This week on The Home Builder Digital Marketing Podcast, Carol Morgan of Denim Marketing and Kimberly Mackey of New Homes Solutions Consulting join Greg and Kevin to discuss the roles of home builder sales and marketing teams and how they can work together to drive success.
It isn’t always clear how sales and marketing roles fit together within a home builder. Kimberly says,
“I think there’s confusion because the jobs are so closely aligned. We need both and we need them working like a fine-tuned machine is really what needs to happen. But oftentimes people get confused. So, it’s sales and marketing, not sales or marketing, and I think that’s where people get a little sideways.”
For sales and marketing teams to be cohesive and strong, it may make sense for a home builder to have one VP who leads both groups. Kimberly says,
“So, I believe that marketing should drive sales. But I believe sales needs to be the ultimate result therefore, it needs to be the top seat. So, given the choice, I love it when we have a VP of sales and marketing so that they’re over both instead of having those two very diverged in a company. Because I often feel like then there can be that communication breakdown.”
However, it is challenging to find someone who has the expertise and time to lead both teams effectively. Carol explains,
“I think if you have the right person in that capacity, that works very well. But I would argue that most people don’t have both of those skill sets and they end up really only doing one job or the other, which can be very frustrating to whoever they’re not really managing, right? And it’s a huge job too, right? So, if the sales and marketing VP or whatever that highest title is really has both of those skill sets and has a big enough staff underneath them, it can work really, really well. But I’ve seen it go in both directions because part of it’s just having enough time. If you have a huge sales staff and you don’t have a really strong director of sales, then that sales and marketing VP is spending all their time there and not spending really any time on the marketing side.”
Listen to this week’s episode to learn more about creating home builder sales and marketing teams that support and complement one another.
About the Guests:
Carol Morgan:
Carol Morgan, founder and president of Denim Marketing, has built a career on listening to clients and personalizing plans to fit each client’s needs. Known for being reliable, creative, and authentic, she creates big-picture marketing strategy that utilizes public relations, advertising, social media, content, reputation management, and creative to send traffic to the client’s website and garner measurable results. . . .
Carol has been attuned to trends in marketing and social media throughout her career, and she is a sought-after speaker. Carol is the author of four books on social media including her latest, “Social Media Marketing for Your Business.” She is the creator of the nationally-ranked and award-winning www.AtlantaRealEstateForum.com, Atlanta’s most popular real estate blog. Launched in 2006, let’s just say Carol saw the benefits of blogging before most people knew what blogging was. She is the founder and host of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, a podcast that airs twice a week.
She has previously chaired NAHB’s Professional Women in Building council and Membership committee and served as one of NAHB Chairman Greg Ugalde’s 2019 advisors. Morgan currently serves as the Second Vice Chair of the NAHB Associates committee, a committee she will chair in 2022. She also serves on the newly formed Hammack Business School Board at Oglethorpe University. A graduate of Oglethorpe University, she is the recipient of the 2008 Spirit of Oglethorpe Award, PRSA Georgia Chapter’s prestigious George Goodwin Award, the 2009 Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association’s Associate of the Year and 2012 Council Chair of the Year. Carol holds the MIRM (Masters in Residential Marketing), CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) and CSP (Certified Sales Professional) designations from NAHB.
When she isn’t in the office, she can be found in the barn with the horses. Carol rides and competes in dressage with her Trakehner mare Johanna. She volunteers with Canine Pet Rescue. Carol also enjoys cooking and gardening.
Kimberly Mackey:
Kimberly Mackey knows what it takes to maximize your sales team. She’s been there, done that. As the founder of New Homes Solutions, Kimberly brings nearly 20 years of experience as a senior-level executive in the residential home building and real estate industry. She has earned the reputation as being the “expert with real-world SOLUTIONS” in a competitive and rapidly changing sales environment.
Kimberly is an accomplished and sought-after national speaker and published author of many Sales and Leadership articles. Her expertise is in creating Sales Management and Training Solutions for home builders across the country. Kimberly’s experience includes working with Builders and Developers of all sizes – from the local/regional companies to the publicly traded national companies.
She also works with REALTORS® and Brokers from across the country and is the architect and director of the highly successful Preferred Builder Partnership program with Berkshire Hathaway Florida Properties. This cutting-edge REALTOR®/Builder program generated $91 million in NEW home sales alone last year!
Her experience and expertise in the many areas of the building industry allow her to bring a unique perspective on how all of the parts should work together to create the whole.
She is active in the Sales and Marketing Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), currently serving as the 2nd Vice-Chair on the Board of Trustees. She serves on the NAHB Board of Directors; the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) Board of Directors representing her local chapter of the Tampa Bay Builders Association and the Nature Coast Builders Association. She is a past Chair and Life Director of the FHBA’s Sales and Marketing Council as well as TBBA’s Sales and Marketing Council. Kimberly was the 2017 Associate of the Year for the Florida Home Builders Association and the recipient of the SMC Member of the Year for 2008 and 2009. She is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®.