BuilderBooks Kicks Off Free Book Friday with Social Media For Home Builders
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BuilderBooks will kick off Free Book Friday this Friday by giving away copies of Carol Flammer’s book, “Social Media for Home Builders: It’s Easier Than You Think.” The BuilderBooks program will offer multiple free book giveaways. To participate, make sure you are following BuilderBooks on Twitter. Beginning this Friday, September 10 at 2:00 p.m. (eastern time) the first giveaway book title will be announced and simple instructions for claiming the books will be provided.
Today more than ever, builders and remodelers must equip themselves with the necessary resources to enable their businesses not only to survive, but to thrive. BuilderBooks develops products and publications that help builders and remodelers expand their businesses by
* streamlining daily operations
* building and selling more homes
* serving existing customers and cultivating new ones
* safeguarding the jobsite
The Free Book Friday program will be kicked off with the timely and relevant, best-seller Social Media for Home Builders: It’s Easier Than You Think. Other best-selling resources such as Accounting and Financial Management, Fifth Edition and Estimating with Microsoft® Excel are also among the titles that will be given away every Friday.
Dates: Fridays: September 10 thru November 12, 2010
Time: 2:00 pm every Friday
Where: www.twitter.com/builderbooks
Social Media at the Southern Building Show
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mRELEVANCE founders and managing partners, Carol Flammer and Mitch Levinson MIRMs will present “Social Media for Home Builders: Engage in the Online Conversation” at the Southern Building Show on Friday, May 14 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. This year the show takes place at the Georgia World Congress Center – May 13 – 15.
If you are home builder or developer who is still wondering how social media can benefit your business, this is the seminar for you. Learn how home builders, developers and others in the real estate industry use social media for a competitive advantage. From social media to social networking, blogging and social bookmarking, see case studies of how builders are benefiting from Active Rain, FaceBook, Twitter, Blogging and more. Learn how to track and measure a successful social media program and learn how to set one up from the ground up.
If you can’t make the Southern Building Show, call us to schedule a consultation. We’d love to help you build your online program. 770-383-3360 or email carol (at) mrelevance.com.
Rock the House for Foreclosure Prevention
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mRELEVANCE’s managing partner Mitch Levinson emceed the Rock the House Blues Bash in Springfield, Ill. earlier this week to raise money for the American Foreclosure and Mortgage Relief Foundation (AFaMR).
Roberta Hahn created the AFaMR after realizing how many families were facing foreclosure. Through Rock the House AFaMR produces concerts and uses the proceeds to host seminars to educate American homeowners on how to get out of foreclosure or how to avoid it in the first place.
Wednesday’s concert, featuring local musicians as well as nationally renowned Blues artists Tommy Castro and Shannon Curfman, was the first of many scheduled AFaMR concerts. AFaMR CEO Roberta Hahn exclaims, “We were sold out. We packed in about 650 people, and for a really small venue, that’s amazing. It was more than we expected.” She continues, “And, I just had someone tell me that it was the best concert they had ever been to in Springfield.”
Hahn said the National Association of Realtors donated $100,000 to help put on the show. As a result of the concert’s success, two sessions of the first Foreclosure Prevention Workshop are scheduled for Saturday in Springfield.
“I am so thankful for all of our sponsors and for the support of a nationwide community to make a difference,” Hahn said. “Our motto is, ‘We are America. Together we can!’ That ‘together’ thing is key, because without everybody who participated, we wouldn’t have had such a great success.”
Hahn wants to take her show on the road and is planning a six-stop national tour in this first year beginning late summer or early fall. The events will take place in venues that seat 4,000 to 8,000, and one of the stops will be in Los Angeles, where Hahn is hoping to book Jason Mraz.
The first stop on the AFaMR concert tour: Chicago. Hahn said the Windy City Blues Society is interested in assisting with the event, which will feature Castro and Curfman, quite possibly Gov’t Mule and mRELEVANCE’s own, Mitch Levinson.
We are America, together we can.
Women on the Web
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The 2010 BlogHer-iVillage Social Media Matters Study has just been released. It demonstrates that not only are women comfortable with the Internet, but we have moved much of our day-to-day socializing and networking online. The study shows that 73% of women online are now active social media users, engaging weekly or more often with top social media platforms. This is certainly true for me and for my female friends!
