Model Homes that Sell
Model Home ideas that help sell homes
Rainy Days and Mondays
Aug 24th
We have finally been getting some much needed rain which always tempts me to curl up and read a good book.
Anny Ortiz, an on-site agent for KB Homes uses her time much more wisely. A few weeks ago I got this letter from her:
Suzane, this is a short note to tell you how thankful I am from all the learning received during the Lifestyle merchandising, advertising and promotion strategies seminar. I keep applying consistently in my daily work while providing customer services and maintaining our model home attractive to homebuyers interested in affordable homes near Downtown Dallas. Suzane, please take the time to stop by to see me and to visit my new community, best regards, Anny
She then followed up on our rainy Monday by phone, letting me know how she was using the knowledge she gained from the Institute of Residential Marketing class that I instructed and she attended, and invited me to come and visit her new community. This is a woman who obviously has taken ownership of the community she is now representing and will do an outstanding job.
Being successful in every thing you do isn’t only about having the knowledge – you have to use it. If you have a beautifully furnished model home and don’t walk through with a potential client and explain all of the exceptional features that the home has you are wasting your time, the clients time and the builders investment.
The next time you have a rainy day think about Anny and make it a profitable day!
Planning your Spaces
Jul 21st
You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and when a customer enters your model how it feels can make the difference between a “we are still looking” to a “This is us! I can see us living here!”.
Two things that can make all of the difference are color and space planning. If there is too much or not enough furniture, or if it isn’t placed in the right area of the room furniture can make a big room feel small, or a small room feel spacious. The room that is shown had special circumstances – the marketing “hook” of the home was that it was to be fully merchandised using thrift shop merchandise that had been donated, so this sofa was the best choice, we just had to play with it a little bit to have it enhance the architecture and size of the room. When people walked into the home we wanted to draw them in and be able to focus on the open plan and the beautiful two way fireplace. Using the sectional in it’s original form added 15 inches to each side making the sofa not only monopolize the room, but also have you walking into the back of it when you walked in cutting off your view of the fireplace. Since both sofa pieces had only one arm we couldn’t use them facing each other, and even if we used an end table as the turning point for the sectional you were still walking into the back of a sofa.
The solution we came up with was taking the two sofa pieces and made one long sofa. It opened up the room, made it possible to highlight the fireplace and the flat screen television, and made it possible to look into the rest of the home.
If something isn’t working, move it or lose it. The profit you will lose having a model open that doesn’t help you sell homes will always be more costly than finding the right solution.
Practice What you Preach
Jul 4th
Opening Night - Homearama
I’ve been quiet lately because thanks to David Riedman and the very talented team making up @Home Builders I had the opportunity to show how all of the things that we teach in the IRM classes can make a difference in the success of a community or project. The Home Idea Factory has always been based around the belief that it’s Your Life. Your Style. A home should be designed around what the clients wants and needs are, not just based on trends and fads. This home was the most moderately priced home that was in the show, and with over 20,000 people anticipated to be touring the home we wanted to do something that would appeal to and inspire the masses. How do you stand out in a show with seven other builders having larger budgets, square footage and price tags on the homes? Design something newsworthy. The Rochester Home Builders Association and @Home Builders invited The Ronald McDonald House Charities to be a part of the show by having the interior of the @Home house merchandised using only donated furniture, artwork and accessories that had been donated to the Ronald McDonald ABC Sale. David Riedman of @Home knows this Lifestylist loves a challenge, so he gave me a call and I couldn’t wait to get started.
It worked! The home had lines out to the street of people anxious to experience the home. People were amazed that everything in the home was gently used, and loved the fact that all was available for sale and that the proceeds would all go to the Ronald McDonald House. The media also love the concept and we had features twice in the newspaper and on four television stations. And the builder was thrilled because he was able to track visits at his other communities that came from the editorial on the home.
We packed a lot of activities into the two weeks that the home was open. To see more photos of the home please visit the site we did just for the home, and I’ll feature more of the ideas that we used in the home here in the future.
Teamwork
Jun 7th
When I teach the Institute of Residential Marketing classes, one of the things that I am constantly stressing is how important teamwork is. To have a successful project everyone needs to be brought together as early as possible. This way everyone can be on the same page, and a team member that you typically don’t include might have some insight or suggestions that can change the path you are going on in a more successful and profitable way.
