NEEM™ News, Retailer Edition: NEEM+™ Sales Challenge Wrap-up
The NEEM+ Sales Challenge, which began on November 1st and ran through May 31st, is now over. We’re very happy with the results and thankful to retailers and sales people who took advantage of this opportunity to learn about NEEM+ and offer it to home buyers. Fifty-three homes certified as ENERGY STAR with NEEM+ were sold during the campaign. That represents 4 percent of all NEEM certifications during the six-month period—not bad for a new product!
All told, 73 sales people from 29 retail locations signed up to participate in the NEEM+ Sales Challenge, earning each a Yeti® Rambler® tumbler. Nineteen people went on to sell at least one home with the NEEM+ option during the Sales Challenge, earning them cool Patagonia® Nano Puff® jackets.
Then the competition really took off. The well-oiled machine that is the three-person sales team at United Family Homes in Nampa, Idaho, had already begun changing out their display homes to new models that included the NEEM+ option. Since turning the tables and making NEEM+ a line item that comes with a home unless the buyer options it out, they have had only a few customers not buy it. As a result, Calvin Berg, Corwin Berg and Brent Steward each quickly sold three homes and took home a Yeti Tundra Haul® cooler.
Not to be outdone, Lisa Carlquist of S & H Manufactured Homes in Okanogan, Washington took advantage of the NEEM+ energy savings, promise of comfort (and local jurisdiction requirements of “thermal equivalence” to the state’s energy code for infill home siting) to close some sales and secure a cooler as well.
Meanwhile, Ron Parker of NW Green Homes in Chehalis, Washington started getting serious about NEEM+. Initially skeptical of whether NEEM+ had enough appeal to convince customers to pay the extra money, Ron reported that once he started talking about NEEM+, “It just sold itself,” winning Ron the fifth and final cooler.
The NEEM+ Sales Challenge offered $1,500 cash cards as top honors awards for the first two people to sell five homes. Team United Family Homes, with their early momentum and NEEM+ standard offering proved unbeatable. Calvin and Corwin each took home the money, and won United Family Homes the distinction of being our top NEEM+ supporter.
Congratulations to everyone who took part in the NEEM+ Sales Challenge. It’s great to know that everyone who sells—or buys—a home with the NEEM+ package is a winner, whether or not there are prizes on the line.
It’s never too late to start selling ENERGY STAR with NEEM+. The NEEM website has lots of information about the NEEM+ package and selling tools on the Resources page. One key thing to know is that ENERGY STAR is about 30 percent more efficient than the standard manufactured home insulation package—including manufacturer “private label” options. Moving up to the NEEM+ takes the home to more than 40 percent more efficient than the code—a 30 percent improvement over ENERGY STAR alone. Both ENERGY STAR and NEEM+ pay back within a just a few years, and they deliver comfort every day.
Don’t forget to let buyers know about utility incentives. 91 utilities offer incentives for ENERGY STAR-certified homes—often to the tune of $1,000, and 43 of them offer even more for homes with NEEM+. The NEEM website has a Rebate Finder Tool that allows one to enter a ZIP code to see what incentives might be available. There is also a list of all the regional utility incentives here.
We have another NEEM+ promotion in the works, where we will offer $2,000 to retailers who purchase new display homes that include the NEEM+ option. Look for more details soon!