July jumps with sales for many. Some go on vacations. Pros get busy, but we are still growing in readers. Why does readership matter? Because all professionals need up to date, independent information. You need ideas to consider and discuss with peers. You need a place to join a nationwide Industry conversation.
Readership matters for more reasons. Soon-to-be RV/MH Hall of Fame inductee George Allen stated the following:
“What’s emerging today is the growing consensus, We’re an industry likened to a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly on the still – troubled waters of our national economy, languishing (new) housing market, and no new sources of third party chattel capital.” …
“But know what’s sorely missing from the recovery equation, though rarely discussed – if and when the time arrives to ‘go public’ with ‘a plan’? The method(s) by which such a plan is effectively published or broadcast, is severely limited at this time.
“Neither MHARR or MHI have general trade broadcast ability to non – members; the Merchandiser, Modern Home, and Automated Builder magazines are gone; the Allen Letter professional journal & the Allen CONFIDENTIAL! are limited circulation, subscriber – supported newsletters; and, The Journal, in this industry observer’s opinion, rarely seeks out and publishes trade NEWS beyond two, sometimes sparring, columns penned by MHI & MHARR executives. Those avenues simply won’t get the job done! Only means left, are online ezines…”
When George mentions online ezines, there are emailed newsletters, such as Ken Rishel’s Chattel Finance News, which technically is not an ezine. So what George is referring to in practical terms is our publication here, MHMSM.com.
Continuing from another quote from Allen:
“Turns out MHMSM; you know – the nearly two year old online ezine at MHMSM.com, has a timely take on last week’s post at this website: ‘MHI (‘My’) MHARRvelous Dream’! Like many who make their living in one or more segments of the manufactured housing industry, the publication believes the time has come, once again, for the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (‘MHARR’) and Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’) national advocacy bodies to work together! Once again? That’s right. If a novice in the MHIndustry and LLCommunity asset class, know many of us have seen these bodies ‘bury their bloody hatchets’ in the past, to pass or fight legislation. Think the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000, for starters. This time around, however, we need the ‘MHI MHARRvelous Dream’ to become Reality on several fronts: defeat of Dodd – Frank legislation, HUD’s full implementation of aforementioned MHIA @ 2000, even the veritable survival of the manufactured housing industry! For more information, visit MHMSM.com. And remember; we can either ‘hang together’ during these trying times, or for certain, die separately. Me? I’m all for strength in numbers.”
The highlighting is not in the original.
But we emphasize this to make the same point that George did, namely, to underscore how vital it is today to push for ‘strength in numbers.’ Those numbers can best be mobilized online by ‘ezines,’ of which we are effectively the main if not only true online trade journal for the factory-built housing Industry.
So it may seem ‘self serving’ to some to say, you really do need to promote readership of MHMSM.com. But these quotes from another publisher, George Allen, candidly states just how vital this can be in terms of mobilizing the strength in numbers that we as an Industry require.
When you visit MHMSM.com you are not alone. Here are the record June 2011 site statistics, hot off the press:
| Total Sessions/Visitors | 60,986.00 |
| Total Pageviews | 310,793.00 |
| Total Hits | 1,061,873.00 |
These are visits by you and your Industry peers.
So thank you for reading, but also for ‘spreading the word’ to others to read – or listen to our podcasts.’ When the time comes, spreading the word will be a key to a successful Industry turn-around. Together, here, we can do it.
Now, let’s take a look at our feature articles for the month of July:
CHECK OUT THE GREAT JULY FEATURE ARTICLES!
Fourteen top pros have contributed Feature Articles for you this month. Here are the July articles according to Subject Category, listed alphabetically. Be informed, inspired and encouraged for optimum success!
Featured Articles and Reports for Vol. 2, No.10, 2011
Alphabetically by Category
COMMUNITIES
Paul Bradley – Manufactured Housing Industry Solutions
• What a Difference a Season Makes
Edward ‘Eddie’ Hicks – Investing in Manufactured Home Communities
• A HUD Code Home Apartment Alternative?
Chrissy Jackson – Land Lease Community Management
• Guidelines for Living: Content Area of Guidelines -; Topics from Animals to Bicycles
Joanne Stevens – Manufactured Home Community Value
• The Best of the Manufactured Housing Conference in Las Vegas
L. A. “Tony” Kovach – Promoting Your Community
• Promoting Your Community
Don Westphal – Manufactured Home Community Planning
• Extreme Makeover, Community Edition – aka Ryder Park, Milford, Connecticut – Part Three
FINANCE
Kenneth Rishel – Manufactured Housing Industry Finance Commentary
• Death Takes a Holiday
Dave Shanklin – Manufactured Housing Industry Financing
• Major Manufactured Home Lender Announces ARM Product Starting at 4.50% for MH-s in Communities
GENERAL INDUSTRY/COMMENTARY
George F. Allen – Manufactured Housing Industry Commentary
• Just How Many Landlease Communities and Rental Homesites Are There?
George Porter – Manufactured Housing Retail and Installations
• The K.I.S.S. Principle
INSPIRATION/PEOPLE SKILLS
Zig Ziglar – Motivation & Inspiration-
• Zig-On… Relationships
LEGAL
Nadeen Green – Legal, Fair Housing
• Verify the Villains
SALES
Chad Carr – Sales
• Building Your Future by Building Relationships: Part One – Yes those are your Teeth on the Ground
Mark Hunter – Sales
• Discounting to Create Cash Flow? Be Careful.
TRANSITIONS
George F. Allen
• Fond Memories of Florence, Flossie, Mother, Grandmother, -GGG- & Mom
