for the week. I’m not just looking for how much traffic there was and how many sales there were. I’m also interested in where the sales came from, was there an advertising or marketing campaign going on, and did we get any spikes because of it? That’s the information Lasso gives me, and that’s what I do every Sunday night.

I also run reports on demand as needed for my builder clients. Some clients want a weekly report, some monthly, some quarterly. Others want reports on demand, so they’ll call me and say, ‘Hey, do me a favor. Can you run me a keywords report?’ I can run anything they need out of Lasso.

Lasso: You previously mentioned that Lasso helped you add at least 20% more sales to your bottom line. Can you describe how?

Dianne: For example, this past April, 15 contracts originated with my online sales team. I truly believe that without Lasso, we probably would have signed only four of those. It’s because of Lasso’s integration with our other systems, and its ability to follow a lead through the sales process. My online sales counselors always know how many times a lead has been touched, and what type of follow-up is needed next. It’s about readily-available information.

Lasso: What would you tell someone who is considering using Lasso?

Dianne: It can seem intimidating because it’s so robust in what it can do – especially the reporting. But if you start small – add a few new registrants, attach them to agents, create a simple follow-up process with 2 or 3 phone calls and a video email – and just watch the system, you’ll see just how much it does. When you start work in the morning, half your work is done. You don’t have to think about it. I think a sales professional’s biggest obstacle is to think we’ll remember everything. With Lasso, you don’t have to – it does the work for you.

Rose & Womble Realty went from multiple clients using site books, notebooks, and traffic cards to having them all use an online group CRM that helps them manage leads with alerts and notifications, and grew overall sales by 40%.