Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of working with the Shore Consulting team on a number of projects. This year we continued that relationship by sponsoring the annual Sales Leadership Summit. We were excited to spend a couple days with the leading thinkers and doers in new home sales and marketing. The company and the content did not disappoint.
Where it Happens
First, the venue is jaw-dropping. The Loews Coronado Bay is surrounded by water, a heavenly breeze, and a climate that made me check Zillow to find nearby home prices. The space delivers — helping attendees disconnect from the day-to-day well enough to be fully present.
The Power of Story
We advocate for the power of story telling here at ONeil Interactive, so Adam and I were especially excited to hear this theme at the Summit. Jeff, Amy, and Ryan discussed how stories impact the experience of home buyers and employees, and how our own personal stories impact our success.
In the first segment of day two, Jeff interviewed six actual home shopping/buying consumers on stage. The audience got to hear first hand about their stories — why they were looking, what was good and bad about the process, and why they chose to buy from their builder. It was a priceless experience; not just to hear their answers, but also to consider the stories your own buyers might share if they were on stage.
People always believe the stories they tell themselves. – Seth Godin
Great salespeople and great marketers provide consumers with the cues necessary to create the right story.
We regularly discuss the need to slow down the online shopper, given that they’re over stimulated and often eager for the non-emotional details of square feet, bathroom count, etc. We’ve found that the most effective web presences include a customer experience that shares the data they seek and adds enough story to make their online experience memorable.
If you cannot tell a story about what has happened to you, then nothing has happened to you. – James P. Carse
The Shore team had an talented artist “live white-boarding” the various segments of the Summit, resulting in the collection of fun artwork below.
Smart People
The great thing about joining 300 professionals who are eager to learn is that those same people have much to teach and are just as eager to share openly and honestly. I had the pleasure of sitting with half of the CBH Homes team in attendance (Holly Haener and Rhonda Conger pictured below). Rhonda has written a couple books on living an extraordinary life, so naturally she was part of the panel on telling your company’s story. CBH was recently named The Best Place to Work in Idaho, and as a witness to the energy that resonates from this team, it’s not hard to see why.
True to CBH’s culture, Holly shared the story of how they foster a positive supportive workplace while maintaining the highest performance expectations.
The Story Continues
ONeil Interactive is honored to be a part of our clients’ stories. Just like all the other leaders on stage and in the audience, we have big plans for the next chapters in our story. Let’s create the future.
