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5 Rules of Marketing You Must Know Now

Recently I visited a series of Designer Showhouses.  The point of these showhouses is threefold:

To sell the house.
To sell the designer.
To sell the furnishings, accents, accessories, lamps and more.

Backseat Vacation View

In this case, the marketing company that put this together did their level best NOT to sell anything! It was truly one of the most unique experiences I have had. It began with having to hunt for the location. As in I couldn’t find the address on the website, just directions that without a street address, left me unable to effectively GPS it. That meant that we (I was with a colleague) went into the first entrance we could find only to see the empty backside of all signs. (Kind of like one of those vacation in the back of the station wagon facing the opposite direction!)

#1 Rule in Marketing: Be EASY to Find.

Visibility means profitability, if your audience can’t find you, they can’t buy from you.

Funny thing is that once we turned around and followed the arrows we didn’t fare any better. Finally we gave up and simply headed for the last house, parked outside and walked in.

The first sign at the house we saw said “NO PHOTOGRAPHY.” Really? Are you kidding? In this social media age of photos of everything you are telling me you don’t want me to share a house, the furnishings, the design, the builder, the details, the landscape, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. This truly blew my mind.

#2 Rule in Marketing: Encourage Your Market to SHARE About You in Pictures, Video, Updates, Email, Text and more.

When you prohibit sharing, you are blocking your own sales and profitability.

ANTISocialMedia

Telling me I couldn’t take pictures instantly made me start looking for WHY NOT? And I soon found it.

While certainly there were some well designed, inviting spaces provided, there were also some amazing gaffs in the architecture, building, and design stages. It got to be a game to see how many we could find. (Now, imagine if the sign instead had said “Share Your Favorite Rooms on Facebook, Twitter Your Top Trends Spotted.”

The first HUGE gaff was noticed in more than one bathroom, in fact in the master bathroom of one of the three properties. Over the vanity was a large window, too large to allow mirrors to be placed appropriately and necessarily over the sinks. Hmm, bad design? Nope, this was a flaw in the architectural plan, and not caught by the builder. YIKES.

The Allure of Foxhall, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, Decorator Showhouse, Marketing Speaker, Social Media Speaker, The Rules of Engagement
Wet Stairs Waiting to Happen

Next up was a cute bathroom with lockers, cool concept but using stairs to get up to the showers and down. That sounds and looked incredibly unsafe to me, even if it was kids and teens using it. I “found” a picture here.

#3 Rule in Marketing: Tell Your Market WHAT to Share.Train Your Prospects to Become Clients.

It isn’t enough to encourage your market to share, you have to coach (tell) them WHAT to share. Train them to look for the right things that will lead them to a positive experience and closer to buying. Train your prospects to become clients and customers.

When you are trying to sell multimillion dollar homes in a down market, it seems logical that you’d want to engage potential buyers on every front. I mean we are in the multimedia age and yet these houses were look only, no sound, no scent, no taste, okay a little touch. We all have ADHD squared today and if you don’t capture our attention on multiple fronts and with multiple sensory experiences (even if in writing as in “imagine the smell of chocolate chip cookies”) you are going to lose us.

#4 Rule in Marketing: Engage All Senses to Make a Sale

Now I know what you are thinking. As a coach how on earth can you do that? Sure as a designer that makes sense. What about as a speaker or a sales rep. It’s all in your semantics. Use sensory language to build a multi-dimensional experience of what it is like when your client buys your services. (Imagine feeling healthy, fit, and sexy; you’ll look great; you’ll hear lots of compliments; you’ll smell the sweet scent of success because you gave up your taste for sugar and hunger for nutritious and delcious foods instead) You get the idea . . .

Half way through the first house, a man came rushing in and asked if we’d checked in at the Welcome Center. We politely explained that we never saw that and he admitted that many others had the same problem. (Hmm, maybe that’s a clue they should make some changes.) He asked that we go and check in when we were done at this house. What was the incentive? NONE. We didn’t.

Golden Opportunity

I’d already paid for tickets that I never had to show. Oh and I didn’t even get the receipt promised. There was a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY missed by no follow up in email with a special offer or perhaps a Value Voucher (beats a discount) for a free dessert at lunch or something. We never did see the clubhouse.

#5 Rule of Marketing: Never Miss a Chance to Thank Your Prospect and Give Them Greater Value.

The rules learned on this misadventure are valuable for every business. Take a close look at yours and make sure that you haven’t broken one of these. Always love to hear about your marketing adventures!

