FloorPop - Homebuilder Marketing Best Practices

The Best Second Tier PPC Network

2010-05-26T14:06:00.002-05:00

Is there a best second tier PPC network? I have been searching, but have been unsuccessful so far. The huge volume of what appears to be valueless clicks on most of these networks leaves me with a tremendous conclusion. Since it seems none of the second tier PPC vendors are taking click-fraud seriously, a huge marketing opportunity exists for anyone who does.The

Second Tier PPC Programs You Can Trust

2010-05-22T05:55:00.002-05:00

So, after 2 months of testing just about every second tier PPC program it seems, I have come to a number of conclusions. Some may be accurate, some may be just plain wrong, but they are all fact-based. Two general conclusions are that it’s hard to trust any of these vendors and cheap just will not work to drive conversions. PPC click fraud is a huge problem. I have heard estimates running

2nd Tier PPC and Click Fraud

2010-04-27T20:28:00.001-05:00

I am trying hard here. I really want to find some gems among the diamonds in the rough. Okay, maybe some clear glass in the sand. Unfortunately, I have not been so lucky. My normal expectations are that I get a conversion from about 100 clicks. At the low cost of most 2nd tier networks, 300:1 would be okay. Here’s the honored list of who I have tried using, in most cases, fairly long-tail

Second Tier PPC Network - Advertiser Cannibalization

2010-04-17T19:36:00.001-05:00

As I come to learn more about these networks, it is hard to see beyond the smoke and mirrors. Maybe you already knew this, but publishers using these networks treat them as they do ad networks. They leverage software so they so they can select which of several PPC network ads to accept based on CPC being bid. So, the implication for me is that I can drive my own costs up if I choose to

Quest for PPC and Display Advertising Traffic

2010-04-15T22:35:00.001-05:00

I decided to start writing again. I guess this is because I feel I have something worth saying and so many questions worth asking. I need traffic and a lot of it. Over the next several posts, I will share with you my experiences and observations about the methods being considered, tested, analyzed, and proven. This may be a lot of posts. I hope you find information you can use and will

Leading New Home Builder Listing Websites Ranked by Compete.com

2009-06-18T12:27:00.002-05:00

I have been playing around with compete.com. I like it. I wish it did a few things that it does not. However, it seems like a worthwhile tool. Here’s a sample report showing the leading new home builder listing websites in terms of traffic. The Largest new home listing site is NewHomeSource.com by a wide margin. Move New Homes should be on this list, but Compete does not allow me to get

A Builder's Summer Reading List

2007-08-20T12:50:00.001-05:00

Summer is upon us. Now would be a good time to select a few books for your summer reading. Every so often, friends, knowing I am a marketing junkie, ask me about my favorite marketing books. More often, I attempt, usually unsuccessfully, to explain a marketing concept sourced from a great marketing mind. Many of these concepts have real world application for homebuilders. This month I share

Homebuilder Online Lead Conversion Rates

2007-08-19T20:06:00.000-05:00

Several builders have asked me "What should my online lead conversion rate be?" and it is a perennial favorite when I speak about online sales counselor (OSC) programs. This month I share with you a few guideposts you can use when setting up your initial goals and expectations. There is not a specific lead conversion rate target for a best practice OSC program. Every builder operates with a

California Headache Continues

2007-08-15T10:04:00.001-05:00

Last night I sent out a notice to a number of friends and colleagues soliciting their support for the Chicago Police Memorial Fund as a run in that city’s marathon in October. One well connected supporter in California stepped up right away. I took the opportunity to thank him and ask how the market was really doing. He’s an optimistic guy by nature, so I will keep his name confidential.

Permission Marketing Made Remarkable

2007-08-13T22:03:00.001-05:00

I ran across a service recently. The concept is pretty cool, but not the easiest to explain. As simply as I can put it, a reward program called HomePerks. Builders or Realtors or your gardener could sign up and start giving their customers or prospects HomePerks. These are in the for of points (HomePerks) and you can spend them on gifts or give them to friends. Okay, I think I yawned too.

SEO Secrets for Homebuilders

2007-04-10T22:56:00.001-05:00

Homebuilders are always looking for ways to drive traffic to their websites, preferably without added expense. While everyone seems to know that search engine optimization is important for homebuilders, most ad agencies and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) firms shroud search engine optimization under a veil of secrecy. Let's make SEO a little more transparent. I

Video Online for Real Estate Going Mainstream

2007-04-07T18:23:00.001-05:00

Video is expanding on the Web at a tremendous pace. It's not just for music videos and testimonials anymore. A few months ago I wrote about video on demand in "Selling lifestyle - when the structure is secondary," (see http://www.floorpop.com/Floorpop110106.html). While I no longer am directly involved in video production, I am a huge believer in the power of video online to drive action. This

Getting Bang Out of Your Marketing Bucks

2007-03-09T08:04:00.001-06:00

Are you looking at tighter marketing budgets in 2007? Faced with tougher markets, more aggressive competition, and apathetic consumers we all have to get smarter about how we spend marketing dollars. To get smarter you have to do two things: First you need assess the performance of each dollar you spend. Second, you have to reallocate your spending to wherever your company gets its best results.

