A Detailed Look at the Customer Journey for Home Builder Marketing in 2024-2025

How long is your current sales cycle? Chances are, you’re starting the count from the moment someone fills out a form.

But what if you could see that a sizable portion of your customers started looking at your community almost two months before converting, and almost a full year before actually signing a contract?

With Audience Town, we can show you exactly that.

*A sample overview of an anonymous customer's path to purchase.*

This graphic shows a sample customer journey, drawn from real (anonymized) customer data we can see in the Audience Town platform.

The big takeaway: your future customers are interacting with your new home property marketing long before you think they are.

Most homebuilders aren’t analyzing their customer journey with this much resolution. But if you can, you can make smarter marketing decisions.

As you read through, know that not every touchpoint is observable for a range of reasons, including integrations with other providers. However, Audience Town does provide visibility across a range of digital and offline touch points to provide a much more detailed view of the customer journey. For a guided walkthrough of the Audience Town platform, book a demo.

Now let’s explore this anonymized customer journey:

Awareness Phase (Day 1 - 57)

The journey begins with awareness, where potential customers are first exposed to your brand.

Day 1: First View

Touchpoint: Customers see ads or content.
Opportunity: This initial exposure is crucial. Effective, eye-catching advertisements can spark interest and curiosity. Utilize visually appealing ads and compelling content to capture attention.

Day 34: First Digital Engagement

Touchpoint: Interaction through paid search clicks.
Opportunity: Engage users who show interest by clicking on paid ads. This indicates a potential interest in your offerings. Use targeted ads to reach specific demographics and track engagement metrics to refine strategies.

Day 57: First Digital Conversion

Touchpoint: Browsing floor plans.
Opportunity: At this stage, visitors are more than just passively browsing; they're looking at specific options. Provide detailed, high-quality content about floor plans to facilitate deeper engagement and conversion.

*With better analysis, you can gain a clearer picture of which channels drive customers beyond just form fills.*

Consideration Phase (Day 75 - 124)

In the consideration phase, potential buyers actively seek more information and evaluate their options.

Day 75: First Contact with Builder

Touchpoint: Call builder for more info.
Opportunity: This direct contact is a strong signal of interest. Ensure your sales team is prepared with detailed information and ready to answer questions promptly to keep the conversation going.

Day 87: Active ILS Research

Touchpoint: Intensive research on Internet Listing Services (ILS).
Opportunity: Potential buyers are comparing options. Provide comprehensive, easy-to-find information on ILS platforms to stand out. Highlight unique selling points and competitive advantages.

Day 124: Online Information Request

Touchpoint: Filling out an online form to get more details, such as floor plans.
Opportunity: Capture detailed leads through forms. Use this opportunity to offer personalized follow-ups, schedule virtual tours, or send tailored information packets.

Purchase Phase (Day 185 - 263)

The final phase is the purchase stage, where the decision-making process culminates in a sale.

Day 185: Model Home Visits

Touchpoint: Visits to model homes.
Opportunity: This is a critical stage where buyers visualize their future home. Ensure model homes are well-maintained and staffed with knowledgeable agents who can provide detailed tours and answer questions.

Day 190: Comparison Shopping

Touchpoint: Comparing floor plans and prices across different builders.
Opportunity: Potential buyers are weighing their options. Offer competitive pricing, highlight value-added features, and be prepared to negotiate to win their business.

Day 200: Additional Appointments

Touchpoint: Engagements such as re-sale home appointments.
Opportunity: Continue nurturing leads with additional showings and personalized experiences. Address any lingering concerns and provide reassurances to facilitate the decision-making process.

Day 263: Final Steps

Touchpoint: Filling out a buyer’s survey and signing the contract.
Opportunity: The journey concludes with final paperwork. Ensure a smooth, efficient closing process. Gather feedback through surveys to improve future customer experiences.

Understanding where your traffic comes from and what drives their journey is essential.

With Audience Town, you can capture data at a range of touch points, from the first digital engagement to the final purchase.

The new Site Referrer Live Table feature in Audience Town’s platform provides unparalleled insights into the origins and behaviors of your website visitors. Here’s how it can help:

Identify Key Traffic Sources: Track which channels (Google, Facebook, Zillow, etc.) are driving the most visitors.
Understand Consumer Profiles: Gain insights into the demographics, financial health metrics, and preferences of your visitors.
Optimize Marketing Strategies: Use data to refine your marketing efforts, focusing on the most effective channels.
Deeper Traffic Analysis: Delve into detailed metrics to understand visitor behavior and preferences better.

You’ll get a detailed cross-channel overview, offline conversion attribution, and a path-to-purchase analysis that includes both online and offline interactions.

For instance, one of our clients discovered that 60% of their paid search traffic were not new visitors. This insight allowed them to reallocate their budget to more effective channels, driving better results.

Ready to experience the difference for yourself? Book a risk-free demo and get a custom walkthrough of the entire platform.