Jonathan is the Chief Digital Officer CDO at Marketshare, Inc. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, California. Marketshare, Inc. has been helping builders with all things marketing for over 35 years. Email: [email protected]

When it comes to interior design, there are a few universal rules to follow no matter what kind of space you’re designing: for example, choose a complementary color palette, create a cohesive theme in your decor, don’t over-clutter your space.

But in addition to those universal design rules, there’s certain sales center-specific rules you must follow to maximize your sales space, drive sales interactions, and turn those potential buyers touring your properties into full-fledged owners and residents of your community.

Here are 6 must-follow interior rules for your sales center:

Practice Inclusive Design

When you’re designing your sales center, you want to take an inclusive approach and make sure your design is able to accommodate anyone and everyone that might be interested in purchasing a property in your community.

Make sure there’s enough room for clients of all sizes to get in and out of chairs easily when they sit down to speak to one of your sales agents. If a client feels claustrophobic or threatened by the seating arrangement when they’re interacting with your team, they’re not going to be in the state of mind to make a purchase.

You also need to make sure that your sales center passes ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards. In order to make your sales-center ADA approved, you’ll need to have an accessible entrance, an accessible restroom for both sexes, and things like accessible water fountains and parking. For a full list of requirements, be sure to reference the ADA Standards For Accessible Design.

Don’t Forget The Details

Your customer’s experience with your company exists from the first time they see one of your listings through touring, purchasing, and moving into your property. In order to show them you’re a company they want to purchase a home from, you need to create a positive experience throughout. And that experience includes the time they spend in your sales center.

No matter how beautiful and well-designed your homes are, if your potential buyers go into your sales center and are hit with white walls, generic office furniture, and a general lack of attention to design-detail, it’s going to make them question you as a builder. You want to put the same attention to detail you put into your homes into your sales center to create a consistent experience for your customers no matter where they are in the home buying process.

Things like accent walls, trim, crown moldings, and interesting pieces of decor and furniture in your sales center make a huge difference in how your potential buyers will view you. These seemingly small details can create a more inviting space, boost your credibility, and help foster an environment that’s conducive to selling property.

Use The Right Lighting

When designing your sales center, the right lighting can make a huge difference in how your potential owners feel when interacting with your sales team. The right lighting can also help keep your sales team feeling motivated and energetic when interacting with customers.

LED lights are the most cost and energy efficient bulbs on the market and tend to last longer than other bulbs. Look for LED lights with a mid-range kelvin rating (between 4000 and 5000) to create an environment bright enough to support office activities without feeling too harsh or overwhelming for your visitors or sales team. Supplement your ceiling lighting with floor or table lamps with LED light bulbs of a lower kelvin rating (between 2700 and 3200) to create a softer atmosphere at your sales desk, technology center, or other areas of interaction.

And last but certainly not least, whatever lighting you choose, make sure it passes Title 24 regulations for energy efficiency.

Give Your Team The Space They Need

In order to create an efficient work environment, you need to give your team the space they need – and the right tools – to get the job done.

Each sales office should be at a minimum 10’ by 9’. This layout has plenty of space for your salesperson’s chair, a desk, two client chairs and three people (your salesperson and two clients) to fit comfortably. If you could increase that space to 12’ by 10’, you can also add a workstation behind your salesperson’s desk for a printer/copier and additional storage for paperwork. Anything less than that and your salesperson (not to mention your clients) will feel cramped and uncomfortable and won’t have the tools they need to sell your properties.

Storage, Storage, Storage

There is a lot of paperwork that goes into showing and selling homes. And you want your sales team to have access to all the documentation they need to sell your properties and assist your owners.

That’s why it’s essential to outfit your sales center with plenty of storage. Your sales team needs easy access to the paperwork they need to process each sale. They’ll also need to store additional documentation like completed applications, permits, zoning and legal documents.

When purchasing office desks, look for desks with built in storage so each salesperson can file and store their own paperwork. For other documents, look for a stylish storage unit to house all the files you’ll need without acting as an eyesore for visitors.

The more storage you have, the better organized your sales team can be, which will increase their efficiency. The less time they spend searching for what they need, the more time they’ll spend closing customers.

Check Your Ceilings

This only applies if you’ve got a multi-level sales center, but if you have stairs, you’ll need to check the ceiling heights beneath them to make sure they’re up to code. The minimum requirement is 6 feet 8 inches and is measured from the top of the stair tread.

When it comes to designing your sales center, you want to design a space that’s equal parts functional and aesthetically pleasing. With these 6 must-follow rules, you’ll be well on your way to designing a sales center that looks good, performs well, and helps convert potential buyers into owners.