We offered a seminar at IBS earlier this year called “Sell More Homes to Women Through the Social Media Grapevine.” The class makes the connection between women’s influence on consumer purchases overall and the home buying process. When it comes to communicating with women, we are a little different! Presented by NAHB’s Professional Women in Building, we are thrilled to be offering the class as a Webinar this summer on June 10 at 2 p.m. As soon as I have a registration link, I’ll add it here and update all of you!
Back to the BlogHer iVillage study. The power of blogging becomes quite clear. Women rely heavily on blogs and message boards when seeking advice and recommendations (Blogs: 21% of the total U.S. online population versus 63% of the BlogHer Network; Message Boards/Forums: 38% of the total U.S. online population versys 92% of the iVillage community). Women lean heavily on blogs for information on products they are planning to purchas (Blogs: 22% of the total U.S. online population versus 59% of the BlogHer Network).
Visit BlogHer for the complete Executive Summary of the 2010 Social Media Matters Study (PDF).
NAHB Social Media Webinar April 15th
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Managing partner of mRELEVANCE, Mitch Levinson, will be leading a webinar on “Using Social Media to Create Buzz About Your Community” April 15th. The class is sponsored by NAHB Multifamily and aims to teach developers and communities how to leverage social media to drive interest in their properties.
An online presence is necessary for success in the age of technology, but what is the best way to use that presence to drive traffic and increase sales? Mitch will give you a rich foundation of knowledge on search engine optimization, because if nobody can find your blog, what’s the point?
The webinar is scheduled Thursday, April 15 from 2-3 p.m. EDT. Other presenters during the webinar include Michelle Betchner of Alliance Residential and Michael Manfred of AvalonBay Communities. The webinar is free for NAHB Multifamily members and worth 1 hour of NAHB credit. The webinar cost for all other NAHB members is $100 and $125 for non-NAHB members.
This is a webinar you won’t want to miss! Register to attend.
mRELEVANCE Invites YOU to New Homes Camp
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Mark your calendar for the South’s largest real estate focused technology conference. REtechSouth takes place March 25 and 26 at Gwinnett Center. Best of all, there is still time to buy your ticket, but don’t wait long the conference sold out last year. Carol has a discount code, so make sure to use it: REtechSouth Discount Tickets!
mRELEVANCE is proud to sponsor RetechSouth’s New Homes Camp on Thursday, March 25 from 9:30 a.m. – noon. Featuring Carol Flammer, Meredith Oliver, Mitch Levinson, Tice Burke and Paul Chaney, this special focus section focuses on how to use blogging, social media and other tech tools for a competitive advantage.
Whether you are a home builder, developer, marketing director, new homes sales agent, broker or are simply interested in learning more about the new homes industry, this is one adventure in new technology that you don’t want to miss. Don’t forget to bring your business card for raffle prizes to be given away throughout New Homes Camp.
Take Aways include:
• Positioning your blog as the engine of your social media program
• How to sell to the savvy dot com consumer
• Interacting with consumers through Trulia Q&A and your Trulia blog
• How to position your social media content to show up higher in the search engines
• How online conversations can lead to building long-term trusted client relationships
• The most commonly used social media tools for engaging customers
Here is the content schedule for New Homes Camp:
Forget the Bling: It’s Time to Blog
There’s more to social media than Facebook, Twitter, Posterous and Linkedin. While these sites are certainly “hot” today, don’t get distracted by the bling-bling of sites that you don’t own. Find out how to make your blog the engine of your social media program for an effective tried and true strategy that will take you from 0 to 60. Carol Flammer, author of Social Media for Home Builders: It’s Easier Than You Think shows you how your blog will power the social networks and make your entire program easier to manage and get results!
Selling to Dot Com; Follow Up Until they Buy, Die or Get a Restraining Order
It’s five o’clock…do you know where your Web site leads are? How well do you convert your eLeads into eSales? This seminar is for sales agents who want to: 1) Improve follow-up response time and frequency, 2) Set more appointments with eLeads and phone calls and 3) Convert more eLead appointments into eSales. Fast paced, fun and content rich, Meredith will give you six strategies to help you respond better, quicker and faster to your walk-in traffic and Internet leads. Stop sending massive eblasts that get little response and leaving boring voicemail messages! It’s time to put the fun back in follow-up! Learn how from Internet marketing expert, Meredith Oliver!
