I moderated a focus group tonight for a fellow builder who wanted to test some new floor plans and elevations he was thinking about adding. While it was tempting to dive right in and start dissecting the designs, I thought I’d fall back first on something my friend Rick Heaston often talks about. Problems…and how they lead to new housing purchases. So I opened the session with a question about what problem the participants had faced that led them to a new home purchase. And sure enough – there they were. Two of the participants were moving due to the addition of a new family member (children – in fact one of them had twins!). Another two mentioned downsizing – the children had grown up and moved out and they simply wanted less space to maintain. Others were tired of a long commute and the location seemed perfect. Each had their own story to tell. And it was important to listen. At some point, where they lived was the perfect place for them. But something changed.

And that’s what we do in the new homes business. We help solve problems when things change. So who are our customers? Not the happy go lucky folks who often tour our models and eat our free (and delicious!) cookies. We need the people facing problems, and seeking a solution. Do we always have the right answer for any particular ‘problem” buyer? Of course not. But I know too often we try to start the discussion before spending the time to understand the problem. And with time being the new “luxury”, if you’re not interested in understanding their problem and you just want to talk about what great homes you have to offer, they’ll invest their time with someone else who will listen. If we want to sell, it’s time to ask the right questions and then listen before diving into our sales pitch. It’s not only a more effective, but it’s a quicker, path to success.