Ten Tips on How to Construct Successful Education Programs
Jeff Kaizer and Meredith Oliver of the Orlando SMC share their insight into building a strong educational program. The Orlando SMC went from hosting a few poorly attended education classes to hosting several sold out programs with double digit profits to the budget.

Would your SMC like to make more money, educate more people, and increase membership? Holding successful education programs is the perfect solution for you. Here are ten easy steps any SMC can follow to enjoy success!

1. Find someone to take ownership of your education programs

Look for a volunteer who is a salesperson, sales manager, or marketing professional at a prominent home builder in your area. Look for someone who holds industry designations like CSP and MIRM. The ideal person is a peer who can relate to fellow salespeople and is passionate about education and willing to become an advocate for it.

2. Coordinate your education calendar

Competition can kill the attendance and success of your programs. Coordinate with other nearby SMCs to avoid duplication and use that opportunity to cross promote your events. Post the course on the FHBA newsletter, the NSMC calendar in Sales & Marketing Ideas Magazine, and on www.nahb.org. Carefully choose the appropriate time to hold your courses and watch for other HBA events that might conflict with your schedule.

3. Market your program

The most common marketing mistake is that SMCs rely on too few resources. In addition to advertising the class in your HBA newspaper, consider a multipronged approach that includes promotion at all HBA events, SMC events, to related organization such as the local Realtors® Association, and marketing to other SMCs in your area.

4. Edification of achievers

Celebrate the achievements of those who complete education programs with special recognition. Promote their success in your HBA newspaper, at SMC events, or blast e-mail and fax campaigns. Recognize the designee at your SMC awards banquet with an announcement in the program. Make your awards judging criteria weighted for those who have achieved CSP or MIRM designation. The more positive reinforcement you give the more enthusiasm you will engender.

5. Treat it like a business

The average costs associated with hosting a program are location, refreshments, student workbooks, license, and instructor costs. Once you know the costs involved, you can easily determine the tuition per student and how many students it will take to cover the expenses. From there, figure how many students you need above the break-even point to achieve the desired profit. Consider class sponsorships to offset costs and increase your revenue. The quality of the program is key, so choose your instructors carefully. Ask for testimonials and recommendations to ensure they will conduct a fun, educational, and meaningful course.

6. Establish a calling campaign

Just like marketing homes, traditional interruption marketing is not always enough. Don’t only rely on passive forms of marketing like newspaper ads and faxed fliers to garner participation. Recruit several influential volunteers to make calls with the following guidelines:

• Don’t call too early — time the first round of calls two to three weeks prior to the class.
• Try and speak to the sales manager to get an endorsement from the builder, ask if they can make it mandatory for all of their salespeople, or ask if the builder will defray some or all of the tuition.
• Make the second round of calls to individual members in your SMC database.
• Finally, make a reminder phone call to establish urgency and get referrals from committed participants.

7. Make it easy to register

Create a one-page registration flyer or offer online registration that is simple, fast, user-friendly, and offers clear payment terms. Ensure your volunteers have the registration form ready to fax immediately to the prospect. If you plan to offer multiple classes, consider package pricing that offers a slight discount. This builds a base of participants for future classes. The registration form should also include class hours, location, directions, and lodging information for out of town participants. Make it so easy to sign up that they can’t say no!

8. Be prepared to overcome common objections

Just like any good salesperson, your SMC volunteers should be ready to handle common objections. One of the most common objections is, “we have in house training programs.” Respond with: “Most volume builders do have in-house training, and that’s exactly why you should send your sales force. Exposure to new information and national sales trainers outside your organization can only augment your in-house training.”Another common objection is “We are too busy.” A great response is: "When you are busy you need the skills offered in these classes to capitalize on the volume of buyers you are seeing. Once things slow down it is too late.”Finally, you may hear, “I can’t take my people out of the field.” Remind the builder that the classes are offered on the typical days off for most sales associates.

9. Reinforce the success of your programs with testimonials and referrals

Capitalize on the enthusiasm of the participants by asking them to supply a testimonial for your HBA newspaper, email, and fax campaigns. Time it immediately after the class completion to carry the momentum — run them immediately after the class and before the next class. Ask enthusiastic participants for referrals of others in the organization and recruit them for future calling campaigns.

10. Build your educational program in phases

Start with small successes and build on that momentum. Consider the following three-phase approach. Phase I — Offer a few educational workshops in conjunction with your monthly SMC Membership meeting. Invite a CSP or MIRM instructor to speak at these informal workshops so you can begin to introduce them to your membership. Phase II – Offer a CSP class and one IRM class. Phase III — In addition to offering a CSP class and one IRM course add one more IRM class and other NAHB courses like Essential Closing Strategies and/or House Construction As A Selling Tool.

In summary, with solid planning and the right people, you can build a strong educational series that will increase your membership, educate others and make money.

For additional support or information, feel free to contact Jeff Kaizer, CSP, CMP, MIRM at jkaizer@englehomes.com or Meredith Oliver, CSP, CMP, MIRM at moliver@cfl.rr.com.

Jeff Kaizer, CSP, CMP, MIRM is in his ninth year of on-site sales for Engle Homes in the Orlando Market. A two-time National Sales Professional of the Year – Silver Award Winner, Jeff is currently the Education Chairperson for the HBA of Metro Orlando and an active member of the NSMC's MIRM Designation Marketing Committee. Jeff has also been recognized as a MAME Rookie Salesperson of the Year, MAME Salesperson of the Year, Excel Salesperson of the Year, Major Achievement Award winner and most recently he was named SMC Member of the Year at the HBA of Metro Orlando. Jeff has acted as public speaker, educator, trainer and Judge.