#37: Real Talk on Benchmarks and Market Trends with Our Newest Sales Coaches

In this episode, Jen, Amanda, and new team members Melissa Fort and Molly Adams, bring energy, insights, and just the right amount of pet hair talk to the mic. From behind-the-scenes snafus to deep dives on sales benchmarks and market shifts, this episode is packed with relatable moments and practical takeaways for online sales pros.

You’ll hear about:

• DYC's Newest Coaches: Meet Melissa and Molly

• Melissa and Molly reflect on joining the online sales coaching team and share their impressions of the Online Sales & Marketing Summit in Chicago—whether attending as a first-timer or a seasoned leader.

• Online Sales Benchmarks Revealed

• Amanda breaks down six years of performance data, uncovering:

• A slight uptick in lead-to-appointment conversions

• A dip in appointment-to-sale conversions

• Stable online sales contribution rates

• Navigating a Hesitant Market

• Market uncertainty and buyer hesitancy are real, but the team has winning strategies to help you succeed

• Travel, Transitions & Backup Plans

• Sharpening Sales Strategy & Behavior

Don’t miss this conversation that blends data-driven strategy with real-life stories from the front lines of online sales. Whether you're a seasoned OSC or new to the role, there’s something here for you.

Thanks for tuning in!

Questions? Email: show@doyouconvert.com

More at doyouconvert.com

Kicking Off with the Lyon Life: Mike Lyon is deep into basketball dad life, supporting his son Nate on the Puma Pro 16 circuit—beating Nike teams and getting college looks. Jen’s hoping to see Nate at Old Dominion someday!

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

• Online Sales Academy – Kicks off May 20th with three half-days + eight weeks of on-demand training. Not everyone graduates—but if you do, you earn official certification!

• Online Sales & Marketing Summit – Back in Chicago this year with an epic speaker lineup:

o Rhonda Conger

o Steve Shoemaker

o Ryan Taft

o Brian Boero

…and more DYC pros!

Pro Tip from Mike: If you want to attend, ask your boss. Plead your case. Or invest in yourself.

Welcome to the newest DYC superstars:

• Melissa Fort – 20 years in new home sales, former TriPointe Homes.

• Molly Adams – OSC and HubSpot wizard, full of real-world experience and energy.

* Tito (Top Industry Talent OSC) Shoutout

Main Topic: When Leads Are Down, Here's What to Do

• Always start with fresh lead follow-up and appointment details.

• Then tackle prospecting: older leads are converting more than new ones!

o Q4 saw up to 24% of appointments from aged leads.

o Dedicate 2+ hours a day to prospecting.

o Expect 40–60 calls per appointment in today’s market.

"You want us to stop talking about prospecting? Start prospecting." – Mike Lyon

Skills Check

• Pick one area (prospecting, content, CRM, AI, etc.) and commit to growing it.
• Talk to leadership about how you’ll lean in.
• Bonus: Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!

Thanks for tuning in!

Questions? Email: show@doyouconvert.com

More at doyouconvert.com

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs for a bittersweet episode, as it's Jessie's last week at Do You Convert. Jessie shares her incredible journey at DYC, and her what's to come for her next adventure. They also share the exciting news that Online Sales Academy tickets have been released for spring, and shout out Jessica Myers with Caviness & Cates for an amazing video she recently filmed, and her work in humanizing the online sales process.

Jen and Jessie discuss:

• Jessie's time at Do You Convert, and the impact she's made on countless OSCs
• Where she will be headed to, and what her new role will entail.
• Her love for DYC Summit, and how her experience shifted from attending as an OSC to attending as a team member.
• Jessie's most funny, and toughest moment during her time as a coach.

The four things Jessie has learned big picture:

• You can be kind and in control at the same time - some of the people she has most looked up to have been the kindest.
• You can't wait for change to happen - you have to make change.
• We get to define what success looks like to us. What does one year look like for you? What does five years look like for you?
• Surround yourself with good people, and good things will happen.

Skills Check (40:42): Being Disciplined in Honor of Jessie



• Pick one thing that you need to be more disciplined on, and go forth and do that in the next month!

Jen Barkan welcomed a very special guest to OPT this week, Ryan Taft, the Founder and CIO of Impact Eighty-Eight! They kicked things off sharing key takeaways from the 2025 International Builders' Show, recapping DYC's upcoming Online Sales Academy, and giving a shout out to Lena Burgin with Level Homes, who recently won OSC Rookie of the Year for 2025!