Filed Under: Best Business Practices, Business Development, Developing Your Brand, Marketing Strategies, Melissa Galt, Social Media Marketing, Success Habits Tagged With: Business Development, Business Success, Marketing Strategies, Social Media, Social Media Marketing

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deanna says

    November 1, 2011 at 8:48 am

    Great points Melissa!! Along with designing, I am also a realtor and as I read this, my head was spinning! :). What if I were walking through there with a client who was trying to decide who to choose to build their dream home?? So many missed opportunities for my client to choose them AND for me to bring them repeat business!! We all work by referral. Wow!! Great reminders for me in both of my businesses.

    Reply
    • Melissa Galt says

      November 1, 2011 at 8:57 am

      Thanks Deanna,

      Yes this was a marketing travesty.

      Interestingly in one home, the designer was present and since he owns a retail shop, he was selling. The house still had major mistakes and finish issues. They cut corners in some very curious places.

      Hugs, Melissa

      Reply
      • Deanna says

        November 1, 2011 at 10:08 am

        If they are like the builders in this area, they were in a hurry and walked thru and skimped on things that the normal eye won’t catch like those of us in the business… Some of those can be lived with but my goodness…not a safety issue…surprised there isn’t something in the building code…anyway…great post and things that really made me think this morning…(it didn’t hurt too bad)!!

        Reply
  2. Anne Lubner says

    November 1, 2011 at 8:58 am

    Not just one, but 3 steps coming out of the shower – what was the architect or builder thinking?!! That’s even worse than the window over the vanity.

    Reply
    • Melissa Galt says

      November 1, 2011 at 9:01 am

      Hey Anne,

      Yes, I was stunned! It was a cute bathroom with lockers and cool idea but execution without safety is worthless.
      Hugs, Melissa

      Reply
  3. Randy says

    November 1, 2011 at 9:38 am

    Hi Melissa,

    This is one of the best analogies I have ever heard, but it could be my design background. You’re so right about architects and builders (though not all) not really thinking about how people actually live in the homes. No homeowner should have to worry about safety issues or deal with inconveniences that could easily have been “fixed” before construction began.

    Reply
    • Melissa Galt says

      November 1, 2011 at 9:41 am

      Thanks Randy,

      What I find so appalling is that on some level this had to be the architect and these were well reputed, renowned big boys. I won’t name names only to protect the guilty!

      Hugs, Melissa

      Reply
  4. Lynn Dorman, Ph.D. says

    November 2, 2011 at 12:46 am

    I had to laugh first – then feel sort of sorry that in this day and age of omnipresent social media they were so unaware. And that was before I read about the shower dangers! Not just unaware – unthinking about any real people living in these houses!

    Lynn

    Reply
    • Melissa Galt says

      November 2, 2011 at 3:04 pm

      Thanks Lynn,

      Yes it is kind of stunning about the design/architecture/build errors as they were BIG and insensitive to homeowner safety.

      The entire lack of socialness in the marketing was a big surprise in this day and age also.

      Hugs, Melissa

      Reply
  5. Stephanie Jeffries says

    November 2, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    Thanks for this posting, Melissa.

    In a very practical way, you’ve provided logical reminders of how we can avoid self-sabotage in more ways than one, particularly where promotional opportunities exist. There is a much thinner line between opportunity and opposition than I think many of us often realize.

    If those involved in the showhome felt the threat of design/architectural ideas being copied or ‘stolen’ was greater than the opportunity to have inspiration drive more business inquiries to them, then I suppose it explains the approach that was taken (not to say I’m accusing them of that, but it does make one wonder).

    Whenever creativity is exercised, there’s a risk that someone would attempt to replicate the ideas without giving due credit. However, at the risk that future business, referrals, networking, etc. are stifled is when the opportunity/opposition scale should be weighed more carefully. It’s something I’m striving to improve my assessment of on a daily basis as an entrepreneur.

    Reply
    • Melissa Galt says

      November 2, 2011 at 3:05 pm

      Thanks Stephanie,

      The one BIG lesson I’ve gotten from the internet is “Don’t be afraid to share.” And I mean share BIG. People will always be willing to buy your ideas in a different format, or hire you when they want the real deal. The DIyer and tire kickers never will.

      Be brave, be generous and keep the inspiration flowing.

      Hugs, Melissa

      Reply
  6. Brandonnardy says

    June 27, 2023 at 1:27 pm

    meclizinexcom

    Reply
  7. meclizinel says

    June 29, 2023 at 2:36 pm

    meclizine

    Reply

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The right letter of agreement will outline✍️al The right letter of agreement will outline✍️all stipulations, clauses, and information that you and your client need to set up a positive and professional project timeline. 

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