What helps sell more homes faster? A) construction science, B) deep pockets C) stellar sales people D) strategic marketing?

You guessed it, strategic marketing. You might have said all of the above, but not really because of the word “faster”. Why?  Construction science can build it faster. Money is great, but not if you waste it on poor marketing choices. Sales people help, but only if they have leads.  So, strategic marketing fits that bill.  

Do you think you are in construction? Too bad, you are also in marketing. You may have gotten in to this industry because you are a construction science guru, or maybe you are a brilliant architect, or you graduated from Business College and you got in it for the money or your parents gave you the business. It doesn’t matter, congratulations, you are now in marketing.

While most builders don’t usually do blow away marketing, some do. You can too. Whether you could build a home blind-folded, or you are a Harvard business grad, or you were a superintendent and are starting your own company, none of that matters if you are not marketing like a Transformer!  So here is a tip many builders overlook. It will help you out-position your competition. More...

We all know the story of teaching a man to fish is better than just fishing for them. Many of us may realize through times of adversity come opportunity. How are these connected to home building?

For decades, in cycles, builders have made money. When times were good, they simply fished with a big net. It was more or less easy to find a buyer for a home one was building.

This concept of throwing a net out there to catch what you can is changing in the world, and especially fast in the United States.  Instead of going out and scooping up, the new way is to become a magnet.  Builders will have to change from being fishermen, to being high powered magnets. Some builders already are, others are planning to catch up, and some have not yet put the planning in place.

How do you pull, instead of scoop? The shift will require companies, including builders, to push out quality content, in mass, very quickly, but in a more sophisticated way than previously done. Builders will have to be more than providers of product; they will need to become trusted resources and destinations of information. They are already a destination for decorating advice; consider the many “looky-loos” using your model homes as examples of decorating advice. Society will force builders, at least highly profitable ones, to do a better job of attracting people. Why? Because people have more choice than ever before, but less time, and therefore can only go where they are strongly attracted. Enter the magnet builder. More...

Scouring the internet, you will find many sources and surveys for statistics on Baby Boomers, the Active Adult and 50+ demographics, all herein lumped together as “boomers”.  Here are some excerpted statistics…that you can profit from. 

It may not be a surprise that Boomers talk more than they type, that they don’t get in to blogs, or usually in to social networking sites.  It may also not be a surprise they buy differently, buy different product types, and you may know what is or is not important to them. 

But, did you know:
People over age 40 are heavy users of other online services.
Boomers are heavy users of emails, 96% in some surveys.
Boomers want to connect with others in their communities, but around shared interests.
Most of them have a circle of family and friends with whom they are in consistent communication.
A high percentage think of themselves as busy, with little time, or interest, in being sedentary.
Privacy is fiercely defended.
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