It is axiomatic that proven leaders are more listened to than 'losers,' and for good reasons. You can learn from anyone, we can learn from mistakes (our own or that of others), but performers often inspire others to greater performance. Which is perhaps why the high-flying Florida Manufactured Housing Association (FMHA) had rapidly rising Champion Homebuilders' Jack Lawless as a key morning speaker at their recent annual event in Orlando.
Jack Lawless has significant experience in the building products industry, and while he supplied firms in the past that produced manufactured homes, he is a relative newcomer to direct involvement in factory built housing. That said, FMHA attendees heard how Champion has roughly doubled their market share in HUD Code manufactured homes in the last 4-5 years! We were told how annual sales at Champion went from about $600 million to a roughly a billion annually.
With those kinds of results in MH, do you think Lawless had the room's attention? You bet. Jack's confident, engaging style as he walked among attendees certainly added to the experience.
When one person demonstrates they can double an already large operation in size so rapidly, it should remind us all that we can do similarly with the proper focus.
Let's cut to some of Jack's statements that ought to be in MH marketing and sales organizations minds, goals and play book.
> HUD code MH sales are rising, but Lawless said they are still no where near where they should be. Jack pointed out that automakers have more than doubled their sales from 2006 to 2014. This echoes what many we've interviewed have said.
> Jack said "there are no home runs right now," but if you have a number of singles, you can still score and win.
> If you want to dominate, you want to have a website superior to your competitors in your market area.
There was a lot more, and we hope to bring you some added take-aways in the days ahead.
Kudos to Jim Ayotte, FMHA board, Jack Lawless and the Champion team. This was one of the fine presentations, panel discussions at an energizing and their worthwhile annual event. ##
(Photo credits: MHProNews at the FMHA 2014 Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL)
