Building Perspective

Focus Discussion of the Week:

AI (artificial intelligence) might seem futuristic, but it’s already changing the way customers interact with businesses in the present. From pointing you to a restaurant according to your preferences to providing customer service in a chat, AI can significantly improve customer experiences. Bassam Salem from AtlasRTX joins Matt and Mollie to discuss how AI can assist your buyers through webchat.

Bassam is also speaking at The International Builders’ Show! Catch him on January 21 at A Metrics-Powered Customer Journey: Better Leads, Faster Sales & Seamless Experience.

Top Topics of The Week

• Sacha Baron Cohen received the Leadership Award from the Anti-Defamation League. Watch his hilarious, yet enlightening, acceptance speech at (http://bit.ly/38s7unS)

• TikTok has reached 1.5 billion downloads! But with its primarily Chinese ownership, the fledgling brand is now trying to fend off accusations of spying. (http://bit.ly/2E6kv8I)

• Google just announced that you can now buy movie tickets through its AI-powered Google Assistant with just your voice. Convenient or unnecessary? Let us know in the Facebook group! (http://bit.ly/2E9znmJ)

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Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

Millennials now account for 41% of new home sales in 2019 — are you providing the right user experience for these young homebuyers? Jake Scherrer, director of builder regional sales for new construction at Zillow, joins Matt and Mollie to discuss Zillow’s New Construction Consumer Housing Trends Report of 2019, the Zillow platform, how millennials shop for homes, and how important it is to be “online first” when it comes to the buying process. 

Top Topics of The Week

• Google conducted a study proving that every buyer’s journey is as unique as they are! For example, Justin had 375 touchpoints before he finally purchased headphones. The key takeaway here is to be the “last brand standing.” Will your brand show up after rounds and rounds of research? Would your brand make the shortlist after 375 touchpoints? (http://bit.ly/2YbWO8d)

• Mollie’s attending a Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute session in Berkeley and will report back on an upcoming podcast! (http://bit.ly/33PGlrH)

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Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2L6XGow

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Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

In a sea of competition, what makes you stand out among your competitors? Is it energy efficiency? Is it your warranty program? Is it your team? In today’s episode, Matt and Mollie dive into how to differentiate your brand with “Uniquely You.” Apart from factoring in price point, savings, etc., learn how to evoke strong interest from your buyers with your brand identity.   

Top Topics of The Week

• Zillow posted incredible 3rd quarter results — website traffic was at an all-time high for unique users (195 million)! Invest in Zillow now.

• Twitter is banning political ads in response to misinformation... which is quite the opposite of Facebook’s stance. (https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/twitter-bans-all-political-ads-in-response-to-concerns-around-misinformatio/566259/)

• Facebook is now limiting the amount of ads your page can run to 50,000. Will this affect you? Probably not, but it’s always smart to stay on top of Facebook’s ever-changing ad platform. (https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebook-will-implement-limits-on-how-many-ads-a-page-can-run-in-2020/566605/)

• Facebook just launched a brand new logo to differentiate the parent company from its other ventures and apps. Let us know what you think about this new logo! (https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebook-launches-updated-company-logo-which-will-be-included-in-all-of-its/566577/)

• Mollie’s Meet The Geniuses event on November 14 went great! Take a minute to read all about the event and the incredible things going on at The ALS Genius Fund. 

Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2ps1g5w

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Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

The Buyer Journey, from website research to move-in day, has certainly evolved over time. It’s no longer a long, gradual process — now, it’s all about getting in front of buyers through multiple channels. On this episode of Building Perspective, Matt and Mollie continue “The Buyer Journey” to discuss the ever-evolving marketing funnel and what it looks like in today’s digital age.

Top Topics of The Week

• In today’s online shopping world, are 6% commission rates for Realtors outdated? Some think so, considering the recent class-action lawsuits against the National Association of Realtors for price-fixing. Some arguments point to a monopoly. What do you think? https://cnn.it/2XlN5Mg 

Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2ps1g5w

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2L6XGow

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZyabPj

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Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/2znqFPB

Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

Your brand isn’t a decoration superimposed on your product photos. Your brand is the personality that best represents your product and company. It’s a living ecosystem that hits every touchpoint in the buyer’s journey, from their very first Google search to when they’re in your design studio. But when does your branding become stale and outdated? Find out in today’s episode as our very own creative director, Georgia, joins Matt and Mollie to discuss “Building Builder Brands” and what branding really means beyond your logo.

Books on Georgia’s Nightstand:

• Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

Her Current Favorite Podcast:

• 1619 by The New York Times

Georgia’s Bingeable Recommendations:

• Living With Yourself Starring Paul Rudd

Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2ps1g5w

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2L6XGow

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZyabPj

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Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/2znqFPB

Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

In today’s digital world, internet users are hit with ads wherever they turn, whether scrolling Facebook or making a Google search. With the abundance of ads out there, how can you leverage your digital marketing strategy to capture the attention of your prospects? On this week’s episode, our very own Bill and Chelsey discuss “The Impact of Paid Traffic” and how to convert your prospects on Google and Facebook into customers.

