Did you meet all of your marketing goals in 2017? Or were there areas where you saw room for improvement? Now is the time to analyze previous successes — and failures — to determine new marketing tactics for 2018. Here are a few important strategies to consider heading into the New Year:
1. Learn Your 2017 Marketing ROI
Marketing is no longer a simple guessing game. Now, marketers have the tools and technology to generate ROI from their campaigns. This means home builders need to consider how best to show the clear financial value their campaigns bring to the company. Implementing the latest analytics and tracking tools is a great way to start this process and bring actionable data to your team, while proving your case to invest more in marketing.
2. Revitalize Your Content Strategy
You have heard this time and time again: content is everything. You said you will get to it and now is the time. Quality content is crucial to dominating SEO rankings – and to maintaining buyer engagement.
3. Focus on Inbound Marketing
If the majority of your budget is geared towards billboards, print and radio, then you may want to take a new approach in 2018. Now, more than ever, leads are being generated by inbound efforts like written and sponsored content, search engine optimization, social media marketing, email marketing, and a plethora of search engine marketing strategies. The goal is to show up where home buyers are searching, and drive them to your website through rich content and strong calls to action.
4. Commit To Segmentation
A one-size fit all approach does not work in the world of modern day marketing. Effective home builder marketing means segmenting buyers into the right audiences for targeting as well as retaining data. This can range from targeting the right buyers in your ads, all the way through the funnel to implementing the right CRM systems. By placing prospects with the right messaging, they receive the communication and content they need to give them the highest probability of converting. If done properly, this will allow your team to optimize their return in the coming year.
5. Offer Consistent Brand Experiences Across All Channels
Your team should focus their time and energy on building a consistent brand experience during the home buyers journey. This will help your brand develop its connection with buyers and improve your lead to sale conversion rate. Delivering a consistent brand experience isn’t difficult. It starts with cohesive messaging and imagery from all ads and collateral, and ends with consistent customer service and delivery of their dream home.
Regardless of how 2017 treated you, don’t beat yourself up when it comes to your approach for 2018. Just remember that well constructed strategies attract new customers, boost sales, strengthen your brand value and increase your ROI. Next year, your marketing should focus your team’s efforts, and determine how you should spend your budget. Take it in stride, and look forward to the new opportunities available as they come to you in 2018.
By Andrew Bergren –
Senior Account Manager
