OSC of the Month | Kristin Butler

OSC of the Month for January is Kristin Butler with StoryBuilt Homes. In her interview, Kristin shares her career path to becoming an OSC, how she sees the role evolving, and her go-to closing technique.

Tell us about your role and company:

I am the Online Sales Consultant (OSC) for StoryBuilt Homes, formerly PSW. We are an Urban builder with custom communities in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Seattle, and we will soon be in Denver!

How long have you been in your role/or working in new home sales?

I have been with StoryBuilt for almost a year and have been in online sales for four years.

What was your career path to becoming an OSC?

I have always been interested in real estate and my favorite pastime has been watching different real estate shows. My husband and I built a home 5 years ago, and I loved being part of the process. I started looking casually at job postings for New Home Sales and came across a position where I could work from home (at the time I was working in photography sales and traveling 200+miles/ day on average). I thought it was one of those scams that was too good to be true, but figured I would send in my resume. After a call back and series of interviews, I was offered the position!

How have you seen online home sales change in the last few years?

I have seen more and more people within the home building and real estate industries embrace the OSC role.

How do you see your role/or the OSC role evolving over the next few years?

Most homebuyers are starting their search online. I think that over the next few years almost everything will be digital. I think that OSCs will experience more out-of-town buyers purchasing homes without ever physically visiting the home.

What is the most useful technology/tool to your job?

There are a couple of things that are vital to success. Definitely Lasso CRM–I could not do my job effectively without it. Lasso keeps me organized and helps me stay on task. Also, my phone is my life, I cannot go anywhere without it. CallRail allows me to work from anywhere. I can answer the phone while I am out and then listen to the recording later to get the information that I need.

What is your “go to” closing technique to get an appointment?

If I have engaged with a customer and have given them the information they need, the next logical step is to schedule a visit. I ask “What day this week works best for you to come out?”

What/Who are your “go-to” resources for training and/or support?

My greatest resource is my partner, Lauren. She has been in the industry for longer than I have and is a wealth of knowledge. We balance each other and I feel so fortunate to have such an amazing partner. It makes all the difference having someone you can trust and rely on. Aside from her, our management and marketing team have been so helpful and supportive with implementing all the tools we need to be successful.

Do you have any specific successes you’d like to highlight?

The OSC role is relatively new to StoryBuilt. In the last 8 months my partner and I have worked diligently to get online sales set up. To date we have Lasso, CallRail, BombBomb up and running. While doing all of that, we have contributed approximately 70% of the total company sales!

Any tips or advice for fellow online salespeople and marketers?

Remember to take time for yourself. As great as being an OSC is, it can be overwhelming and consuming if you let it. It is important to take time and completely shut off to let yourself recharge!

Favorite thing to do outside of work?

My favorite thing to do outside of work is spend time with my family. We enjoy the outdoors and exploring new places! I also LOVE kickboxing. I try to go every morning and it really is my favorite way to start the day.