50+ Housing e-Source - 03/27/2008 (Plain Text Version)

Joanne Theunissen
50+ Housing Council Chair

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In this issue:
Fair Housing for the Active Adult Builder
Five Reasons to Attend the 2008 Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium
Find Out the Latest Market Trends at the Best of 50+ Housing Awards Gala
Seven Tips on How to Make the Most of Your Print Advertising Budget
CAASH In – Earn NAHB' s Active Adult Designation at the 2008 Symposium
Bell Named to Helm of 50+ Housing Council, New Leadership Team Announced
50+ Housing Council Networking Reception
National Membership Day 2008: Prizes, Rewards for Top 50+ Housing Council Recruiters
Register Online Now: New NAHB Spokesperson Training
Drive Away With a Shiny New $500 GM Private Offer
Review Group Wants to Hear from YOU!

Seven Tips on How to Make the Most of Your Print Advertising Budget

Here are a few helpful hints to maximize your print advertising budget when marketing an active adult community:

Develop a strategic plan – How does your print advertising fit into your overall marketing plan?
Develop a creative brief – This document is critical to ensure everyone agrees to the main message and target market(s) you’re reaching with your ads.
Select the right publications – The most effective (not necessarily the most creative) ads in the word will be lost if they’re not reaching the right readers in the right publications. It’s imperative that you know your target market.
Reinforce your message – How many ways can the creative message be reinforced in other media (direct mail, e-mail blasts, radio, etc.).
Test your ads – Consider showing your ad layouts and creative messages to an informal group of prospective buyers to determine how they respond to your message.
Measure the results – If you are running in multiple publications or if you are using a mix of print, broadcast and outdoor media, consider using different phone numbers to more accurately measure the responses to your ads. You also can use Web traffic stats as a guideline to see if online visits increased during an ad campaign.
Create an emotional experience – Remember, buying a home is an emotional experience for people of all ages, especially for those over 50. In soft resale markets where prices may be higher than buyers are willing to pay, or where the inventory of homes exceeds the number of buyers, you must convince your prospects that it is worth them selling their home today for less money than their neighbor got for their home just 12 months ago because the lifestyle and new home you offer them is worth moving sooner rather than later.

Rich Carlson is president of Carlson Communications in Northborough, Mass. Since 1989, Carlson Communications has helped builders increase their new-home sales and communicate more effectively using the company’s expertise in strategic marketing, advertising and public relations. For more information, e-mail Rich Carlson or call him at 877-393-9922.