Beyond Listings: Interact with Consumers on Trulia
You’ve claimed your listings on Trulia, but have you looked beyond that? With 6 million users a month, how can you interact with them so that they know about your homes and communities? Tice Burke, Manager of Strategic Partnerships will show you how to meet buyers on Trulia. Learn how to engage your next buyer through Q&A and launch your Trulia blog – It’s Free!
The Intersection of Social and Search
Google is working to make search more social. What can you do to optimize your social sites to show up higher in both the search results and the social search widget? How do you know where you should be, how to optimize your status and how to know it is working? Mitch Levinson of mRELEVANCE will help you learn how social media sites can help you control what consumers find when they search for your company and communities.
The Digital Handshake: Proven Strategies to Grow Your Business Using Social Media
Even today’s most successful businesses are seeing shrinking returns on their advertising and marketing dollars. The Digital Handshake explains why advertising and marketing are losing their effectiveness and how to solve the problem using social media to corral elusive consumers. It explains the best practical business applications in current use and how you can use them to ramp up your business. Using case studies gleaned from real businesses, author Paul Chaney shows you how companies both large and small can tap social media to mitigate market changes and reap valuable business benefit in the real world.
Top 10 IBS 2010 Take Aways
Posted by: | CommentsThe International Builders Show is always a great adventure. I love the networking, the education and the exploration of walking the exhibition floor. This year was really special for me because it was like homecoming in many ways. It was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones. Unlike past years when budgets were bigger, many of my friends could not go to Vegas and that was sad. So this post is for all who went and those who couldn’t. My Top 10 IBS Take Aways:
- A sense of humor is an excellent tool to have in any economy. I absolutely loved the “Wonderful World” duet by Jim Suth and Jeff Shore. No doubt that these two had as much fun writing it and performing as we did laughing along.
- Leaders emerge and excel throughout change and hard times. Kudos to my friend Karen Dry who led the Professional Women in Building through 2009. Much like a butterfly coming out of its cocoon, she led the council through a name change while reinventing herself professionally. The team of women that lead this council are in a word “amazing.” I look forward to the leadership of Tammie Smoot, Kimmi Houston and all of the women in this organization.
- Styx Rocks! Their crystal ball may not be any better about forecasting the housing market in 2010 than it was in predicting anything in the 70s, but boy what a dynamic group. Their music has been with us for three decades and we treasure it — music that brings back memories.
- “All of the builders who are successful today are on social media sites.” While I absolutely believe this to be true, it was nice to hear fellow MIRM Dan Levitan state this during MIRM pro ed. My take away from this is social media has become mainstream and people get it OR they want to get it!
- Technology makes trade shows more interactive and more fun. Everyone tweeting at IBS, the smart phone IBS application, the Tweet Up and the overall increased interaction made for better communication during the show. Transcripts of tweets are still available, so check them out at http://wthashtag.com/Ibs2010 – make sure to sort by date if you pull the transcript!
- Red is the new Black. Melinda Brody, MIRM says the funeral is over, we aren’t wearing black anymore, we have a new attitude. In fact attitude was a recurring theme during the week with several sales trainers including Melinda and Myers Barnes emphasizing it.
- Your Web site is an active sales tool, not a passive brochure. Meredith Oliver, MIRM did a great job of demonstrating how to make your Web site sell, interact and capture leads. In fact, this was a HUGE theme at the show. Your Internet marketing needs to engage potential buyers immediately, be interconnected and encourage two-way communication. Meredith asks this question, “Does your Web site meet and greet?” She is absolutely right, your buyers meet you first online.
- When they come to your model they are a guest NOT a traffic unit. This from Kerry Mulcrone, MIRM. We need to think of people as people not numbers. This is so true! People buy homes on emotion and they buy from people they like.
- We like free stuff, especially food. The receptions, luncheons and giveaways on the show floor were a huge hit. I saw tweets about fresh salmon, cookies and ice cream (no, not at the same booth) and was even given an awesome ladybug balloon animal by Erik Cofield of BuildTopia (thanks Erik).
- Quality is more important than Quantity. This is as true of trade show attendees as it is of Twitter and Facebook fans and followers. A small group of the right followers is always more powerful than a large group of non-relevant people. Although attendance at IBS may not have been what it was at the height at the market, we are mighty.
As a bonus, here is 10+ from my friend John Palumbo, MIRM. He closed the Super Sales Rally with this statement, “2010 is the year we are going to take the home building industry back into the black.”
I keep remembering more and more people with great take aways from the show. I promised to stop at 10, so please add your top show take aways as comments. I’d love to know what you learned at IBS, who you met, what impressed you.
Marketing Your Apartment and Condo Communities with Social Media
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Social media is the buzzword these days, and is becoming a staple of effective marketing in the housing industry. It seems like everyone has a Facebook page, a LinkedIn, Twitter account or a favorite blog they read.
Social media, like signage to your apartment or condominium community, steers prospects to your web site and blog, and builds awareness and third party credibility while improving your online reputation. In this lively, interactive presentation, find out how to utilize these new tools and technologies to connect to potential renters and condo buyers and get them talking about your community. The end result is increased occupancy and sales.
Join me (Mitch Levinson), Jack Williams of Kairos Development, Michelle Betchner of Alliance Residential and Eric Brown of Urbane Apartments for this hour long Social Media Marketing Seminar at the International Builder Show in Las Vegas Wednesday, January 20 – 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. at The Apartment and Condo Meeting Place, North 254, Level II
2010 Super Sales Rally – “Walk This Way, Talk This Way”
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Inspired by rock legends like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Elvis, the 2010 Super “Salesapalooza” Rally will teach you how to maximize your success and staying power in new home sales. This high-energy presentation is packed with ideas to boost your sales NOW. By unleashing your inner ‘sales rock star’ we’ll help you ignite your personal selling power and blow past your goals. Don’t miss the marquee sales training event of the year. Get ready to rock your sales all year long!
The Sales Rally Speakers & Topics:
Myers Barnes – “New Home Sales Nirvana”
Melinda Brody – “Rock Your Sales”
Meredith Oliver – “Wanted Dead or Alive: Salespeople who CLICK”
John Palumbo – “Long Live Rock and Roll”
Jeff Shore – “Getting Your Customers to Dance”
Jim Suth – “You’re a Powerful Rock Star, but Sing the Love Ballad Instead”
This Rock n Roll Show takes place at the International Builder’s Show on Wednesday, Jan. 20 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Location: Exhibit Hall S-3
Learning Outcomes:
- “Take the money and run” by tapping into proven strategies to close every sale
- Get “More than a feeling” by staying focused and motivated no matter what the market does
- Benefit by “Taking care of business” in the areas of prospecting, networking and follow-up to generate leads
- Have something to “Shout” about by following a sales process and polishing your presentation skills
- Put the fact that “You’ve Got a Friend” to work by using relationship selling to build brand loyalty
- Last but not least, “Don’t Stop Believin’” in the power of your USP!
If you look closely during the Super Sales Rally, you might just find some of the mRELEVANCE team working as roadies for these superstars!
Using Facebook, Blogs and New Media to Market 50+ Communities
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One-third of adult Internet users have a profile on a social networking site, and baby boomers are one of the the fastest growing demographics embracing social media. Find out how an effective social media marketing program can help increase your leads, build advocates and increase brand awareness.
Fun facts:
- At present there are approximately 78.2 million baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) – www.census.gov
- Boomers comprise almost 28 percent of the US adult population – www.census.gov
- More than 60% of Baby Boomers actively consume social content such as blogs, videos, podcasts and forums. (Forrester Research)
- Only 10 percent of Americans age 65 and older participate in social networks, but that number is quickly growing. From “Tools of Engagement” on the www.ALFA.org site.
- In June, the media measurement firm comScore reported that Internet use was growing nearly twice as fast among people 65 and older than any other age group.
Learning Outcomes:
• Better understanding of available social media tools and how to utilize them for a competitive advantage
• How to target 50+ homebuyers through effective use of social media.
• Steps to launch an effective social media program and/or ways to improve an existing one.
Join Carol Flammer and Meredith Oliver for “Social Networking: Using Facebook, Blogs and New Media to Market 50+ Communities” at the International Builders Show on Thursday, January 21 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in North 256, level 2.
