It is Thursday morning as I start writing this blog. We just sent out our twice-weekly emailed newsletter. Already we have received posted comments on Associations, besides those that come in by phone or email.
Click here for one Disqus comment posted by an unhappy camper, and click here for one on the other side of the discussion fence.
Feel free to let your thoughtful – public or private – comments begin.
As I was reading some of the mail, a news item came in from PA about the sprinkler issue. Click on the link to that news item in our manufactured housing Daily Business News blog. Mary Gaiski in PA is working for her members. Deanna Fields in OK is workings for hers, avoiding a legislative duel through intelligent negotiations with public officials. These execs are also doing highly demanding trade shows – with public days! – to work on image and marketing. See the 2011 Great Southwest Home Show in Tulsa and the much-awaited return of the 2011 HOMExpo in York, PA to see the news, and all that you can get for free at the shows as an industry member to grow your business.
Free? Well, it certainly is paid for by factories, exhibitors and others! But yes, most industry pros can come FREE to these events. Why not learn more to earn more?
My point is not to exclude an association, because you could go state by state and showcase some effort being made on behalf of their members. There are some very exciting items brewing in some states; I personally know this to be true. Plans for strategies to move their state ahead in image, marketing, sales and more.
So my thoughts run like this: let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. My brother sent me this quote:
The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. ~ Carlos Castaneda
Let’s tap that negative energy and put it to work for solutions. Let’s take the money spent for ‘crying in our beer,’ and use it to build our industry’s image! Are you ready for this? What if you could take beer money, and cause it to give you 10x or more fold return on your investment. Let me show you something mind boggling:
- Take a $10-a-week beer drinker (pick your poison, and FYI I’m not knocking it or saying, give it up; this is just an example).
- Take that times 52 weeks. $520 for a year, right?
- Take that times 200 members in a state association.
You would have $104,000 collected. Now let me tell you, there are more than 200 owners or professionals working for manufactured housing companies in almost every state except maybe Hawaii or Alaska! So that’s $104,000 budgeted for an image campaign in YOUR state. Some – say, Texas – would say, too small. Well, in that state, this number might be 2000 people who chip in the equivalent of $10 a week. That is $1,040,000 for Texas. But for even the 104K, I can assure you, we could create a state-based program that would positively impact image and marketing for that amount or less. How do I know? What are you reading? How did you find us?
Online, of course – where 90% of home seekers shop!
By working with other industry pros, look at what we have done together in a little over 15 months. Do you think our growing IT and WebTech team can create leads and generate image building that works? Do you think our “Dominate Your Local Market Seminar“ was a hit in Louisville for nothing? Do you think our team working with pros like you can grow business in your state and market for a high ROI image and marketing plan?
As they say in WI, “Youbetcha!”
A few common results from the marketing our team has done is to make
- Phones ring
- Doors swing
- Cash registers cha-ching
- Sales pros and owners sing.
The return on that 104k investment per state would be amazing. Ten-to-one could be low. But for discussion’s sake, how would you like to invest a dollar, and know you could get $10 or more back? Then, what if the retail customers you sell gives you your dollar back on top of the 10-to-1 result?
If you are a savvy professional or a state association working on behalf of your members, this could readily be done.
Don’t believe it? Then please call me or email for details. Tell us your challenges! Then let’s discuss SOLUTIONS.
Let me share two quotes from callers who had properties that were previously ‘dead,’ where we made the phones start ringing, the doors, swinging, etc.
- Ken: “My phone is ringing for some reason. Seems like someone [Tony] told me that would happen, and it’s happening! Please call me about putting something in the front window of the homes to identify them; with your level of creativity, you might have something a little more exciting than just the number I put there. I’m getting a lot of drive-through traffic – a lot! I bet I’ve got a dozen calls already! Thanks, Tony!”
- Tom: “Tony, I thought I might enlighten your day a little bit. I’ve talked to probably two people already that want to buy… and Denise has a list of about ten. So there’s a good activity level. Thanks!”
There is no reason other than the lack of a little pitching in and common effort that keeps us from advancing. You can do this for your manufactured housing community, or if you just have to say it, your “mobile home park.” You can do this at your manufactured home retail sales center. You can do this to cut repo losses and speed your turn-around time.
Let’s stop the hand wringing and finger pointing. Let’s pitch in and work together. Let’s give a little to get a lot. Let’s set aside any past disappointments, and work with others, as most of us need to do. Hold people accountable for results.
Let’s tap the negative energy. Let’s tap the negative energy. Let’s take the ‘beer money’ and turn it into growing home sales. Let’s not wait for Washington miracles or dollars to fall from the skies.
Stay tuned daily for manufactured housing news podcasts or blog posts right here, and thanks for sharing your thoughtful and intelligent feedback, questions and comments. # #
