Online People Talking with Jen Barkan

Jen Barkan
  • 5.0 (23)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Semiweekly

Welcome to Online People Talking hosted by Online Sales Coach, Jen Barkan! This is the only podcast that is dedicated to enhancing the careers and lives of the new home Online Sales Specialist. We’ll talk about real life challenges, stories, and solutions just for you! If you work for a homebuilder or are in the homebuilding industry, you'll want to tune in as we interview amazing guests and share best practices honed in the trenches. Powered by Do You Convert and the online sales dream team. Learn more at http://www.doyouconvert.com

  1. #63: Mid Year Gut Check

    5d ago

    #63: Mid Year Gut Check

    Host Jen Barkan is joined by the one and only Coach Melissa Fort to discuss strategies for online sales specialists to make the most of a historically slower summer market. The conversation centers on focus areas to maintain momentum and level up skills during downtime. Housekeeping2026 Online Sales and Marketing Summit - October 1-2, 2026 in Austin, TX - The biggest party for online sales and marketing and it’s already over 60% sold out!TITO ShoutoutWe want YOU to send in your nominations to onlinesales@doyouconvert.com! Key Takeaways - 5 things that you can focus on right now Mid year Gut Check: Revisit goals set at the start of the year, assess what's working and what isn't, celebrate wins, and recalibrate for the second half. This includes checking in with sales leadership to see if company goals have shifted and working backwards to understand how OSCs can contribute.Learn AI: Take some AI courses and lean into tools like Claude - think about how you can use it in your role to analyze call transcripts, identify objection patterns, draft prospecting emails, and build presentations. Lean into prospecting (with a fresh approach): Get creative with your outreach. And make those calls. If you are getting a lot of bot leads, flip the script by leading with "I'm a real person" messaging to build trust and spark engagement.Refresh your follow up: Is it stale? Have you been sending the same thing for years in your short term follow up messaging? Audit existing follow-up, then tailor messaging by how leads found you, keep it simple and engagement-focused, and don't set-it-and-forget-it.Foster relationships: Use slower periods to get out from behind the screen. Is there an onsite sales person that you need to build a better relationship with? Get out onsite. Take them coffee. Record a video together. Tour an inventory home. Skills CheckWhich one of these 5 are you going to commit to doing right now? Write out a plan. Talk it over with your leadership, put it out into the universe, and then report your results!

    32 min
  2. #62: Going Beyond the Screen

    May 26

    #62: Going Beyond the Screen

    Host Jen Barkan talks to Emily Tucker, an award-winning OSC with Robuck Homes, about how she goes beyond traditional lead management by visiting communities, creating successful video content, and building relationships with on-site sales agents and realtors to amplify her builder's brand presence. Housekeeping2026 Online Sales and Marketing Summit - October 1-2, 2026 in Austin, TX - According to Emily, if you’re an Online Sales Specialist, you have to go! TITO ShoutoutKelly Ward and Athena Azan with M/I Homes - Internet Sales Team of the Year at the MAME Awards. Key TakeawaysBe the face of your brand, not just a phone answerer: Emily makes monthly on-site visits to each community to create video content that humanizes her as an OSC and builds a personal social media presence alongside the company's corporate accounts. A personal brand reaches people differently than a builder's corporate page alone!You don't need fancy equipment to get started: A phone, an inexpensive tripod, and a lapel mic from Amazon are all Emily uses. The bigger barrier is perfection paralysis - use the mantra "progress over perfection" and just do it, even if early videos are rough.One site visit can fuel weeks of content across multiple channels: A single afternoon on-site can generate a month's worth of video content that can be repurposed across social platforms, text prospecting, emails, and realtor outreach. On-site visits strengthen the OSC-to-sales-agent relationship: Collaborating on videos builds trust and connection with on-site agents. Teaching agents video skills and inviting them to participate turns the visit into a relationship-building moment, not just a content-creation task. Skills CheckPick one community, talk to leadership and/or marketing about how you can create some content. Think about how you could leverage this content across multiple channels - marketing, prospecting, and follow up.

    42 min
  3. #61: Q1 Benchmarks

    May 12

    #61: Q1 Benchmarks

    Melissa, Amanda, and Molly take over the OPT studio to share Q1 industry benchmarks, discuss key trends in online sales, and offer actionable advice for OSCs and leaders navigating a lower-volume, higher-quality lead environment. HousekeepingOnline Sales and Marketing Summit - Oct 1-2 - Austin, TX - We encourage OSCs to attend, with new interactive programming planned. TITO ShoutoutMonica Fikany at New Home Inc - Monica had great lead-to-appointment conversions in Q1. Danielle Evans at Bishard Holmes - 38% of Danielle’s appointments came from aged leads. Key TakeawaysLead volume is down, but quality is up: The top of the funnel remains constrained, volume hasn't fully bounced back. However, conversion rates are improving, meaning OSCs are doing more with less.Prospecting is the biggest win of Q1: Normally, prospecting dips in Q1 as new leads come in during selling season. This quarter, prospecting stayed consistent and even increased -- a major highlight. The 22% age lead appointment rate is a direct result of sustained prospecting effort.Your CRM is your most valuable asset: Maximize CRM usage by logging detailed notes after every interaction - aged leads hold untapped opportunity, and leadership relies on quality CRM data to make strategic decisions, so consistency matters.Personalization wins appointments: Buyers are on a longer journey right now. Personalizing outreach and follow-up, based on good notes and CRM data, is what sets top OSCs apart. Skills CheckFor Leaders: Stop measuring program success purely on lead volume. Conversion percentages are the more meaningful metric right now. Scorecards should reflect this shift. For OSCs: Be disciplined and consistent with prospecting.Treat every lead like it's gold.Respond to new leads fast, speed to first response beats the competition.Stay process-driven: no lead left behind.

    17 min
  4. #60: Personal Time Management

    Apr 28

    #60: Personal Time Management

    Host Jen Barkan is joined by her daughter Mia, a third-year veterinary student at Ross University in St. Kitts, for a candid conversation about how to stay focused on your goals and career when life gets hard. Housekeeping2026 Online Sales and Marketing Summit - October 1-2, 2026 in Austin, TX - The Summit is literally the biggest party for Online Sales Specialists in the universe. TITO ShoutoutRebecca Von Heimburg, OSC at Pacesetter Homes in Dallas Texas - She just had the best month ever; she set a PR for herself while navigating some personal stuff.  Key TakeawaysSet clear boundaries and protect them fiercely: Boundaries aren't optional extras - they're what prevent burnout and enable long-term success over short-term output.Keep your eye on the end goal when motivation fades: On the hardest days, remember your why. For OSCs, reconnecting to your purpose (your metrics, your customers, your career growth) is what pulls you forward.Recharging isn't a reward, it's a requirement: Taking time for yourself isn't selfish, it preserves your mental capacity for the long haul.  Skills CheckAre there any boundaries you need to create for yourself? Pick one thing to do to recharge your battery this week. Is it a walk? A massage? Reading?

    36 min
  5. #59: Managing Your Day

    Apr 14

    #59: Managing Your Day

    Host Jen Barkan is joined by Online Sales Coach Molly Adams to talk through her blog where she shares pro tips on managing your day as an Online Sales Specialist, in order to shift from reactive to proactive. Housekeeping2026 Online Sales and Marketing Summit - October 1-2, 2026 in Austin, TX - The Summit is literally the biggest party for Online Sales Specialists in the universe. TITO SHOUTOUTGarrett Fitzgerald with Pulte Homes - He is such a great mentor for new OSCs joining Pulte and going through training and onboarding. Key TakeawaysTreat every caller like gold: when your day is structured, you can give customers the attention they deserve.Start your day calm and end it clean: when you add in time to plan your day and wrap up, you will feel ahead.This is a structural problem: this is not a you problem - it is fixable, you just need to prioritize your tasks.  Skills CheckDefine your first priorities and your second priorities. We recommend the Marie Kondo method. Put everything out there and if it's no longer giving you joy or converting interest into revenue, say Arigato - thank you - and give it away.