How to Grow Your Volume by 10% without Competing on Price

2007-03-08T22:07:00.001-06:00

If you are like most builders I work with, sales are off a bit. In a down market, we always struggle for ideas to improve our marketing. To maintain your volume and profits, you have to grow your market share. Unfortunately, other builders may have the very same goal. What if the pie were larger? The new home sale market represented 22% of all homes sold in 2005

Streaming Video: Viewers are in Control - Give Them Exactly What They Need

2006-11-02T01:00:00.000-06:00

By Tom Bevins, 972-661-1975Don’t make the mistake of confusing streaming website video with television. The two are as different as, well, baseball and softball. On the surface things may look similar, but in reality they are very different games, played at different speeds on different fields using different tools. What separates streaming website video from television is who has the control

J.D. Powers Builder Rankings

2006-10-18T11:23:00.000-05:00

10 Factors Drive Satisfaction with Home Builder from J.D. Power (from NAHB Monday Briefing 10/18/2006)Ten factors drive overall customer satisfaction with home builders, according to J.D. Power and Associates. These 10, and their percentage contribution to satisfaction, are: Builder's warranty/customer service (20%) Home readiness (16%) Builder's sales staff (14%) Construction manager (13%)

Self Prospecting, What You Can Do to Drive Traffic

2006-10-13T14:48:00.000-05:00

So, your traffic is a little off. What can you do about it? Two month’s ago I shared advice from some of America’s top sales training trainers (http://www.floorpop.com/Floorpop080206.html). This month is all about building traffic and be-backs. Not things your marketing department should be doing online or in print, but what you, as an on-site agent or as a sales manager, can do to improve

On-Site Agents Need to Prime the Marketing Pump

2006-10-04T11:07:00.000-05:00

I spoke with Jason Forest, President of Shore Select yesterday about an upcoming article. While I could not use our discussion for the article, I thought it was too good and practical to not share it with you.Forest thinks on-site builder sales agents need to get more strategic when asking for marketing support. While marketing support can generate traffic, a little analysis will go a long way

Shopping for Results

2006-09-07T10:45:00.000-05:00

Last month we discussed turn around advice from some of America's best sales trainers http://www.floorpop.com/Floorpop080206.html. They all stressed the need to make sure you have the right folks in the right roles. The fact is that the market has changed and your sales team needs to change with it. Not every salesperson is going to make the transition as hard choices will be made. As Melinda

Turn Around: Advice from America's Best Sales Trainers

2006-08-04T14:04:00.000-05:00

Centex’s earnings are off 31%, D.R. Horton’s are down 21%, Pulte’s are down 20%, and the sky is falling! It’s okay to read the newspaper, but stop talking about it. While we are unaccustomed to down cycles, the sky is not falling. However, if we talk to sales people about unfavorable conditions or focus attention on lower traffic, we only perpetuate the problem. The market has changed. Now

Your #1 Competitor is on the Ropes

2006-07-06T18:16:00.000-05:00

Your #1 competitor is on the ropes and you are letting him off easy. That's not like you. So, who is your #1 competitor? Is it D.R. Horton or Pulte? No, it's not. Is it Lennar or Centex? It's not them either. Your #1 competitor is the alternative product most of your lost sales go to, the resale market. We held a TV interview with Boyce Thompson, Editorial Director for Builder Magazine while

PCBC Permission Marketing Seminar

2006-06-13T09:27:00.000-05:00

Are you going to PCBC? If you are planning on attending PCBC, I have a session that you will want to put on your calendar. It’s not that I am speaking, but it is the team I share the podium with. Good permission marketing is hot and making a great impact upon the profitability of many builders in this time of changing markets. Bill Probert, EVP Marketing & Sales for John Laing Homes, will

Buying New Homes vs. Resale

2006-06-09T13:52:00.000-05:00

Steve Zurier from Hanley-Wood pointed this link out to me the other day: http://www.lennar.com/build/buildhome.aspx We both agreed that it was a good idea for a builder to have something like this on their website. We know the real competition to Pulte and DR Horton is not Centex or Lennar. Their real competition is what most homebuyers buy, resale housing. So, why don’t builders try to do