Topic of Today: People Over Process (19:00):

• There is a lot of conversation happening right now surrounding "We need more sales!"
• The 2025 spring selling season feels a bit different this year, hence the importance of the saying, "Don't get prepared, stay prepared."
• In every sales team, often the #1 closer is the online sales professional.
• There is a difference between getting a customer to agree to an appointment, and wanting to go to an appointment.
• There's a transfer of emotion when setting appointments, and it's important to promote the experience. Avoid making it feel transactional!
• People don't buy with logic, they buy with emotion, and it's important not to go too far information-wise on initial calls.
• The goal of the handoff is to excite the imagination of meeting the sales person, and to reduce anxiety by humanizing them.
• Addressing friction between online and onsite sales, and understanding that the relationship is a give-get model.
• Anytime there is friction, you can complain about it, or you can do something about it!
• Ryan shares the story of Impact Eighty-Eight, and how the question of "What do you want to do?" changed everything.
• He shares his perspective that when the process becomes priority, the people can get lost, and his goal is to put people first in his training.

Skills Check: Are You Tracking the Handoff? (45:30):



• It's important to be proactive if you feel like your team could be doing a better job with the handoff process.
• Jen suggests tracking the handoff in your CRM or appointment tracker.
• This will allow you to have more concrete information to base next steps off of.

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs, who just celebrated her four year "workiversary" at Do You Convert! And did you know Jen also just celebrated eight years?! They recap exciting Upcoming Events including their trip next week to the 2025 International Builders' Show! This episode starts out with a new celebration of OSCs, and touches on the scenarios of burnout and rust-out, identifying it as an employee or manager, and finding solutions in an honest and genuine way.

Tito Shout-Outs (07:15):

• Jen recaps our recent National OSC Day celebration, and shares a heartfelt story about her beloved pup Tito who passed away a few years ago on OSC Day, who inspired their new "Tito Shout-outs," signifying the words Top Industry Talented OSC.
• Their first shout-out is for Kendall Pashak, the Online Sales Manager with Hartford Homes!
• Kendall's proactive work and confidence has stood out, and made an impact with her management.

Topic of Today: Recognizing Burnout and Rust-Out (11:56):

• Burnout happens when you feel so overwhelmed, you don't feel in control of your day or your tasks, causing you to shutdown.
• Rust-out is typically an indicator that burnout is coming -- you're unable to go the extra mile due to time constraints, or not feeling motivated-driven.
• Self-reflection is important when going through either of the above.
• Looking for certain signs (as an employee or manager) is an important piece.
• Examples of burnout: not wanting to answer the phone, feeling consistently overwhelmed with tasks, having a hard time with coachability.
• Examples of rust-out: feeling stagnant with your process, not feeling excited to come to work, not taking initiative to present at sales meetings.
• There's no one-size fits all solution, however having honest conversations with a coach, peer or colleague will help you gain a different perspective.
• When you're not sure what to focus on, focus on the things you have control over.
• When all else fails, do the best thing in that moment for the customer.
• Prioritize creating time in your day for stress recovery. As an OSC, you're exerting energy all day long, and it's important to give yourself pockets in the day to take a few moments to breathe.
• Sometimes it's as simple as prioritizing your lunch break, and creating boundaries and margin. Being "hangry" is a real thing!
• Jen suggests reflecting on your favorite things about your role, and figuring out how to incorporate more of that into your day.

Skills Check: How Your Work Space Affects Your Vibe (35:00):

• Jessie discusses transitioning from a full-time office environment to fully working from home during COVID, and how your environment can play a role in your efficiency.
• Jen recommends having a designated, quiet office space where you can close the door if you're working from home (or the office!)
• If you're feeling burnout or rust-out, it's ok to say something! Nothing changes without action.

Jen Barkan is joined by Jessie Suggs, who kicks off this week's episode with advice and lessons learned from her recent milestone -- running a marathon! Jen shares exciting announcements surrounding new training opportunities, including an available Online Sales Coach position with DYC.

For this week's episode, Jen Barkan and Jessie Suggs are joined by a very special guest, Adyanee Perkins with StyleCraft Builders An award-winning online sales counselor, Adyanee shares her best practices for prospecting, overcoming objections, and approaching the new year with preparedness and specific goals. She also talks about embracing the phrase "intrapreneur" and how it has shaped her career journey.

Topic of Today: The Importance of Being Prepared and Setting Goals (07:35):

• Jen shares the importance of being prepared in the face of the unexpected
• The two welcome a very special guest -- Adyanee Perkins, Online Sales Counselor with Stylecraft Builders!
• Adyanee shares her background with the military and in criminal justice, and the beginning of her journey with Stylecraft
• They talk about making a difference, and being a part of the brand experience
• Adyanee's word of the year for 2024, and for 2025!
• She shares common objections at this time in the year, and shifting the focus to helping customers be prepared for when they are ready
• Jessie shares the strategy of "pause, agree, pivot" and not being afraid to ask questions
• Adyanee shares her process on prospecting, and how she has seen this affect Stylecraft as a whole
• She shares the phrase "intrapreneur" and how she has taken ownership of follow-up and going the extra mile

Skills Check! (35:52)

• Send us an email at onlinesales@doyouconvert.com!
• What is one goal or skill you wanted to improve this year to grow your skill set?
• Is there someone from the industry you'd like us to have on the pod to talk to?