The majority of modular home factory management still view
marketing and sales as one in the same.
I doubt that this will change soon.
There are some factories that use marketing properly and understand that
sales is a unique and separate entity and are actually increasing their
presence on social media sites; updating their websites and seeing the positive
results of an interactive blog presence.
For those factory people that want to get started on a
marketing program but just aren’t sure where or how to begin, let me give you
some tips:
- Don’t run out and hire a PR firm. This alone will probably sink the little
budget you set aside for marketing. Try
using your own people and supplement that with a part time consultant. - Start with your website.
Plan a promotion or an Open House and put up a banner with a link to the
featured event. - Use email marketing to increase your TOMA (Top of Mind
Awareness.) Constant Contact is the one
we use here at Modular Home Builder. - Publish articles about your factory, your builders and any
special project that you have completed.
ModCoach is always looking for news and pictures about things related to
the system built industry. - You might try running a contest. I recently visited a website that offered a
treasure hunt within their website and the first 10 people that found the items
won a $50 gift card to Red Lobster. I
tried it but could only find 8 of them but I did visit every page on their
site! - Start a blog featuring things about your factory, your
builders and the factory people that build the homes. If you need help in creating and maintaining a
blog, just drop me a line. - Use email autoresponders and handle your email efficiently
and effectively. - Contact your local newspaper and television station, tell
what you do and ask if they could have someone report on your next home set as
a human interest story. - Hold an Open House during the work week. Builders aren’t the only ones that want to
see action in the factory, your builder’s customers do too. - Look at your literature and floorplans. If they haven’t been updated in the last 3
years, throw them out and bring out new ones and make sure they can be easily
downloaded as PDF files for your prospective new home buyers. - If you are brave enough to list your authorized builders
(some factories are afraid that giving these names is like an invitation for a
competitor to pillage), provide links to the builder’s website.
By following the above tips you’ll be on your way to
creating a marketing program that is both effective and inexpensive.