Top Topics of The Week:

• Mark Zuckerberg was called into Congress to discuss Facebook’s new cryptocurrency, Libra. But instead of discussing the Bitcoin relative, Congress grilled him on political ads and whether or not Facebook should be fact-checking this content. What do you think — should Facebook be responsible for misleading advertisements or is the politician in question to blame? 

Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2ps1g5w

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2L6XGow

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZyabPj

Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/2Ud2nRN

Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/2znqFPB

Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

Customers aren’t afraid to buy — they’re afraid to make a mistake. The remedy? A short buying process. Renowned new home sales trainer and coach Kerry Mulcrone joins Matt and Mollie to discuss “Shortening The Buying Cycle.” Ask yourself: Is it easy to do business with your company? Do you offer valuable, easy-to-read resources? Do you provide a seamless operational framework for your team? These points are key in moving your buyer into the next step of the process — and out of the dreaded “spin cycle.”

Take a look at Kerry’s brand new book: New Home Sales & Marketing Best Practices: A Collection of Industry Experts (https://amzn.to/2MDz7BC)

Top Topics of The Week:

• The agenda of this year’s Housing Giants Leadership Conference focused on best practices to tackle increasing labor, materials, and entitlement costs (http://bit.ly/2Nc4KRY).

• Google’s latest keynote introduced the Pixel 4’s brand new Recorder app, which transcribes lectures, meetings, etc. into notes in real time through speech recognition and AI (https://engt.co/2MCtseW).

Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2ps1g5w

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2L6XGow

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZyabPj

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Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/2znqFPB

Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

“Geothermal,” “HERS Rating,” and “Solar” aren’t just buzzwords in the building industry — they’re the way of the future. In this episode, Tim O’Brien from Tim O'Brien Homes joins us to discuss “Healthy Innovation: Lessons From a Net-Zero Community,” and how healthy, energy-efficient homes are now the standard in today’s consumption-conscious society. Awarded the Department of Energy’s Housing Innovation Award in 2018 and 2019, Tim and his team are leading experts on building modern, energy-efficient homes for today’s homebuyer. 

Top Topics of The Week:

• Mollie’s having some communication issues with her son’s teacher. Got any recommendations? Let her know in the Facebook group! 

• “THIS BAR SAVES LIVES.” Would this catch your eye while browsing granola bars in a grocery store? With countless brands lining the shelves, standing out is vital. Does your brand stand out among your competition? 

Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2ps1g5w

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2L6XGow

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZyabPj

Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/2Ud2nRN

Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/2znqFPB

Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

Have you ever received a “you forgot this item in your cart” email from your favorite retailer? That was made possible by a powerful CRM (Customer Resource Management) system that can recognize customer actions and send follow-up emails. But when does this specific use of data get a bit too… creepy? In Episode 12, Angela McKay from Lasso joins Matt and Mollie to discuss “Making It Personal” in the digital age, and how to provide exceptional, personalized service without crossing a line. 

Books on Angela’s Nightstands: 

• Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

• 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam

Angela’s Favorite Podcasts:

• Best of Both Worlds by Laura Vanderkam

Connect With Angela:

• LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamckay)

Top Topics of The Week:

• Mollie reports back from the Women in Residential Construction Conference: 

• Amy Sandler from Radical Candor provided some inspiration: “Get what you want by saying what you mean!”

• The 2020 election is just around the corner and “fake news” is running rampant. Which sources can be trusted? Where does social media come into play?

Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2ps1g5w

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2L6XGow

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZyabPj

Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/2Ud2nRN

Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/2znqFPB

Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.

Focus Discussion of the Week:

In today’s digital world, consumers expect speed and convenience in all aspects of their lives — even when it comes to buying a home. How can you accommodate this desire for “instant gratification”? John Lee joins Building Perspective to discuss “Staying Ahead of Today’s Consumer,” and how tools like virtual and augmented reality can put your product in front of buyers like never before.

Connect With John:

• Rendering House

Top Topics of The Week:

• Facebook just announced a few new ad formats and we can’t wait to try out polls. Not only are they an effective way to get follower opinions, they can help send traffic to your website! (Plus, ad formats featuring augmented reality (AR) are also coming soon.) http://bit.ly/2ncKExM.

• Thanks to readily available resources, today’s consumer journey is longer than ever. A low-consideration, quick-purchase item (i.e. a bottle of juice) can now be put under heavy scrutiny with search and video features on our devices. See how Google uses machine learning to help marketers stay a step ahead of the consumer journey: http://bit.ly/2pGF3ki.

Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2ps1g5w

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2L6XGow

Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2ZyabPj

Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/2Ud2nRN

Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/2znqFPB

Two thought leaders come together to explore all things sales and marketing from their unique perspectives. Each week, Mollie Elkman, Matt Riley, and others from Group Two dive into a focus discussion to talk about the latest trends, changes, and best practices.