Use the Internet to Juice Your REALTOR Marketing

2006-06-02T11:11:00.000-05:00

Getting one more REALTOR-related sale per community per month can have a dramatic impact on your gross profit. REALTORS can be hugely important to a builder's success, but many builders neglect to include them in their Web sites and interactive marketing plans. Yet, with REALTORS involved in 30% to 50% of builders' closings, they can be a huge portion of the business. However, not all agents

Builders and Blogs Update

2006-05-21T12:58:00.000-05:00

I think you know that I am a believer in the power of blogs to enhance your marketing efforts. See “Homebuilders and Blogs.” Josh Shron the Internet Marketing Manager for K. Hovnanian in Northern New Jersey pointed out an innovative use of blogs to me. He found a Pulte sales representative setting up blogs for individual buyers. What a great idea! Here are a couple of samples. http://

Home Buyers Do Their Research on the Internet

2006-05-19T13:11:00.000-05:00

The San Diego Business Journal reports on consumers using the web for their home search. http://www.builderonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=26&articleID=302831 Here are a few key findings: * Home buyers who used the Internet as a key part of the process grew from 56 percent in 2004 to 62 percent in 2005. * Internet home buyers devoted more time to research then move quickly, spending

Inspiring Builder Ads / Logos / Brochures

2006-05-15T11:59:00.000-05:00

Want some free inspiration for your next project or home builder design? Why not start with the list of award winners from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) “The Nationals.” Here’s a few samples: Best Logo Design ’06: http://www.thenationals.com/media/awards/2006/gold/cat09_treoGOLD.jpg Best Color Ad - Single Project ’06: http://www.thenationals.com/media/awards/2006/gold/

How About a Couple of Free Books from Seth Godin?

2006-05-11T07:24:00.000-05:00

Those who know me, know I highly recommend several books by Seth Godin. I consider them required reading for marketing folks today. My favorites are Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Unleashing the Idea Virus, and The Big Red Fez. All are worth reading and learning from. I will be adding a recommended reading list to this blog shortly. In the meantime… How would you like a free copy of 2

What Does it Take to Generate 1 Internet-Related Sale?

2006-05-09T13:19:00.000-05:00

This is a question I am often asked. If you are in Southern California or planning to attend the TechHome Builder Expo & Conference (TBX), you should plan on attending my session tomorrow at the show. In the session I share what savvy homebuilders are doing to drive results. Here are the details: Turn Internet Browsers Into Buyers Wednesday, May 10 / 3:45 - 5:15 Room 107 Here’s the Big

Video on the Web: Generating Results

2006-05-08T17:05:00.000-05:00

Don't make the mistake of confusing streaming website video with television. The two are as different as, well, baseball and softball. On the surface things may look similar, but in reality they are very different games, played at different speeds on different fields using different tools. What separates streaming website video from television is who has the control of the content and how they

Hombuilder Marketing Myths

2006-04-06T00:07:00.000-05:00

This month I share with you 6 myths I regularly hear that might be harming your marketing results. Please let me know what you think at blair@realtyinfolinks.com Myth #1 Benchmarking "If we benchmark and adopt the best ideas we find across the industry, we will generate solid marketing results." I believe in benchmarking. It works. However, it is no guarantee of success. In fact, it is

77% of Home Buyers Use The Internet to Search

2006-01-25T19:04:00.000-06:00

Here's the link to the latest National Association of Realtors survey results reported in eMarketer:http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1003788

Builder and Buyer Behavior Revealed

2006-01-13T21:59:00.000-06:00

Myers Barnes, Myers Barnes ConsultingAllan Merrill, President of HomestoreAccording to Allan:Four questions you should say to every visitor to your model:1) Our research shows us that ¾ of our customers have visited our neighborhoods online. Did you tour any our neighborhoods online? 2) I guess you could say that this is your second visit to this neighborhood, isn’t it? Wonderful3)

Branding Your Company the New Fashioned Way

2006-01-13T21:56:00.000-06:00

Tom Richey – the ModeratorDavid Miles – Miles BrandJean Neumann – CMO of Neumann HomesPhil Gribbons – TOUSA David Miles – the smaller you are the easier it is to brand your company. David Miles highly recommends reading “Built to Last” to get a better handle on branding. If you have a core set of values and adhere to them, you will build your A brand is an emotional bond that connects people

Are You Famous Yet?

2006-01-13T04:17:00.000-06:00

“Developing a Public Relations Campaign that will Increase Sales.” Jerry Rouleau shares his tips for Public Relations. There is a solution, if you think out of the box.What is the value of Public RelationsHow Does it compare to AdvertisingWhat should it cost.“A comprehensive public relations program educates, informs, and persuades.”“It’s not so much as who sees the article as it is, it is how

Internet Advertising

2006-01-12T20:52:00.001-06:00

Barry Lynn (CEO, American Home Guides) did his presentation on Internet Advertising. It was a message I have heard before, but it is still compelling. The gist of his message is the Internet Advertising is more effective and lower cost than print media. Consumers are moving away form the newspapers. It’s time to shift more of your advertising dollars online. I have used his service, American

Affordable Market Research

2006-01-12T20:52:00.000-06:00

Maxine McBride, President of Clockwork Marketing Services delivered her expertise on market research. How much money should a homebuilder allocate to market research? You need to assess it market by market, builder by builder. No easy answer here. Expect to pay $15,000 - $20,000. Focus Groups on your product are necessary. You need at least 3-4 focus groups with 12 participants each. One should

Email Marketing Secrets & Strategies

2006-01-12T08:31:00.000-06:00

Okay, so you really did not have to go to the International Builders Show (IBS), you can just read this blog. Actually, while I am at the show, I am making an attempt to attend the best of the Sales and Marketing seminars here. If you are not making this year’s show, try to make it next year. Of course, I can not be in two places at the same time and there are simply too many good seminars to

C.S.I. Orlando (Case Study in Orlando)

2006-01-12T08:27:00.000-06:00

C.S.I. Orlando (Case Study in Orlando) tells the story of how Weiss Homes transformed their company and profits. Rita Weiss, CEO of Weiss Homes tells her story. They are a South Bend builder/developer. They wanted to grow into a regional builder. In 1995 they became a production homebuilder. Pat Sargent helped them put their back office into place and they also brought in Bob Schultz and

David vs. Goliath

2006-01-12T08:07:00.000-06:00

Well this is my first educational session at the International Builders Show (IBS) for 2006. I will share with you my impressions as close to real-time as I can. How do you compete with the big builders? You need one single idea can make your business grow. He used example of great businesses that grew centered around a single idea in the beginning. Home Depot, Starbucks, Apple, Google,

Hottest Builder Online Promotions

2006-01-03T18:33:00.000-06:00

Homebuilders have always invested in promotions and advertising. Just open your local Friday or Saturday Real Estate section and you can see all the great current print advertising and print promotions of homebuilders in your area. One of the ways good marketing departments and advertising agencies keep their work fresh is by constant exposure to ads. They don’t look at just the local

$1 Trillion in E-Commerce by 2008

2006-01-02T20:41:00.000-06:00

So, here we are. I have been searching today for examples illustrating usability principles, permission marketing concepts, and email marketing. I am looking for something fresh to go with a new presentation at the International Builder’s Show (IBS). The session is “$1 Trillion in E-Commerce by 2008. Will You Get Your Share?” If you are a builder who wants to dramatically improve

Online Direct Response Form Guidelines and Exceptions

2006-01-01T21:19:00.000-06:00

What is it that we say, ‘for every rule there is the exception that makes the rule’? Well, let us talk about a few guidelines (rules) for online registration forms and then I will demonstrate an exception that seems to blow away the rule, but still leaves it valid. First the guidelines: 1) When asking people for permission online, give visitors something in return for their permission. I

FloorPop Form Conversion Formula

2005-12-31T05:34:00.000-06:00

I have been working the past week on completing the January 2006 issue of FloorPop. Click on this link to subscribe to FloorPop: http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/manage/subscriberprefs.aspx?customerid=31923 The January 2006 issue is all about improving online registration form completion rates. Toward this end, I offer a formula I use as a tool for my clients when designing and improving online

Homebuilders and Blogs

2005-12-07T22:22:00.000-06:00

What follows is the body of this month’s FloorPop email newsletter sent today (December 7, 2005). A blog entry talking about blogs? I know it seems a little redundant, but your comments would be most welcomed. >>>>>>> Customers are excited. They come back to your website, buy more upgrades, tell friends, and are more satisfied. You are more connected to your market place and easily keep

Improve Your Profits by Developing a Pre-Grand Opening Process

2005-12-07T21:40:00.000-06:00

I spent last week at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC). This is one awesome show. I wish I could have been at more of the educational seminars and workshops. It validates comments I often hear about the many great homebuilding ideas originating in California. Many of you may have read about VIP programs and other advanced lead management approaches. Some of the best programs were

Make Your Redesign Payoff

2005-12-07T08:47:00.000-06:00

Okay, so you have decided to upgrade your Web site. You are probably getting advice from any number of people. If you want to really dig into it, here are a few good books to help get you started: - Don't Make Me Think - Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites - The Design of Everyday Things - Designing Web Usability Define Goals What makes a

