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Category: Homebuilding| Senior Living| Stevens & Tate Speaks
17 Mar 2010It’s taking people longer than ever, it seems, to make a move. That’s true for young first-time homebuyers, those purchasing a new home, and seniors deciding it’s time to downsize or move into an assisted living facility. For some, it’s easier or more comfortable to stay where they are while others are paralyzed by economic fears.
What does that mean for marketers in the real estate, homebuilding and senior living arenas? We need to keep in touch with prospects multiple times and in multiple ways. Building a relationship over time is essential to ensure that when your potential customers are ready to make their move, your company is on the top of their mind.
In the senior living marketplace, direct mail continues to be a vital source of information. Host an event on your property such as a wine tasting, holiday gathering, or friends and family day. Have your chef prepare sample meals and invite prospects for a taste test. Offer a simple class such as flower arrangements or cake decorating. Give away tickets for a local sporting event. Then promote your event through a targeted direct mail program. Make your invitations fun and memorable so they grab someone’s attention when checking the mail. Reach out to your own database of past visitors but extend your reach to people similar to your current residents. And don’t forget to target their families – often, an adult child will help make the decision on where their mom or dad will live.
A more cost effective option to stay in front of people is an email program. You can get out the same message to a targeted group, without the expense of printing and postage. And, let’s face it, almost everyone has access to email these days. In fact, a recent study by Pew Internet and American Life Project revealed that the 65-plus age group uses email at levels comparable to younger age groups.
Email programs also have become a key for homebuilders looking to streamline operations and reduce costs. One of the biggest mistakes a builder can make in today’s economy is to abandon a prospect who is not immediately ready to buy. Rather, we need to nurture these prospects through continual, consistent communication so when they are ready to move, they remember our name and buy from us – and not the competition. Don’t just send more messages to the same people…send the right messages to the right people at the right time. Smart marketers realize how important it is to craft a set of effective messages that can be customized for prospects at different stages of the home buying process.
With new technologies, smart phones, texting and such, how we stay in touch in the future may change but the importance of staying in touch is here to stay.
Category: Homebuilding
13 Jan 2010HousingZone reported this week that homebuilders who have weathered the recession are now predicting better days ahead for buyers, sellers and the homebuilding industry.
During a recent conference that was attended by representatives of large, national homebuilding companies active in the Chicagoland market, as well as independent and custom builders, all were optimistic about 2010. Several are introducing new floor plans and new home communities.
“The signs are positive, with low interest rates, lower home prices and tax credits,” said Andrew B. Konovodoff, president of Town & Country Homes. “Consumer confidence is growing and unemployment is starting to turn around. A buyer purchasing a $200,000 home today with an FHA mortgage of 3 ½ percent down and a tax credit will have a monthly payment of about $1,200, an affordable number for many first-time buyers. The coming year will definitely be better, and the builders who remain in the marketplace are focused on customer satisfaction to a greater degree than every before.”
Builders cited the extended first-time homebuyer credit and the new repeat buyer tax credit as important stimulants for the 2010 market. In addition, low interest rates and pent-up buyer demand will drive an increase in activity.
To read the rest of this article, please click here.
Category: Homebuilding| Media News| Stevens & Tate Speaks
9 Dec 2009Today’s consumers are more individualized than ever before and the media has responded to their demand for personalization. There are thousands of newspapers across the country along with countless niche publications addressing individual areas of a person’s life. In addition to AM and FM radio, there now is satellite radio offering more stations and formats than ever before. With satellite TV and cable, hundreds of channels are competing for viewership.
These changes in consumer behavior directly impact how and where today’s new-home buyers look for information. This fragmentation of media outlets results in fewer and fewer people getting their information from traditional outlets and there simply isn’t ONE source for information anymore.
Adding more roadblocks to having your message heard is the fact that more and more new-home buyers are avoiding advertising. For example, many people turn the channel on the radio when commercials come on or listen to CDs in the car. TIVO and OnDemand services allow consumers to watch TV and fast forward past commercials. In addition, iPods have revolutionized the way potential new-home buyers listen to music. They can download eight or more hours of commercial-free music and listen to it while commuting or lingering around the house.
Potential new-home buyers are multitasking more than ever before, too. When in the car, they are likely on their cell phones, dealing with children, or becoming frustrated by traffic. At home, many people have the TV on in the background while performing other tasks like making dinner, helping the children with homework, or cleaning up. As a result, advertisers are realizing that their messages are not reaching their targeted audience with the same frequency as before.
How should your company react? Look for marketing vehicles where consumers are actively engaged. Show your videos on YouTube. Initiate a mobile marketing campaign. Run your ads online with streaming radio. Look at rich media for interactive advertising to engage the viewer and increase click-thrus.
Most importantly, make sure you advertise in mediums and vehicles that resonate with your target audience. Successful branding occurs when the consumer has a personal “connection” with your products and service…they mean something to them in terms that resonate with their personal lives. Along with brand recognition comes increased awareness and sales.
In today’s “new media landscape,” it’s critical to thoroughly research, target and review your marketing efforts almost daily to ensure the proper media mix to maximize results and minimize spending.
Category: Homebuilding
10 Nov 2009Good news for homebuilders and home buyers across the country as President Obama extended the home buyer tax credit and expanded those who it will impact. The new legislation does not limit the tax credit to first-time buyers. Now, move-up buyers or existing homeowners can benefit, as well. Plus, more Americans will be able to qualify as income limits have been raised.
Many builders who were pushing to close homes by the original Nov. 30th deadline now have until April 30th, 2010 to get buyers under contract so they can take advantage of the tax credit. This should be just the incentive some potential buyers need to get off the fence and purchase a new home.
To read more details about the extended home buyer tax credit, click here.
Category: Homebuilding| Project & Campaign News
1 Nov 2008Ryland Homes West Region has paired with the North Region on choosing Stevens & Tate as its advertising agency in Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and all of California.
Founded in 1967, The Ryland Group continues to be a leading national homebuilder and mortgage-finance company that’s made up of 22 home building divisions in the United States, with the north and west region occupying 11 of these divisions. Since its inception, Ryland Homes has built more than 275,000 homes across the country, which helps to provide longevity and trust to the homebuyer.
Since December of 2007, Stevens & Tate has worked with the North Region of Ryland Homes to help provide more strategic thinking that mobilizes quickly in this ever-changing Real Estate market, while offering competitive creative solutions. Stevens & Tate has been successful at staying on track with Ryland Homes’ value for national strength, with a local focus on the north region divisions and hopes to bring parallel success out west during these difficult times for other homebuilders.
“In this challenging housing market, builders are looking for smarter marketing, lower cost per lead, and generally rebuilding marketing plans from the ground up and that’s what we bring to Ryland,” said Dan Gartlan, President of Stevens & Tate.
Stevens & Tate looks to utilize diverse and integrated strategies to help meet the advertising needs of Ryland Homes including strategic planning, data analysis, Internet rich media plans, umbrella campaigns modified to specific divisions and creative solutions with trackable results.
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