Just as you, I or a colleague might go online to research a restaurant, product or topic, obviously the same happens with investors, news media, government officials, non-profits, educators and the public when it comes to housing and related issues. We'll begin with an example to illustrate a concept, then spring-board to make an entirely different point about those seeking to know more about modern manufactured homes and our many appealing advantages.

Forbes reminds us that some 6.1 billion man-hours are spent complying with tax laws annually.

Janet Novack, on Forbes staff as writer from D.C. about tax and retirement policy and planning, stated in 2011: "In her annual report to Congress today, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson branded growing tax code complexity as the most serious problem facing both taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service and called on Congress to enact tax reform and then institute a regular “sanity check” over future tax code changes."

Image credit Wikipedia and Forbes.

A study by eBizMBA says Forbes reaches some 65 million unique visitors monthly! I've accessed Novak's interesting column 3 times in the last week, plus on some three other occasions in the last two years.

So given the tens of millions who read Forbes, would it surprise you that at 3:22 AM, upon my re-checking their story, there was only 6,700 total visits to that specific page? Last week it was 6,694. The latest screen capture looks like this…

Image credit = Forbes.

“Don't Just Tell Me, Show Me!”

Now by contrast, on the story of manufactured homes in the recent IBHS hurricane wind tests in South Carolina, the just over 1 year old ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com site has in less than a week experienced 36,390 total hits, per the report Generated 29-Jul-2014 07:28 CDT.

Rank     Hits     URL (web address – Note: Rank 1 & 2 are direct request and the home page)

Readers online go where their interests take them!
The insights from the top 8 pages 
being read provide valuable insights for the open-mined MH researcher.
Facts per Webalizer.

Regular readers here know there are a number of myths and misconceptions about manufactured homes. The Forbes  tax topic and housing wind storm tests are apples and oranges! Nevertheless, taxes and related policies touch us all. So imagine, more have read the report on manufactured homes (MH) vs. conventional houses hurricane wind-test story in under a week than read Novak's potent tax report in 4 years!

Both Novak's articles – and ours – will continue to rise in readership. As the top specialized MH trade publishers, we have growing readership and the largest audience of its kind. So 6 months from now, how many tens of thousands more

• public officials,
• media,
• investors,
• educators,
• non-profits and
• potential home shoppers will have seen the report on our sister site?

CityScapes at Carthage Mills,
Boston and other cities…are you listening?

How many more manufactured homes will be sold because of the MHLivingNews.com article? How many more:

• loans and insurance policies will be originated,
• commissions paid to sales people or bonuses to management,
• vacant MHC sites occupied,
• transports and installations done,
• Floor dues and membership fees will be collected by associations,
• services, warranties, components, supplies, appliances sold,
• and MHIndustry stocks or other investments will occur due in some measure to the added influence that one article may have made for our industry?

Based upon experience, we know certain topics are likely to resonate more than others for MHIndustry readers, followers and aficionados. This topic is one of them! Notice that the #4 ranked topic in the listing above is our tornado video (note: that popular video now needs updating – it should get a Louisville Show style video upgrade!).

So you see that when a topic catches the public's mind, it causes related ones to gain more attention too.

Now multiply the impact beyond wind storms of issues that are drags upon the MHIndustry. By showcasing facts that change perceptions, we can make a difference that will sell more homes.

To rephrase…

We are either defining ourselves or others will define us.

Reporting and Good Story Telling

Professional insights like Janet Novak's are part of what brings me back to Forbes, where I found their quote for today…

“To live is not to learn, but to apply. ”
— Legouvé

…it's time to learn AND more robustly apply the lessons of digital trade media for advancing MH! This is about MUTUAL victories for all involved through MUTUALLY beneficial topical reports and analysis!

Kitchen in a Buccaneer model home at the Tunica Manufactured Housing Show.

Forbes and others

When we publish a story and name Forbes, someone from that publisher and perhaps others over time will read this column.   That's de rigueur.

When IBHS or NBC's Today Show were named in reports here or on MHLivingNews, someone checks to see in what context their name was used. Ya think others in the media will too?

“Mais oui, bien sur!” Or “yes, to be sure” as they say in France, one of the 140 nations around the globe researching and discovering potential investment options in America here on MHProNews.

Slowly and steadily the drip, drip, drip of positive and more accurate information about our industry leads to more understanding. That's a win for all in the mix, starting with our home owners.

Solar, near net zero “Santa Fe” Model, by Modular Lifestyles.

Texans Do it, You Should too

The top state in the nation for new manufactured homes shipped is routinely Texas and has been for years. There are many reasons, but you have to figure that Texans and their association are doing a number of things right.

Ponder that as you consider this from their 7.28.2014 emailed news update, shown in brown, below:

Today Show Airs Wind Test on Manufactured Home

The Today Show aired a report on July 23 of an IBHS Research Center wind test done in a South Carolina manufactured home facility.  Tony Kovach with mhmarketingsalesmanagement.com did a great write up which you can find here as well as the Today Show video which is located here.

