Might be Frightful Out but..Spring Selling Season is Just Around the Corner!

We have to admit: the weather outside -- whether you're on the East or West Coast -- doesn't exactly encourage getting out and doing home shopping this weekend.

Take this Dreary Weekend to Kick-off Spring!

But, that same weekend could be a great one for taking stock and kicking-off your Spring new home sales/marketing efforts.  Here are several ideas to start generating visits to your sales office and engaging home shoppers once they're there:

(1) Start Reaching Out to Realtors, Now -- We've talked about the value of co-op agents before (take a look at an earlier Solutions blog entry --  Builders, Co-Op Agents: Reaching the Asian Community.)

BuilderOnLine reports  Spring is the busiest season for Realtors and suggests offering incentives to make sure they spread the word about your community.  How about putting together a "Get Ready for Spring" Open House -- offering a "spa event" raffle for attendees?  Or, a "Wine & Cheese" evening with a case of your favorite?  Keep the buzz going: don't stop with one event!  If you start now (in dreary February), you'll be ahead of 90% of your competition!

Don't forget Realtors often focus on specific demographics -- relocations, ethnic or religious groups, 55+ buyers, etc.  Try reaching out to the demographic-centric agents, often.  They always will have a group of interested buyers available to visit your community -- provide them with a reason to stop by.

Get Interactive with Virtual Curb Appeal!

(2) A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words --- Mollie Elkman, a Philadelphia-based marketing expert, reminds us that pictures offer "virtual curb appeal."  Why not take one step further and Go Interactive with a touch screen system?

You'll start engaging prospects from the minute they step into your sales office and can continue the conversation with interactive floor plans, the ability to select and place furniture inside your homes and e-brochures.

Take your home shoppers "behind the walls" and visually talk about your location, amenities, and features.  Show them you're "in their location" and highlight what is available in the location or the great amenities provided by the HOA.

CPS offers software to help you zero in on the co-op agent community (that's CPS CRM) as well as SalesTouch, our interactive touchscreen system for both the large and small (think tablets) screen. We're here to help -- even when it's snowing and raining!

Selling New Homes? How Your Neighborhood Can Win Over Resale

Home shoppers today can find many reasons to purchase new: improved construction processes (think structural reinforcements if you're selling in tornado- or hurricane-prone areas); energy efficient appliances and related savings, customization choices...no doubt, much of your sales and marketing attention focuses on these tangible items (and it should!).

Close to Everything: Take a Look at What Interests You!

At the same time, Marilyn Lewis' article, 20 Signs You're Buying in a Great Neighborhood, reminds us "a great neighborhood sells a home"!

What are you doing to promote your new neighborhood? Lewis' article (you can read it here) suggests the first thing you can do is: get out and learn about the neighborhood! Take a walk, pick up a latte, locate school resource guides and, soon, you'll feel comfortable talking-up the area to your home shoppers.


Lots going on in this walkable neighborhood!

Of course, there are brochures, guides and the like but...why not put technology to work introducing your neighborhood to your home shoppers?  Make it an engaging exploration; add personalized touches (we love the John Marshall's "Must Try" pick for their dining examples); Go Interactive!

Take a look at the SalesTouch interactive touchscreen presentation location displays above and to the right: you're able to view the local  area map and select a topic of interest mirroring

Today's Home Buyers are Looking for...Energy Efficiency is in the Top 3

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently reported (MortgageOrb summarized here) that today's single-family home buyer's list of most desired features includes: convenience, livability and energy efficiency.


Energy Efficiency: How Buyers Can Save $$

Do you recall an earlier Solutions blog, Bringing Green Out from "Behind the Walls?"

Energy efficiency is right there in the Top 3 desired features -- specifically Energy-Star rated windows, programmable thermostats and Energy-Star rated appliances.

How does your Marketing Plan address these buyer objectives? We'd like to suggest Go Interactive with a SalesTouch system engaging

Show your buyers how a programmable thermostat works

your home shoppers and providing an interactive experience highlighting the "green" features of your homes and the benefits. 

Get specific: show them how much they can expect to save with new energy-efficient appliances.  How cool a room stays with low thermal emissivity windows.  How a programmable thermostat works and why it is so useful in a new home.

And, how about incorporating these "green" features into a "green" marketing program?  Go Interactive  provides print on-demand brochures as well as e-brochures. Build your "green" brand as you provide energy-efficient solutions at the first consumer encounter as well as within your homes!

Kicking Off Spring's Selling Season

Are you ready to kick start your Spring selling season?

Yes; for many, it's been a long, cold winter with ice storms, record cold and history-busting snowfalls. Hopefully, we're past the worst of that and can start generating Spring marketing efforts.  Here are several that should resonate and can start generating visits to your sales office:

(1) Reach Out to Realtors -- We've talked about the value of co-op agents before (take a look at an earlier Solutions blog entry --  Builders, Co-Op Agents: Reaching the Asian Community.) 

Co-op Agents: Give them a reason to visit!

BuilderOnLine reports Spring is the busiest season for Realtors and suggests offering incentives to make sure they spread the word about your community.  How about putting together a "Get Ready for Spring" Open House -- offering a "spa event" raffle for attendees?  Or, a "Wine & Cheese" evening with a case of your favorite?  And, keep the buzz going: don't stop with one event!  Follow-up with emails announcing the winner and promoting your next event -- as well as your community.

Don't forget that Realtors often focus on a specific demographic -- relocations, ethnic or religious groups, 55+ buyers, etc.  Reach out to these demographic-centric agents, often.  They always will have a group of interested buyers available to visit your community -- provide them with a reason to stop by.

(2) A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words --- Mollie Elkman, a Philadelphia-based marketing expert, reminds us that pictures offer "virtual curb appeal."  Why not take one step further and Go Interactive with a touch screen system? 

Go behind the walls -- and beyond the floorplan!

You'll start engaging prospects from the minute they step into your sales office and can continue the conversation with interactive floor plans, the ability to select and place furniture inside your homes and e-brochures. 

Take your home shoppers "behind the walls" and visually talk about your location, amenities, and features.  Show them you're "in the center of town" and what that offers -- or your rural location and the great amenities provided by the HOA.