Making Your Web Site Part of Your Marketing System

2005-12-07T08:45:00.000-06:00

Integrating your Web site with your other marketing channels (i.e., online, radio, TV, direct mail, print advertising, outdoor advertising, public relations, promotional events) can make your overall marketing much more effective. The payoff is higher sales velocity, lower marketing costs, and building momentum for community marketing programs. Make your Web site the hub of your interactive

Builder Internet Marketing Getting Savvy

2005-12-06T21:28:00.000-06:00

Builders are taking their Internet marketing to new levels. Some builders are finding that they can improve leads and sales to Internet buyers, not by 20% or 40%, but often by several hundred percent. How are they doing it? Three areas of focus have led many builders to extraordinary returns. First, they recognize their Web site does not stand alone. It is part of a larger marketing system

Getting Personal Can Improve Traffic 200% or More

2005-12-06T21:23:00.000-06:00

Do you get lots of leads but find that most of them won't even respond to you? How are you going to convince Web site visitors to visit your communities when they don't even respond to your communications? There's a trade secret you should be aware of. Get Personal and Consumers Respond. Consumers respond to those who treat them as individuals. If you treat your leads as individuals and get

Four Keys to Developing Effective Marketing Systems

2005-12-06T18:00:00.000-06:00

This month we start the topic of developing your interactive marketing system. It is a broad topic that could fill a book. We will start by describing the components of effective marketing systems. Builders are dealing with tremendous increases in lead volume. Strong markets, more effective portals, better websites, more opportunities to ask for permission, and savvy marketing have all

Guidelines for Using the Internet to Improve Pre-sales

2005-12-06T17:47:00.000-06:00

In the past 5 months we have discussed: · Changing the Marketing "Coming Soon" Communities, · Leveraging Virtual Reality in Marketing "Coming Soon" Communities, · Leveraging Video in Marketing "Coming Soon" Communities, · Building Your "Coming Soon" Interest Lists, and · Making Your "Coming Soon" Interest Lists Work. This is the final

Changing the Marketing Coming Soon Communities

2005-12-06T17:43:00.000-06:00

This month, we begin a 6 part series of articles. In these articles we will explore how marketing coming soon communities is changing. The series focuses on leveraging alternative media, new technology, and research tools to improve your marketing and sales performance. For many builders marketing new homes is a product-driven exercise. They buy land, build product to model, promote

Usability Testing Homebuilder Websites

2005-12-06T10:37:00.000-06:00

Most people involved in website development work are familiar with the benefits of usability or user-centered design. Those primary benefits being: Reducing development cost Reducing and cycle time Reducing training expense Reducing maintenance expense Improving customer satisfaction Improving website traffic While there are numerous studies to substantiate these benefits,

Benchmarking and Sharing Best Practices to Improve Performance

2005-12-06T10:09:00.000-06:00

Benchmarking and sharing best practices is one of the most under-utilized tools in the builder arsenal. Many builders are highly decentralized and are not adept at sharing best practices even internally. Others builders shy away from benchmarking, fearing that they will give away "trade secrets." Getting Out of Your Box One area where sharing best practices and benchmarking may yield the

Managing "Coming Soon" Interest Lists Online

2005-12-06T09:55:00.000-06:00

Opening new neighborhoods is not new for production builders. You buy your land and put up your sign. Interested parties will call your office. They may even call the developer to find out who's building on a highly desirable piece of land. When prospects call, the ball gets rolling. You let them know that they are on your "priority list" and tell them that you will keep them informed. Two

9 Ways to Drive Internet Leads and Sales Without Even Trying Hard

2005-12-06T09:51:00.000-06:00

Put a person and a process in place to follow up on all leads in a timely manner. Let's start at the end of your sales funnel. You have a smart distribution strategy. You have lots of website visitor traffic. You receive a great number of leads. Yet, if no sales come out of the other end, what's the point? More about online sales counselors.

Drive Leads with Permission Marketing

2005-12-06T09:45:00.000-06:00

Permission marketing is simply exchanging value with a prospect as a way ofgaining the right to market to them. The term was popularized in the highlyrecommended book of the same name (i.e., Permission Marketing) by Seth Godinof Yahoo! fame. Once you have this permission, e-mail marketing is usuallyyour tool for expanding the dialog. Godin argues that most of us market our wares unselectively,

FloorPop

2005-07-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the FloorPop blog. As a consultant and writer, I come across a number of great ideas and some that just might be a flash in the pan. Here is your chance to share what you think with me and the rest of the FloorPop reader community. Please join me.