Its no secret I’m a big fan of what opportunities the mobile web presents for home builders. What I didn’t quite expect was a recent wake-up call on how closely email marketing is linked to mobile. We recently sent out an email promotion for an apartment management client. The day after the email went out […]
Read More »
QR Codes seem to be all the talk these days, picking up a tremendous amount of steam in the last year especially. The companies that sell this free technology are making claims about how “QR Codes are the future”, “QR Codes are a ‘must-have’”, “QR Codes Saved my Life,” etc. If QR Codes are truly […]
Read More »
Over the years I’ve written down a number of opinions about the mobile Internet and home builders. In 2008, I wrote Homebuilder Mobile Marketing with Google discussing the impact Google’s Android platform would have on mobile usage (now with the greatest market share). In 2009, I wrote about how Foursquare would impact mobile real estate marketing. […]
Read More »
The mobile Internet is still a young frontier for builders. While directories and large brokerages have invested in mobile apps beginning a couple years ago, most builders have just begun to dip their toe in the water. The benefit to a company with an “innovator/early adopter” approach to marketing technology is that, while they pay the occasional […]
Read More »
It’s no secret the impact that Facebook is having on consumer behavior. In fact, in recent months, Facebook has risen into the top 5 referring sources of traffic for some of our clients’ websites. Despite this impact, many builders are still somewhat skeptical of Facebook’s role in the buying process, and I can sort of […]
Read More »
The first goal of any marketing effort is to gain someone’s attention. We can argue about whether or not this means the goal is to interupt someone, but no matter the direction, the goal is always to do something unique enough to get noticed, and then be heard. Let me be clear – stock photography […]
Read More »
I’m not normally one for drama, but I’m not sure the message is really reaching the industry. In the past I’ve written about home builder mobile marketing and how to use Foursquare for real estate. Thankfully, a group called Mobile Future has put together a great “Did You Know?” type video with some sobering stats […]
Read More »
Generally speaking, most builders, salespeople, and real estate brokers I speak with agree that the last thing the Internet needs is another home search directory. Each time a new directory is introduced, it creates a new burden for the builder (focus, monitoring, plus a new SEO competitor). Ask a consumer if the Internet needs another […]
Read More »
The huge number of online marketing options available creates a virtual cosmos of possible entry points. Builders are bombarded with messages about everything they have to start doing “right now!” Get a new website. Invest in search engine optimization. Spend money with Google AdWords. Do lots of follow-up with email marketing. Everyone’s on facebook. You […]
Read More »
“More home shoppers start their search online than ever before.” “Over 90% of buyers use the Internet.” This is not news. This is not new information. The number of home shoppers who start their home search online has been above 80% for years. This is not news. Even early numbers in 2000 showed that 40% […]
Read More »
I am regularly amazed at how difficult some companies make it to business with them, or simply get a taste of their product or service. Traditional businesses are terrified a potential customer/client will find a way to take advantage of them; a way to skirt their beloved system and get something for free. They setup […]
Read More »
Testimonials rely on the concept of “social proof”; the idea that we look to others to help determine how we should behave. For this reason, testimonials are a powerful component of advertising. As with most things, overuse and abuse has diminished the effectiveness of the typical testimonial. Something more authentic is the only way to […]
Read More »
On March 9th, I had the pleasure of speaking to over 200 new home sales and real estate professionals at SMC SalesCamp. My assigned topic was “Effective Communication with Social Media.” The videos below contain my full presentation. In this presentation, I was able to introduce the concept of Lead Curation – Creating an environment conducive to […]
Read More »
I do not become your fan by clicking a button. The click merely affirms the work you’ve already done. If I’m a true fan of a business (not just in the Facebook sense), I am rooting for that business’s success. I’m an advocate for the product or service. I feel a sense of pride when […]
Read More »
“I’m not exactly sure how, but I think our listings get there.” It’s difficult to find a subject that’s less clear to most builders – How exactly do their community listings get distributed to directories on the web, and how do they change or improve their content, accuracy, placement, etc? New Home Feed is aiming […]
Read More »