You would be amazed how rarely my clients take advantage of this service, but one of the exceptions is Patriot Homes. I had a meeting yesterday with their Texas division and we discussed changes for 2009, including what were realistic expectations of the cost of these changes that could be considered in budget meetings. By planning ahead we all not only understand the direction we want to move in but we also will know what we can afford.
The meeting included the sales team which were extremely helpful in letting me know what worked and what didn’t in the past and what we are missing that clients are asking for. Feedback like this can make all the difference in the success of future projects.
Re-Defining Country Curtains
Jun 7th
Sometimes it really pays off to keep an open mind. I had the manager of the Rochester Country Curtains call me about the Ronald McDonald Homearama House I’m doing with @Home Builders and express an interest in being included in the home. The name scared me because the home is anything but country, but I told them to send me a catalog and I’d take a look.
What a pleasant surprise! The colors were right on trend, the styling was beautiful and the prices were great. They have been an absolute delight to deal with as well, and I’m looking forward to seeing everything installed.
Customer Appreciation
May 27th
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the airline industry is in worse shape than home building, and with the steps that American Airlines is taking the press could forget all about any customer service issues we have ever had.
American announced today that they were increasing the price of their drinks and sandwiches by $1.00, this on the heels of deciding to charge a fee for every bag that you check (and I read tonight that they made this decision before conferring with TSA).As someone who travels frequently I am dreading my next flight – summers are bad enough traveling with people who don’t fly very often and don’t know “the rules” or etiquette that goes with the experience, but now with American charging for checking bags I just know I might as well take a sleeping bag with me (as long as it would fit in the two carry-ons I’m allowed) because getting through security is going to be a nightmare. So you have to pay to check your luggage but you can’t carry on many of the essentials you need on a trip (contact solution) – I’m beginning to feel very taken advantage of.
And then you finally get on the plane, somehow you got switched to a middle seat, and you make the mistake of asking a flight attendant who hates life and her job to try and help you out. Let me just say on my last trip from Vegas to Dallas on American -where they changed the departure time from 12:30am to 6am- we finally got on the flight and the window of the plane in the row in front of me literally fell into the lap of the woman sitting there. We all started pressing those attendant call buttons and the flight attendant looked annoyed that we bothered her with such frivolities. They had maintenance come on, he pushed it back into the hole and put duct tape on both sides and we took off. I swear the woman called her lawyer before we took off and sent him photos of the window in case anything happened.
What the heck does this have to do with model homes and home building? More than you would think. Let’s recap people’s opinions of the airline industry right now and how that applies to us:
Flight attendants – on the major airlines (except for Southwest) they seem to hate their jobs and want to be anywhere but on the flight they are on. Keep in mind, these are people that we are truly entrusting our lives to if there was ever a problem, and that scares me.
Sales Agents – in a way the sales agent also has the buyers life and happiness in their hands. The buyer is entrusting that agent to help them buy the home that will be perfect for them and provide a safe haven for their family. If they act like they can’t be bothered when a potential home owner walks through the door, why would that buyer think they should trust the agent or the builder?
The airline – right now I want to go to work for an airline and ask them what the heck they are thinking. Some of it is so basic, and I don’t understand why if it is so obvious to me why it escapes them. On paper it looks like they are doing everything possible to alienate the customer. American is truly nickel and dime-ing us to death and in the process is losing the trust of their customer. I made a reservation a month ago to visit my grandbabies in Orlando. They got my money up front – I thought we had an agreement on what the terms were. Since then they have decided to charge me for not only one bag but for two, food, drinks… $2.00 per bag plus tip to check at the curb… so what does/did my ticket price cover? I thought we had a contract.
The Builder: Does the customer feel like your word is as good as the paper they signed/ agreed to? Do they think that is what the home will cost or is the “greedy builder” going to try and add on every cost that they can? Does the builder really appreciate my business or am I just another contract to them? Is everything I saw in the model home that I fell in love with going to be an additional cost that I can’t afford and make me end up with a house that isn’t what I had dreamed about? Will I have to settle?
Airline Security: I can’t think of many things that I like less, but appreciate more in the big picture. I want to be assured that my safety is the first priority and to be honest that my business is appreciated. Call me crazy, but I long for the days when the airlines courted my business instead of feeling like I had no other options.
The Construction Process: Do the new homeowners feel like they are an important part of the process or a thorn in the construction managers side? Do the homeowners feel like they are a thorn in the construction teams side or a client to be appreciated, listened to and nurtured?
