Mat-Su Home Builders Association, Inc.
Wasilla, Alaska
Non-profit
100-120 Members
Professional/Trade Association

Challenge/problem:

• Getting the most for a limited advertising dollar
• Non-measurable traditional advertising mediums
• Increasing exposure for builder due to weather or other event competition
• Distance too great for buyers/judges to travel in a timely manner

An example of a mobile website

• Newspaper – increasing costs, lower circulation, ad space competition, poor photo reproduction, short shelf life, not a targeted market, online versions of newspapers, do not carry inserts or the same ads & print cannot have changes made on the fly
• Radio – listeners are spread over many stations, to be effective, many stations would have to be covered at the same time.  Ads cannot be replayed to review information, ads interrupt the entertainment, radio is usually background noise so multiple ads and hard work to get attention is required.
• TV – message is temporary, best ad times are expensive and sold far in advance, most ads are 30 seconds limiting the message, high cost for creating ad, production of ad and airtime costs.
• Direct Mail – Labelled as “junk mail” and thrown out automatically.  Costs of direct mailing lists are high. Long lead times for creation and mailing.  Schedule of printer supersedes the need for speed on last minute projects as information is received slowly from builders.
• Old school advertising is providing dwindling results

Results Achieved: 

• Lower print costs leaving more money in your budget while still reaching the target market with the builder’s house information
• Leads for the builder  after parade/show is over, increasing builder participation
• Virtual tours available for a walk through/Open House 24 hours a day for 1 year
• Links to builder’s web sites providing valuable search engine optimization for their web marketing

Solution/How results were achieved:

• New optimized website for association: http://matsuhomebuilders.org/
• Custom Facebook page including house information, house images, builder’s biography, and a calendar for post parade open houses: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mat-Su-Parade-of-Homes/227232620658076
• Virtual tours of houses and builder info website: http://www.virtualparade.net
• QR codes provided for each house linked to mobile websites for each house posted at homes
• Mobile websites created for each builder including bio, house specifications, images, etc.

Tour will run automatically or you may use the drop-down navigation menu.

See this tour on the Virtual Parade of Homes

Latest Information on how Home Buyers Search for a New Home

• Internet: 88%
• Real estate agent: 87%
• Yard sign: 55%
• Open house: 45%
• Newspaper ad: 30%
• Home book or magazine: 19%

Source: 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers