You know how to build homes, but attracting the right buyers, generating leads and converting prospects into homeowners requires a well-thought-out marketing strategy. Without a comprehensive marketing plan, even the best-built homes can sit on the market longer than they should.
With over 35 years of experience in the home building industry, here are the 10 key components we recommend every home builder includes in their marketing mix.
1. Marketing Guidance and Peer Network
Marketing is constantly evolving and having the right guidance to navigate through these changes as well as a peer network of home builders you can turn to can save you from costly mistakes.
Epcon Franchise Builders gain access to a network of experienced peers and marketing professionals who share best practices, insights and strategies that have worked in real communities across the country.
2. Comprehensive Marketing Playbook
After you’ve gathered advice from your network, begin laying out a clear, strategic plan. This plan should include understanding your target audience, setting a budget, establishing an efficient media plan, executing your product launch and measuring your performance.
This is a daunting task which is why we provide our Franchise Builders with a Strategic Marketing Blueprint. This step-by-step guide outlines marketing activities, timelines and best practices to ensure we reach the right buyers at the right time.
3. Marketing and Sales Budget Calculators
Your marketing strategy begins by establishing an appropriate marketing and sales budget. You’ll need to ensure that you allocate resources to paid media and inbound marketing as well as other purchases like events, signage and collateral. A marketing and sales budget calculator is a great place to start to ensure every dollar spent delivers a return.
4. Website and Digital Presence
Your website is often the first impression a home buyer has of your business and is an important source for leads. Traditional media like newspapers and television are no longer going to cut it when 97% of home buyers use the internet for their home search. Having a strong digital presence along with a professional, high-converting website is crucial for your marketing efforts.
Epcon builds web pages for our Franchise Builders’ communities that are optimized for search engines and contain compelling calls to action. These optimization tools help potential home buyers find your website and stay on it for longer.
5. Photography and Videography
Professional photography and videography can make or break a buyer’s first impression. You want your imagery to help buyers imagine what their life could look like in your home or community. Stock photography can be a starting point, but it’s worthwhile to contract an experienced photographer to capture what differentiates your product. These assets can then be used across your website, social media, print materials and more.
Epcon provides our builders access to high-quality images, video tours and drone footage that showcase our homes and communities in the best possible light to help buyers envision their future before they ever set foot on a property.
6. Signage and Branding Guides
Traditional marketing isn’t dead — eye-catching signage helps direct traffic to your community and establishes a professional, cohesive brand. Signage isn’t as simple as printing a message on a 8.5×11 inch sheet of paper. Ensure your signage is the right size for the location, easy to read and attention-grabbing for better results and walk-in traffic.
Epcon offers our Franchise Builders custom signage templates and branding guidelines that ensure consistency across all marketing materials while maximizing visibility and impact.
7. Print Collateral and Marketing Materials
From brochures and flyers to postcards and direct mailers, high-quality print materials give buyers something tangible to take home. It feels special to receive a personal postcard in today’s digital-heavy world. Epcon provides professionally designed marketing templates and sales collateral, making it easy to create materials that inform, engage and drive action.
8. Technology and Virtual Experiences
Today’s buyers expect immersive experiences that help them explore a home before visiting in person. Around 47% of home buyers have made an offer on a house without physically seeing it in person. Epcon offers technology like VR tours, interactive floor plans, 3D renderings and chatbots to showcase our homes in a dynamic, engaging way.
9. Social Media and Content Marketing
Home buyers of all ages spend a significant amount of time on social media. Establishing a strong social media presence and offering valuable content can be the deciding factor for some home buyers. Publishing blogs that focus on buyer’s pain points and speak directly to them makes them feel connected to your home building business.
10. Lead Generation Campaigns
Attracting high-intent buyers requires targeted marketing efforts. A well-thought-out marketing campaign with multiple touch points and compelling messaging is the best way to keep a home buyer interested and lead to a sale.
Epcon helps Franchise Builders execute digital advertising campaigns, email marketing strategies and lead nurturing programs that generate qualified leads and keep your sales pipeline full.
Ready to Build Your Marketing Program?
Marketing a new community takes time and expertise but you don’t have to do it alone. When you join the Epcon Franchising network, you gain access to a marketing system designed to help you generate leads and grow your home building business.
Want to learn more? Let’s talk about how Epcon Franchising can help you build smarter, market better and sell more homes.