    45 min
  6. #58: The Online Sales Manifesto

    Mar 24

    #58: The Online Sales Manifesto

    Host Jen Barkan is joined by Online Sales Coach Melissa Fort to talk about the non-negotiables in online sales, from capturing leads to connecting with your on-site team. HousekeepingOnline Sales Academy – April 1-3, 2026: It’s not too late to join! Ideal for new OSCs or anyone that wants to level up their online sales. TITO SHOUTOUTJennifer Thilmany with Hartizen Homes - Brand new to the role, just went through her training, and she's kicking butt and taking names. Appointments and sales are flowing! Congrats Jennifer!  The Online Sales Manifesto NotesAll new interest flows through online sales.Start with your website - CTAs - one voice - creating a better mousetrap will lead to higher conversion and better data integrity. For example: Web leads, signage, calls, Zillow, BDX, developer, realtors, Self Tour. Right size your program - one OSC manages 150-200 new leads/month. Take into account coming soon as well.Position the OSC as an extension of the sales team and it should be a performance-based role. Lean into speed to lead.Personalize the first email, text, and call with the community of interest and address any questions that came in the inquiry. Auto response doesn’t count.Make your messaging relevant and simple. And know your audience - one size doesn’t fit all on follow up templates.Develop and follow a process. You need a process for new leads, responsive leads, prospecting, coming soon communities, call path, and handoff. Be curious! Discover don’t info dump and set appropriately qualified appointments for your sales team.Know your numbers and the why behind them. Reporting is your responsibility. Leads, lead sources, conversion to appt, show rate, appt to sale, and overall contribution.Make the phone your best friend and make it a priority. Answer rate needs to be 80% or higher.Prospecting is a first priority. If you don’t have the bandwidth to make prospecting monthly emails and daily outbound calls, then consider a couple of things: how you manage your day and if you need a team member? With almost 20% of appointments coming from aged leads, you can’t afford not to do it.Come out from behind the screen and connect with sales. Whether this is sales meetings, in person at the community, or virtually.Stay up to date on your tech stack.Remember your value and the impact you have on your company. Know how to explain your role confidently.  Skills CheckAnything on the manifesto that you're not following or don't have implemented, sit down with leadership and talk it through. Don't go with complaints, but with solutions.

    38 min
  7. #57: The National Gold Award Winners for Online Sales

    Mar 10

    #57: The National Gold Award Winners for Online Sales

    Host Jen Barkan is joined by Online Sales Consultant of the Year, Felicia Berry from Viera Builders, and Online Sales Consultant Team of the Year, Karen Schieb and Jennifer Wammack from M/I Homes, who share their career journeys, how the OSC role has evolved over the years, and what drives success in today’s market. They talk about how strong relationships, fast and personalized follow-up, teamwork, and persistence are key to standing out. HousekeepingOnline Sales Academy – April 1-3, 2026: Registration is open! Ideal for new OSCs or anyone ready to sharpen foundational skills  Key TakeawaysGreat Team Dynamics = Winning: Trust each other, communicate constantly, document thoroughly, and root for each otherThe OSC Role Development: OSCs have become key to builder sales performanceWhen Demand Slows, Go Deeper: Use slower periods to go after aged leads, strengthen your training, refine processes, and build realtor relationshipsSkills CheckWhat is one skill that an OSC should brush up on right now in this market?

    49 min
  8. #56: Benchmarks, Brightspots, & Beef

    Feb 24

    #56: Benchmarks, Brightspots, & Beef

    Host Jen Barkan and DYC Online Sales Coach Amanda Martin dig into the 2025 year end benchmarks on this episode! Jen and Amanda discuss how steady conversion rates and strong online sales performances that prioritize personalization, disciplined prospecting, and strong relationships with onsite teams will drive success in 2026.  HousekeepingOnline Sales Academy – April 1-3, 2026: Registration is open! Ideal for new OSCs or anyone ready to sharpen foundational skills TITO SHOUTOUTKelly Rushin at Berks Homes - Coming in HOT in 2026 with the highest number of appointments and sales than any month in 2025, a 66% contribution, and a 22% aged lead-to-appointment prospecting number.  Key TakeawaysYear End Benchmarks: Overall leads were down but conversions stayed steady2026 Focus Points for Excellence: Personalization, Prospecting, and PartnershipsQualification > Convenience: Self-scheduling tools remove the human touch and hurt conversion qualitySkills CheckYou should be tracking your lag time from your lead create date to the appointment date, and track lag time from the appointment date to the sale.

    33 min
See All (62)

5
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Welcome to Online People Talking hosted by Online Sales Coach, Jen Barkan! This is the only podcast that is dedicated to enhancing the careers and lives of the new home Online Sales Specialist. We’ll talk about real life challenges, stories, and solutions just for you! If you work for a homebuilder or are in the homebuilding industry, you'll want to tune in as we interview amazing guests and share best practices honed in the trenches. Powered by Do You Convert and the online sales dream team. Learn more at http://www.doyouconvert.com

Information

You Might Also Like