Master Sessions are always a popular educational offering for the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS). These in-depth three-hour intensive programs dig deep into specific industry topics. Take a look at what happened at a few of our Master Sessions.

The Customer Experience Funnel: Best Practices for Profitability
Every minute, there are 2 million Google searches and 204 million emails sent, and every second, there are 41,000 Facebook posts and 3,600 new photos posted on Instagram.

These numbers illustrate just how noisy online has become and how difficult it can be to get noticed. However, as the panel stressed, this noise comes from people—your consumers— and to create a successful customer experience, we must embrace the mindset of sharing knowledge, information and content with the world. This sharing of information begins the customer experience.

In fact, all major aspects of the sales and building process are affected by the customer experience, making it one of the most critical elements for the success of your company. During this Master Session, the entire customer experience funnel was discussed—from first impression through the completion of the home. At the largest end of the funnel, creative, cost-effective ways to drive leads using a combination of technology and “old-school, high touch” tactics were shared. As the funnel narrows, lead management tools and best practices for healthier relationships were discussed—all of which create a better customer experience.

“All of these speakers were dynamic, and the material presented was very valuable.”

Solving the Builder Matrix: A Simplified Financial Strategy to Gain Competitive Advantage & Drive Profit
Fred Reikowsky of Legacy Business Leaders, LLC spearheaded this Master Session where he challenged the audience to begin with the end in mind (goals) and define what profit looks like for them. In fact, success and profit is never random; it is always on purpose.

During this Master Session, Reikowsky broke down the Builders Matrix for the audience. The Builders Matrix is a set of three financial principles that when understood and connected allow for better quantifying and leveraging of finite resources, increase efficiency and preempt limiting factors. When solved, this blueprint for control and confidence changes how people do business and provides a clear roadmap to superlative results.

“Great speaker, very informative with straightforward presentation.”

2019 Design Playbook: The Styles, Trends, Colors & Finishes You Need to Know
Ranked as one of the Top Picks for 2019 IBS Education On Demand, this Master Session provides an overview of what to expect from design in 2019. The session began with a discussion of designing budget-friendly homes. Cost-effectiveness never goes out of style, and today there is even more pressure. The predicted interest rate rise, the labor shortage, the cost of materials and more all make it important to understand how to add value to the designs while cutting hidden costs.

This session took a deep dive into architecture and design, and explored the latest exterior material trends, color styles and more. Smaller informal living rooms, flexible spaces and the proper location for kitchens were dissected to help the audience apply these design trends to today’s homebuyer preferences.

“Great speakers. Commentary with photos was very informative and allowed us to see what was going on in the slides very quickly.”

The two other Master Sessions that round out the IBS 2019 lineup include:

• From A (Accounting) to W (Warranty): Master the 15 Critical Functions of Home Building
• Avoiding Poor Performing Homes & Profit Killing Call-Backs

Attendees with full registration to IBS 2019 received a one-year complimentary subscription to IBS Education On Demand, where they can log in to access these and other recorded sessions.

You can purchase a subscription if online access wasn’t included with your IBS registration. Purchase IBS Education On Demand for access to 139 IBS 2019 education sessions covering 7 building industry topic tracks for only $199 (members) or $299 (non-members)!

Master Sessions will be back at IBS 2020. Mark your calendar for January 21-23, 2020 when the show returns to Las Vegas!