Walk a mile in your customers shoes. If you make the buying process a pleasant experience where the customer feels appreciated, your model homes are in great shape (and no windows are kept in place with duct tape) and that the price they are quoted is the price – you will have a customer and a great referral for life.
The Word is Out!
May 24th
I got an email this morning about an article that appeared in a Rochester, NY paper about this Lifestylist® and the model home we are doing with @Home Builders. It’s hard to believe that in less than two weeks I’ll be heading that way to get the home completed!
It’s been quite the challenge working with all recycled furniture – you just don’t know what donations you’ll end up with. I’m hoping that the article will help encourage more people to clean out their attics and donate some goodies.
This home is turning out to be a perfect example of how partnership marketing can add marketing opportunities and increase traffic to your homes. We are adding ways to capture information for the builders databases by having materials at the home that will talk about the design applications we’ve used in the home. We’ll also have photos of the different rooms that will be up on the builders website and consumers will have the opportunity to bid on and own all of the items in each room.
Group Two Advertising and Rich Elkman have done an outstanding job of coordinating all of this with the builder. Their extensive knowledge of the home building and advertising industries have really made this home unique. I’m looking forward to sharing more about the entire campaign when it’s complete.
Lifestylist® Design
May 23rd
Lifestylist® Design is the part of my firm that works with companies to design products for the home. We can manage the process from concept to conception and can help those companies have a better understanding of what their customers are looking for.
One of the programs Lifestylist® Design worked on was a partnership between The Home Depot and Patriot Homes. Lifestylist Design helped Home Depot understand what was unique about the construction of a manufactured home, and what products were lacking in the marketplace. A lighting, bath and hardware line were introduced to the market and were extremely well received.
We also worked with Smith Furniture and designed a line of upholstered items that are ideal for smaller spaces. It seems now like we were ahead of the times – with the square footage of homes starting to scale back and a renewed interest in condos and multi-family this was a group full of potential.
Lifestylist®
May 22nd
Lifestylist® – Creating home and office interiors that reflect the customers lifestyle and tastes
I realized about twenty years ago when I was the owner of a small building company that the career I wanted and what customers were asking for was taking a different path than any of the traditional employment opportunities out there. As a small business owner I was having to do a lot of different things because we just couldn’t afford to hire anyone else to do it. This was also at a time of the highest interest rates this country had ever seen and we were building a townhome community in an area that had not really embraced that form of housing yet. What I wouldn’t give to have that same tract of land and opportunity now!
By working on-site and speaking with potential home buyers every day, I got to learn directly from them what they were looking for. What they liked that the competition had, what they couldn’t find anywhere else and what they were willing to pay for and what they weren’t interested in at any cost. I was directly involved in the advertising, promotion, purchasing, sales, marketing and finally the model homes. The “styling” of the homes was my favorite part of the process and by necessity my first models were designed with family antiques and garage sale find which ended up tying in perfectly with the empty nester and first time buyer that bought these homes. Life + Style = Lifestylist so I began the trademarking process and here we are today.
How a Lifestylist® differs from a traditional model home merchandiser is that we are more involved in the entire process to make sure that the entire buyer experience fits that buyers lifestyle perfectly. I’ve done everything from helping to come up with a Purple Cow campaign to designing a catering menu for an event. We also aren’t afraid to take risks and try new things to get our customers the results they are looking for. In these challenging times it’s going to become even more important to stand out from the rest of the competition and have your customer be comfortable with the fact that you understand their needs and lifetsyles and will personalize their new home to fit their needs, wants, dreams and desires.
The Home Idea Factory
May 21st
The Home Idea Factory – a Lifestyle Resource Center for the Home
This is my parent company – the brand that “houses” my niche products and services. Over the years I have been very fortunate to meet and work with some very talented companies and individuals. I consider referrals the core strength of my company and always try to help a client find the right fit for what they are looking for, even if it is not myself. Probably 20 to 30% of my day is spent doing research, and I hope to continue to build the reputation of the Home Idea Factory on the foundation that we will always try and help a consumer or company get the answers they are looking for.
The Home Idea Factory is also housed in an old factory that I have been restoring now for 7 years. It was built in 1942 by a gentleman that owned a printing company and published an aviation magazine called “On the Beam”. It has only had three owners and I was fortunate enough to have the previous owner leave the original plans, building permit and photos of the building being built. It’s as quirky and unique as my company is so it’s teh perfcet place for us to call home.