How a Local Real Estate Home Builder and Developer Uses both; Branding & Real Estate Marketing Strategies to Keep the “Big Boys” at Bay
One of the hardest things for any upstart residential real estate homebuilder to do is to secure its territory – and build business – when industry giants move in. But with the right real estate advertising and marketing strategies – based on a strong branding and the on-point messaging – it can be much more of “onward, charge” than “circle the wagons.”
That was pretty much the attitude of MasterCraft Builder Group when they saw big name builders like Lennar, David Weekly and Richmond Homes move in on their turf. They realized they needed to dig deeper to find out what would get potential homebuyers to sit up, take notice and sign on the dotted line. So they reached out to us, Simply180, an innovative real estate branding and marketing firm to lead the charge. But less about us (for now) and more about MasterCraft Builder Group…
A FOUNDATION OF QUALITY SUPPORTS THE BRAND
MasterCraft Builder Group is a semi-custom residential homebuilder and real estate developer with a growing reputation for quality in northeast Florida. They had already begun fulfilling its brand promise to homeowners and realtors through consistent use of quality construction materials and methods. Problem was, communicating the idea of going beyond quality to a new standard was not being fully leveraged. With “the big boys” looming on the horizon it was time to roll out some new real estate marketing strategies and tactics.
One of our first marketing challenges was finding a way to uniquely brand MasterCraft quality. Quality can be a nebulous, me-too concept that means nothing to consumers. But as our due diligence revealed, home quality and builder reputation was a priority for our local audience. The big idea was to associate MasterCraft with quality by really grounding it in a “Higher Standards” integrated marketing campaign. The big thing was being able to quantify quality by showing how MasterCraft Builder Group construction and communities maintained Higher Standards at every stage of the building process.
BUILDING THE BRAND. BRANDING THE BUILD.
Download this frank and heartfelt discussion of what it takes to make your real estate development company, new home community or commercial property stand out among the competition.
INTEGRATED MARKETING TACTICS: NEW MEDIA. TRADITIONAL OUTREACH. DOCUMENTED SUCCESS.
Our real estate marketing tactics included prominence of Higher Standards on the MasterCraft Builder Group website which leveraged a logo-related, visual component as a quality marker. Specifically, the red diamond, already embedded in the MasterCraft Builder Group’s logo became the symbol of its four pillars of quality. It’s presence across all media continued to “brand the build.” Additionally, MasterCraft enjoyed exposure from an integrated, highly targeted advertising campaign across Facebook, Google, email campaigns and other social media platforms. Understanding that traditional media is still an important aspect of real estate marketing tactics, we used targeted direct mail, outdoor signage, reached out to local realtors, and identified and advertised in local lifestyle magazines. It was the ability to think globally and act locally that advanced MasterCraft Builder Group’s marketing charge with some pretty impressive results:
- 30% increase in new home sales (year-over-year)
- 171% increase in unique website visits per month
- 196% lift in Facebook fans
- 131% rise in Twitter followers
DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME: THE BENEFITS OF A PROFESSIONAL, INTEGRATED REAL ESTATE MARKETING CAMPAIGN
As is often the case, it takes an “outsider’s” view of a company’s brand to refocus its marketing and advertising strategies. The brand is the cornerstone of any real estate development or homebuilding firm. Developing a brand strategy, brand values and a consistent brand voice is the foundation you can build on. It’s not something for the inexperienced or uncommitted. It’s pretty heady stuff!
Simply180 is a full-service real estate marketing firm that helps real estate developers and companies elevate and embolden their brands, launch new projects and propel revenue growth. We work with established and growing companies like MasterCraft Builder Group who are looking to rebrand, check their direction and make sure they’re on the right track. (Sometimes resulting in a complete 180!) We also counsel marketing professionals and principals of real estate development companies, guiding them through branding and marketing. In every instance, we recognize that your clients (homebuyers) are more than data points…they’re real people.
If you are developing a new property or have one that is falling short of expectations, contact us to build some marketing momentum.