NBC's Today Show aired a report this morning of an IBHS Research Center wind test done in a South Carolina facility on manufactured homes; one showing a properly installed carport and the other view was of an improperly installed carport. There was also an Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) test performed on two site built houses, one built to IBHS Fortified House standards, the other one, not. – See more at: https://manufacturedhomepronews.com/masthead/manufactured-home-outperforms-conventional-site-built-house-in-hurricane-wind-test/#sthash.3N4Penmv.oEzUM89P.dpuf

NBC's Today Show aired a report this morning of an IBHS Research Center wind test done in a South Carolina facility on manufactured homes; one showing a properly installed carport and the other view was of an improperly installed carport. There was also an Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) test performed on two site built houses, one built to IBHS Fortified House standards, the other one, not. – See more at: https://manufacturedhomepronews.com/masthead/manufactured-home-outperforms-conventional-site-built-house-in-hurricane-wind-test/#sthash.3N4Penmv.oEzUM89P.dpuf

For those who don't yet know,
MHMarketingSalesManagement.com is the same as MHProNews.com.

The point is the TMHA grasps the keen importance of the wind-storm topic for MH. They did more than just share the Today Show link. TMHA shared the commentary that places their video into context! Do you think that will lead to more MH sales over time?

Do Texans ride tall in their saddle?

Google Search Tests Reflect Proven, Practical Results

Of course, different search keywords and phrases would yield a different result. Here is another one, also done today at the time (ET) shown.

Mutual Benefits from RSS and Cross Linking

The MHIndustry has to 'own' and play a role in correcting the public perception!
Showcasing the facts on association or business websites
– as is shown above and below –
are simple yet important part of that process.
That can start with something as easy as RSS.

A brief segue, Programming notes…

The Glass of Beer with… Barry Cole  interview has been hot, and I hope to see hundreds of you when Barry is inducted into the RV MH Hall of Fame next Monday. Barry deserves it, as do the other inductees.

We will have three new A Cup of Coffee with… interviews among our featured articles for our rapidly approaching August issue, which will go live on our home page at the end of this week.

• Bill Matchneer, JD, formerly with HUD and the CFPB, is returning again. FYI, we've already logged more hits on his featured article this month about possible voluntary HUD standards for fire sprinklers than Forbes – with their millions of readers monthly – has had total on Novak's important tax column above. Do you see the implications of these facts?!
• Tim Connors, CSP, a multi-decades presenter, facilitator, trainer and coach to dozens of factory home builders, in our first interview with him. Learn about this author of 80+ books, and gain powerful insights to paths ahead for MH.
• Paul Bradley, president and CEO of ROCUSA, who we pummeled with some challenging questions, you'll not want to miss what he has to say about them! Paul handles hot potatoes like a pro, and you'll see why this leader's organization continues to grow.

Today's Wrap Up

There is an utter necessity for our industry's members to know the facts shared in the reports linked below and above. While these and the links on our sister site have been “read hot,” please make sure your team knows the contents of this backwards and forwards. That benefits your operation or organization, because the added insights ultimately result in more homes, products and services sold.

Image searches are growing in importance.
Every image save the last one above are on the MHProNews or
MHLivingNews websites.
The last image on the bottom right
– and the least favorable – is on the IBHS website.

When your MH association or business adds an RSS feed on your website that points to MHLivingNews, web experts agree more good routine content brings you more return visits.  PLUS – as you saw in the screen capture above the RSS feed can result in more people finding your site as a result of certain google searches.  A simple RSS feed – installed in minutes! – that caused UMH, Louisville, the Indiana Community's page and others to turn up on page 1 of that Google search.

The point is that Together, we advance faster and farther.

Together, we are fueling the four year recovery of manufactured housing.

The interviews we did with Industry legend Jim Clayton, are linked here. 

In the next few years, with the right touch, millions may discover what savvy industry pros have long known. America is crying out for quality affordable homes! The nation needs what we offer.  Given time and by sharing the right information, public policies will tend to yield in favorable ways.

Can we accelerate this acceptance of MH? With the proper effort, sure. As more pros pull Together, we can profitably speed the process. Mutual Support yields Mutual Benefits!

Please thank our sponsors and writers for their support of our critical mission to advance the proper understanding and cause of modern manufactured housing in America and beyond.

As you've see above, others are watching, reading and learning about MHIndustry topics at MHProNews and at MHLivingNews. Inquiring minds want to know. Together, we should take the next steps to advance MH image and education with shoppers, investors, public officials, news media, non-profits and all others. The rewards for doing so are bringing new investors into our industry. ##

L. A. 'Tony' Kovach ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com | MHProNews.com | Business and Public Marketing & Ads: B2B | B2C Websites, Contract Marketing & Sales Training, Consulting, Speaking: MHC-MD.com | LATonyKovach.com | Office 863-213-4090 Connect on LinkedIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach