As a builder, your marketing dollars have probably shifted over the last several years. And it they haven’t…you should start shifting them online. Sure, there are still some practical offline marketing methods, but if you’re still paying for yellow page ads, that’s most likely money down the drain.
A big chunk of your marketing dollars should be allocated to improving the strength and authority of your website and online presence. Does your website generate a steady flow of leads for you? Are you tracking where those leads are coming from?
Home builder marketing has changed and its vital that you do the following:
- Blog regularly
- Optimize each page on your website
- Build links coming in to your site
- Create amazing content (blogs, video, webinars, free downloads)
- Participate in social media
- Give your website visitors a chance to convert (do you have any offers or even a simple conversion form?)
- Analyze where your leads are coming from (organic search, social media, pay-per-click)
Now, you may be thinking “Man, that’s a lot! I’ll just do a couple of these.” Don’t bother. Each of these steps are critical to your success on the web. Its kind of like building a house…is the plumbers job really more important than the electricians…or the contractor putting in the drywall? Not really. Each job is equally important to the finished product.
Your customer wouldn’t be happy with a custom home with no running water or working lights. You won’t be happy with the performance of your website if you aren’t blogging or participating in Facebook and Twitter.
Build your website the right way…build it with all the right components just like you’d build a house. And maintain your website just as you’d maintain that house. Continue to invest and you will reap the rewards down the road.
How much do you invest in your website on a monthly basis? Are you seeing a return on that investment?
