Online People Talking with Jen Barkan

It’s a special crossover episode of Market Proof Marketing and Online People Talking - and a pod reunion years in the making. Mike, Jen, and Kevin come together to talk about a topic they’ve each lived in, coached through, and lost sleep over: the CRM.

From common breakdowns to behind-the-scenes fixes, they lay out what’s not working, what builders keep getting wrong, and how Do You Convert is quietly changing the game for teams who are ready to make their CRM actually work.

• If leadership doesn’t log in, the team won’t either
• Online Sales lives in it, so why aren't we designing for them?

• Overbuilt systems collapse when one person leaves
• Bad CRM = bad data = bad decisions = marketing waste

• Partner with DYC on your CRM needs for as low as $595 a month
• Work with the software you already use - Lasso, HubSpot or Salesforce
• Build a CRM your team will actually use, with expert guidance and support

Listen now. Then go fix your CRM.

Don't forget to save your spot for the 2025 Online Sales & Marketing Summit! Registration closes soon.

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Jen shares the mic with Cassy Williamson, a strategic performance coach at Impact 88 and author of the upcoming book Unapologetic. They talk about thriving in chaos, building real collaboration with sales teams, and showing up fully yourself while driving results.

• Cindy Salinas at Esperanza Homes – crushing it with prospecting, with 23% of her June appointments coming from aged leads.

Episode Highlights with Cassy Williamson

• Collaboration that sticks: Cassy’s phrase “hold hands, not step on toes” becomes a powerful lens for online sales specialists and sales teams.
• Culture belongs to everyone: Leadership sets the tone, but you can lead without a title.
• Be unapologetically you: Cassy’s new book, Unapologetic, is about showing up fully yourself while pursuing impact. She shares where and when to find it in the episode.

1. Identify someone whose toes you’ve stepped on (or vice versa)

2. Reach out first with coffee, text, or a quick call

3. Take one specific action to rebuild collaboration

Listen now and start holding hands, not stepping on toes.

Elvis said TCB. Jen makes it OPT.

Jen Barkan and fellow DYC Online Sales Coach Melissa Fort take on the most misunderstood business relationship in new home sales: OSCs and Realtors. Packed with straight talk, roleplays, and real-life coaching moments, this episode helps online sales pros show up with clarity, confidence, and that signature lightning-bolt energy.

Jen redefines the King of Rock and Roll’s TCB (Taking Care of Business) as Teach, Connect, Business, offering a smarter way to serve realtors while keeping control of the conversation. From what to say, when to say it, and to how to collect buyer info without the awkward pause, this one’s full of sharp lines and sharper strategies.

Listen in and start treating realtors the way Elvis would: with purpose, presence, and a little swagger.

- Monica Fikany - Embracing AI in her role at New Home Inc.

- Realtors are leads too. That means CRM, follow-up, and relationship-building rules still apply

- Why pushing back (nicely) earns trust, sets expectations, and protects your builder’s time

- How to turn incentive chasers and vague referrals into real conversations that move things forward

Can you answer each of these for realtors?

- Why buy new vs. used

- Why the appointment matters

- Why OSCs need the buyer’s info

- Why buy my builder

- Why they go in the CRM, too

Lacy Warburton, Online Sales Manager for Stylecraft Builders in Texas, joins Jen Barkan for Episode 40 and shares how naming her inner critic helped her break through self-doubt and step into leadership. From making turkey subs to managing a top-performing OSC team, Lacy’s story is proof that continual growth happens when you lean into discomfort and track your numbers like your success depends on it. Because it does.

She opens up about her journey, challenges with outbound calls and video, and the motivation behind her recent LinkedIn posts. This episode is a masterclass in self-awareness, team leadership, and owning your voice. One “Bye Felicia” at a time.

In this episode of Online People Talking, Jen Barkan is joined by Chesapeake Homes’ superstar OSC team: Stephanie Moffett and Danielle Ross. These two powerhouses are not only crushing it on the lead front, they’ve also built a seamless backup system for time off, extended leave, and everything in between. Whether you're a solo OSC or working with a partner, this episode is full of practical tips to help you unplug without dropping the ball.

Jen, Stephanie, and Danielle get real about the challenges of stepping away from the OSC seat and how to ensure every lead is still handled with care, even when you're not around. They share how they structured their team, developed emergency coverage plans, and even trained a temporary OSC for extended leave.

“Hey, I need a backup plan… what do I do with my leads when I’m on vacation?”

The team dives into the most frequently asked questions about how to maintain lead coverage when stepping away. They cover:

• Building a backup plan from scratch

• Training internal team members for coverage

• Real-life examples of vacation and maternity leave handoffs

• Why even managers make great backup OSCs (in a pinch)

• The mental health benefits of truly unplugging

“You gotta check yourself before you wreck yourself.”

Jen lays out your step-by-step Skills Check to help you develop your own OSC backup strategy:


1. Identify your backup. Talk with your leadership team and determine who can fill in when you’re away.


2. Create a plan. Work out the logistics: call forwarding, CRM access, workflows, and lead ownership.


3. Document it. Consider drafting a short SOP for your backup plan.


4. Test it. Don’t wait until vacation. Run a trial to make sure it works smoothly.


5. Really take vacation! You deserve real time off, and your leads will still be there when you return.

#37: Real Talk on Benchmarks and Market Trends with Our Newest Sales Coaches

In this episode, Jen, Amanda, and new team members Melissa Fort and Molly Adams, bring energy, insights, and just the right amount of pet hair talk to the mic. From behind-the-scenes snafus to deep dives on sales benchmarks and market shifts, this episode is packed with relatable moments and practical takeaways for online sales pros.

You’ll hear about:

• DYC's Newest Coaches: Meet Melissa and Molly

• Melissa and Molly reflect on joining the online sales coaching team and share their impressions of the Online Sales & Marketing Summit in Chicago—whether attending as a first-timer or a seasoned leader.

• Online Sales Benchmarks Revealed

• Amanda breaks down six years of performance data, uncovering:

• A slight uptick in lead-to-appointment conversions

• A dip in appointment-to-sale conversions

• Stable online sales contribution rates

• Navigating a Hesitant Market

• Market uncertainty and buyer hesitancy are real, but the team has winning strategies to help you succeed

• Travel, Transitions & Backup Plans

• Sharpening Sales Strategy & Behavior

Don’t miss this conversation that blends data-driven strategy with real-life stories from the front lines of online sales. Whether you're a seasoned OSC or new to the role, there’s something here for you.

Thanks for tuning in!

Questions? Email: [email protected]

More at doyouconvert.com

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 Check

• Pick 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: [email protected]

More 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.