LISTEN TO BEHIND THE YARD SIGN EPISODE 10 HERE
Small businesses are created because of a core idea originated from an understanding that there is something missing out there and that there is a need. What's so challenging for most of the people behind these businesses is getting to the launching pad and realizing that they have no way of announcing this brand new thing. So what now?
Marketing!
Marketing, and branding, and community engagement, and PR, and promos, and printouts, and samples, and website, and social media… all of these things help you when you get to that launch pad. What makes that hurdle truly challenging is usually the fact that they take more time to generate and of course, more money and investment to produce.
There are a lot of industries that you would expect to have that all figured out and planned for, like a retailer or the plethora of coffee shops that can exist three doors down from their competitors. (Seriously, how is that a thing?) But what about new home construction for real estate?
Developers build buildings, and they love it. They live and breathe that work. What they tend to not do -- and furthermore not *want* to do -- is marketing. Insert Plumb Bob Marketing here. They are a one-stop shop for developer marketing needs for new home communities and complexes. The Los Angeles-based company's founder and Principal, Shelli-Anne Couch, joined us for our recent Behind the Yard Sign podcast episode to educate us on what marketing for such a field within real estate does and can be.
The nature of the varied clientele that Shelli-Anne and her team speak to means there are many stories to be told within one chapter. Plumb Bob's job is to take this new shiny group of homes and inspire a large audience. They then also find the small niche audiences inside of that larger group simultaneously. Sounds complicated, but her method is quite practical -- keep it simple and straightforward.
Spade and Archer Home Staging for Plumb Bob Marketing in Los Angeles
When asked about that process, Shelli-Anne shared a thoughtful sentiment. "For every one of these homes, every buyer is different. Every home, even though it may be built similarly has got a different view at the front door or the back door, or may have a different rooftop deck. There's something different about every home and it's recognizing that. And then it's communicating it without being too salesy. We have a saying: more storytelling, less selling."
Shelli-Anne is not a real estate agent, nor does she want to be one in her role as a marketing guru. She knows the value of what the agent does for a listing, and gives them the space to own that. Something separate that Shelli-Anne and Plumb Bob can bring to the table is the willingness to experience a new development's community and learn about what makes its neighborhood unique.
Spade and Archer Home Staging for Plumb Bob Marketing in Los Angeles
Often times, new development is shunned by a local community. New condo blocks or small-lot subdivisions seem to invade and mark their territory the second they break ground, but what Plumb Bob does is connect and literally communicate with the people and the businesses in the area to help generate excitement and explain the good this new construction will do. What a service! Sure, the deeper understanding of a new development's neighborhood helps with the storytelling and sales of the homes, but the way in which it is done can help welcome this new group of homes or condos into the community.
Spade and Archer Home Staging for Plumb Bob Marketing in Los Angeles
Another important aspect that Plumb Bob brings awareness to the housing scarcity that exists in this vast city that is Los Angeles. "I saw an opportunity to bridge that gap between what people thought a small lot subdivision was versus how it actually could benefit the community, right down to rates," said Couch when asked about this controversial topic.
While she sees their concerns and empathizes, she also works to connect and remind folks that new home building can help to better a neighborhood more than it can hurt one. Walk scores, school ratings, density and local business growth are some of the big benefits that people often forget when they see and hear and feel that new building or neighborhood taking shape. Shelli-Anne continues saying, "Let's have a talk about that five bedroom home ... that was an eyesore that we've knocked down and we've actually put up 10 homes now and [are] welcoming 10 new families into the neighborhood."
Plumb Bob has its hands full when it comes to managing the array of Los Angeles neighborhoods. "LA is more like 5 or 6 cities within one city … it's sort of like having 5 or 6 children." There are a lot of projects that can happen and they can happen at a rapid pace considering the lack of inclement weather. Shelli-Anne has crafted her business at Plumb Bob in a way that can keep up with that pace and can do so gracefully, and thoughtfully. The way in which she partners with the people involved in the process, whether its the superintendents or us, the home stager, reflects that she knows people's time is important and she has no intention of abusing it.
With similar principles of grace and thoughtfulness, Spade and Archer offers a great solution to help with the efforts of selling multiple homes like the ones Shelli-Anne and Plumb Bob cater to. Rather than staging each home separately and charging for a new idea and new design each time, we offer Model Unit staging where we create one or two looks for that community (or more depending on the number of floorplans), stage them, and "slide" the furnishings from one home to the next as they sell. This way, you have the same pieces reflected in your marketing regardless of the sample home the buyers are touring. Those buyers were already inspired by the thoughtful marketing, and they'll be even more excited when they see it in person. It will be an authentic experience from start to finish, and Spade and Archer will help keep it all neat and tidy as the stagings move from home to home.
We love partnering with great people and thoughtful businesses. Let's connect and learn what we can do for each other as we continue into the new terrain of listing homes and marketing. Learn more at spade-archer.com, or shoot us a message at info@spade-archer.com.
For more on Plumb Bob Marketing, visit their website at plumbbobmarketing.com.