FloorPop  - Interactive Marketing Best Practices, December 1, 2004

Vol. 4, Issue 9: Copyright (C) 2004 Blair Kuhnen.  All rights reserved.

Do a colleague a favor and forward them this newsletter. Subscribe to this newsletter

Builder Internet Marketing Getting Savvy

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 that drives qualified leads and physical traffic. Second, they execute well on a number of proven best practices when redeveloping their Web site. Finally, they put people, processes, and tools in place to follow up with leads, prospects, and buyers.

Building a Marketing System

Your Web site is part of a larger marketing system that may include radio, TV, direct mail, print advertising, outdoor advertising, public relations, and promotional events. It's time to treat interactive efforts as part of your marketing system. The payoff can mean higher sales velocity, lower marketing costs, and momentum that can take your communities through multiple phase releases.

• Integrate Upstream - Your Web site should be integrated with your external marketing. This means, your Web site should feed third parties you may use for advertising (e.g., http://www.homebuilder.com, http://www.newhomesource.com, http://www.americanhomeguides.com). Your off-line media should encourage Web site visits.
• Reinforce off-line advertising - You may be running promotions or advertising, reinforce these on your Web site and your leads and traffic will improve.
• Integrate downstream - Now that your leads are coming in, you need to deal with them. Leads should automatically feed into your system for follow-up.

Design Your Web Site for Results

When redesigning or redeveloping your Web site, following a number of proven best practices can produce industry leading results. D.R. Horton in South Florida recently went through the process of upgrading their Web site. More than a face-lift, it was a well planned and executed combination of form and function.

"Our new site Web site is fast, easy to navigate, has clear calls to action, and provides browsers with more interaction through customizable e-brochures. It creates a more enjoyable and informative experience for our customers." said Candy Sharpsteen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Here are a few proven methods to improve your Web site performance:

• Make your pages light. More than 1/3 of Web site users still access the Internet through dial-up accounts. If your average page download is more than 75K, don't expect these users to stick around.
• Make the site easy to use and test it before you build it to make sure users can accomplish their goals. Try this: Ask an assistant to complete a scenario. For example, "You are relocating to [Your market]. Find a neighborhood/home you like, get directions, find the schools, and ask for a brochure." Now watch and learn.
• Make it easy for users to ask a question and start a dialogue. Encourage it.
• Integrate your advertising and promotions on-line to drive physical traffic and leads.
• Add coming soon community subscriptions to facilitate successful launches and phase releases.
• Allow users to interact and customize their experience (e.g., e-brochures, my favorites) on your Web site.

Does it work? "While we are in a very favorable market, we have seen our traditional lead volume improve more than 400% and our coming soon subscriptions by even more." said Sharpsteen.

Following Up

The keys to converting all those leads into physical traffic and sales is a combination of people, processes, and tools that support a smooth transition from browser to buyer.

• Make someone responsible for handling leads
• Come up with a standardized method for handling all leads and make sure your on-site sales consultants understand it.
• Put tools in place to support your methodology that may include email campaign management, lead/prospect tracking, and reporting.

T o learn more about what savvy builders are doing to get extraordinary results, please plan on attending IBS and "Profit From Your Web Site Investment," on January 14th, 2005 at 9:00 a.m. which promises to teach you the secrets of getting industry leading results from your Web site.

Recent Popular Internet Marketing Articles for Builders