This week on The Home Builder Digital Marketing Podcast, Char Kurihara of DRB Group joined Greg and Kevin to discuss how to provide digital information that will benefit both the home builder and the home buyer.
Home buyers want information, and if home builders don’t provide that information immediately, the buyer might look elsewhere. Char explains,
“I think instant gratification is way more of an expectation. I would say five years ago if you got back to somebody within two to 24 hours, it was okay, and now if they can’t get the information nearly immediately, you have not grabbed their attention, you lose them, and very rarely will they come back. We can do retargeting and chase them around the websites for six weeks or so, but often if you don’t have the information they want then and there, they’re gone.”
Finding the balance of how to deliver the information and how much to make accessible can be difficult for home builders. Char says,
“That’s a hundred percent what I stand for, as both a sales leader and marketing leader, is making sure you give them enough information, but don’t overwhelm them and don’t help them think that they’re so savvy that they don’t need you. It’s not a trick to get them to come in, but it’s a service opportunity. You do the customer a disservice when you give them so much information that they don’t think they need to talk to anybody or that they think they have all the answers already because they may be missing out on the best opportunity because they’re not seeking further information.”
Listen to this week’s episode to learn more about giving home buyers the digital information they need to promote further engagement.
About the Guest:
Char Kurihara joined DRB Group in 2012 as their first Corporate VP of Sales and Branding. With over 20 years of experience in homebuilding, she implemented sales personnel hiring processes and standards and created a custom sales training program that she facilitated companywide. Alongside the sales improvements, she was implementing marketing initiatives that significantly improved company visibility, expanded market share, built brand recognition, and improved the overall customer experience. As Corporate VP of Sales and Branding, she led the creation of two award-winning homebuilder brands: Elevate Homes (dba DRB Elevate) launched in 2018 winning two national and nine regional awards for innovation, product, design, and merchandising, and in 2020 DRB Coastal (dba DRB Homes) which won several regional awards. Her customer-first approach to people, processes, and products has helped grow DRB Group from a top 50 homebuilder to currently the 21st largest builder in the nation.
Mrs. Kurihara has been a featured speaker at the Builder100 summit, International Builders Show, a member of the NAHB Professional Women in Homebuilding Council, Women in Housing Leadership Group, 55+ Housing Council Member at Large, is an active member in the local BIA, and the Education Chair of the GALA Committee.
Char double majored in Communications and English and graduated from George Mason University. She currently lives in the DC Metro area with her husband and two sons. Alongside her teens, she also dedicates time and supports several nonprofit and community organizations such as Mobile Hope, Seven Loaves Food Pantry, Dulles South Community Closet, Sprout Therapeutic Riding Center, and multiple charities honoring our veterans.