2021 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop Results Revealed

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The 2021 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop Report results are out! Compiled for the second year by Denim Marketing, Melinda Brody & Company and Blue Gypsy Inc., the report provides insight on home builder communication methods and compares the follow-up efforts of 50 national, regional and local home builders across the country.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, many home builders faced unprecedented circumstances including supply chain issues, extended build time estimates and high homebuyer demand. In response, builders adapted by throttling sales, developing lottery systems and holding bidding wars over available inventory. This survey reveals how builders made efforts to communicate with their prospects amid constant changes in the new home builder industry.

“We are operating as an industry in absolutely unprecedented times,” Denim Marketing President Carol Morgan said. “Year two of the pandemic has continued to put pressure on builders while homebuyers’ desire to buy has not ebbed. It seems like as an industry, follow up is a little lax. We need to button this up as we look to the future and work to build up the customer experience.”

The Mystery Shop results are gathered from a diverse sampling of 50 home builders, with almost 30 selected from the Builder Top 200 list and others chosen at random throughout the country. The results offer in-depth findings and statistics that indicate the quality of builder follow-up efforts with prospective homebuyers based on factors such as speed, frequency, diversity of touchpoints and personalization.

Strong follow-up methods are incredibly valuable during the homebuying process. Home builder marketing efforts initiate the lead development process by driving traffic to builder websites, but effective follow-up is instrumental for increasing lead conversions. It is important to understand the value of follow-up procedures in keeping buyers engaged, providing transparency, increasing confidence and creating clear expectations to drive sales.

“We are very excited to be involved in this important study of home builder communication with prospects,” Melinda Brody & Company President Ben Marks said. “This year's mystery shop results reveal that there’s room for improvement and steps builders can take immediately to significantly boost their follow-up efforts."

The 2021 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop Report evaluates the current follow-up methods of various nationwide builders with and without dedicated Online Sales Counselors (OSCs) to present opportunities to improve the homebuyer customer experience. The study compares the efforts of builders with OSCs to those without to offer insight into how this factor affects the lead development and conversion process. Also included in the report are best practices for homebuyer follow-up, takeaway points based on discovered data and comparisons to the previous year’s report.

“The 2021 Mystery Shop may surprise you; it did for me,” Blue Gypsy Inc. Owner Leah Kaiz Fellows said. “While there are more OSCs out there for builders this year, their follow-up performance isn’t as strong. This tells me that burnout, lack of training, or lack of a definitive direction are at play, or all three. While it’s important to implement this program, doing it with intention and an eye toward success is important as well.”

The online shopping protocol for this survey was developed by Melinda Brody & Company, experienced in delivering constructive video mystery shops. Mystery shoppers visited individual builder websites during normal business hours and completed a contact form with their name, phone number and email address. Within the comments section of the form, shoppers also included a relevant question about the builder or community. For 30 days, responses were tracked, and the resulting data was compiled and examined for three distinct groups – all builders, builders with OSCs (60%) and those without (40%).

The 2021 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop Report is available for download at www.DenimMarketing.com/onlinemysteryshop.

Visit www.DenimMarketing.com to view the agency’s full portfolio, sign up for the Denim newsletter and learn more about offered services. Call 770-383-3360 for information on packages and tailored marketing strategies to find the perfect fit for your company’s marketing program. Morgan encourages you to, “Try us on for size, you will find Denim to be comfortable, reliable and personal. Our agency isn’t one size fits all – neither are jeans!”

About Denim Marketing:

Whether stonewashed, faded or indigo blue, marketing strategies from Denim Marketing are tailored to meet each client’s needs and niche. Established in 1999, Denim Marketing is a full-service strategic marketing agency specializing in quality content that proves ROI. Think of Denim when you need media relations, blogging, social media, promotions, advertising and much more. Denim Marketing aims to be a go-to source for companies looking for a comfortable fit, strong relationships and results. Stay in touch with Denim Marketing by signing up for the newsletter at www.DenimMarketing.com and following @DenimMarketing on social media. Call 770-383-3360 for more information.

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