New Home Marketing

mRELEVANCE Creates Award-Winning Social Media Programs

2009-11-28T00:41:00.003-05:00

mRELEVANCE won seven awards at the 2009 Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association's OBIE Awards Gala in November taking home the lions share of the awards for E-Marketing.

Pictured are mRELEVANCE managing partners with the award for Atlanta Real Estate Forum (front) Carol Flammer and Mitch Levinson with the the mRELEVANCE team (L-R) Michelle Serra, Mike Rieman, Jill Wise and Bo Gilbert of Bo the WebGuy LLC.

mRELEVANCE won the following awards:

Gold OBIE for Best Print Ad – Magazine
Gold OBIE for Best Interactive Application for www.AtlantaRealEstateForum.com
Silver OBIE for Best Website Associate for the company’s website www.mrelevance.com
Gold OBIE for Best Website for Heron Bay Golf & Country Club
Silver OBIE for Best Social Media for Heron Bay Golf & Country Club
Silver Awards for Best Marketing Campaign/Promotion – Developer for Heron Bay Golf & Country Club
Gold OBIE for Best Social Media for Bowen Family Homes

For more information about mRELEVANCE and their programs and services, visit www.mrelevance.com or call mRELEVANCE team member, Jill Wise at 770-383-3360 x22. You can also become a fan on Facebook or follow along on Twitter @mRELEVANCE

mRELEVANCE Launches Blog for Circle 75

2009-08-20T15:59:00.003-04:00

mRELEVANCE is once again helping home builders and communities reach out to buyers through a corporate blog. In this particular instance, the Atlanta internet marketing, social media and public relations firm partnered with Circle 75. Circle 75 is a luxury Cobb County townhome community with a coveted Atlanta address and desirable live, work, play environment. Since the community is located in one of Atlanta's most vibrant neighborhoods - Smyrna - the blog will be a resource for locals on area events as well as community-specific news.

The Circle 75 blog will be updated frequently, allowing resident to find timely information on happenings in their community and surrounding area, as well as allowing Circle 75 to announce relevant community news and current incentives and promotion for prospective home buyers.

A highly-optimized blog is the cornerstone for any social media campaign, and mRELEVANCE is happy to help Circle 75 improve their traffic, both online and on-site.

mRELEVANCE Managing Partners to Present Social Media Seminars at NAHB's EOC Conference This Week!

2009-08-11T09:53:00.000-04:00

Once in a Lifetime Opportunity!!! Okay, it's not really a once in a lifetime opportunity, but it will be a very special treat. mRELEVANCE Managing Partners Carol Flammer and Mitch Levinson will be presenting seminars together on social media at the 2009 National Association of Home Builders Executive Officers Council (EOC) Conference August 12-15 in Louisville, Ky.

These seminars will be jam-packed with helpful information and brought to you by the industry's top experts on how to use social media to sell homes. Carol Flammer is an award-winning public relations and social media marketing expert, strategist and consultant with 20 years of experience. Mitch Levinson is an Internet marketing expert and real estate pro. Together, they will bring two exciting programs to teach executive officers and senior staff from state and local associations how they can use social media in their associations.

The seminars are titled Social Media: Engage in the Online Conversation and Social Media Lab: Building a Social Media Program from the Ground Up. Engaging in the Online Conversation is an introduction to social media and will give attendees a better understanding of this means of communication. The lab will be a hands-on, interactive session that will actually walk participants through setting up some of their own social media tools, including Facebook and Twitter. This session will also present attendees to a new social media tool launched by mRELEVANCE – it's top secret though – attendees will get the sneak peek and first opportunity to experiment with it.

If you are attending the EOC seminar, be sure to attend these two sessions. Get full information on the EOC web site.

mRELEVANCE Partners Present at EOC Conference

2009-08-11T00:14:00.003-04:00

mRELEVANCE managing partners Mitch Levinson, MBA, MIRM, CSP and Carol Flammer, MIRM, CSP, CAPS, will be conducting two seminars at the 2009 National Association of Home Builders Executive Officers Council (EOC) Conference August 12-15 in Louisville, Ky. The EOC Seminar provides high-level association management education and motivation specifically related to the home building industry. Levinson and Flammer will be presenting two programs on social media: Social Media: Engage in the Online Conversation and Social Media Lab: Building a Social Media Program from the Ground Up.

Social Media: Engage in the Online Conversation will give participants a better understanding of social media tools and how to utilize them for a competitive advantage. The program will also address social media's influence on search engine optimization and teach participants how to target and interact with buyers. Social Media Lab: Building a Social Media Program from the Ground Up is a hands-on program that will teach the steps to launch an effective social media program and/or ways to improve an existing one, including how to launch a blog, Facebook profiles, Facebook company pages and a Twitter account.

Flammer is an award-winning public relations and social media marketing expert, strategist and consultant. Levinson is an Internet marketing expert with expertise in search engine optimization, Web site development, email marketing, social media and CRM consulting services.

The EOC represents executive officers of local home building associations and strives to enhance the professionalism of its members through innovative services, training, education and networking opportunities. Their 2009 seminar will allow executive officers and senior staff of state and local home building associations to meet and connect to share best practices, successes and plans for the future.

Is Social Media working for Real Estate?

2009-06-24T11:37:00.005-04:00

I have been asked a lot lately to comment on the efforts of individuals and companies on the value of social media to real estate sales and marketing programs. The team at mRELEVANCE has posted numerous articles across our social media network on using social media and the effects it has on the overall marketing program for a home builder, a community subdivision, a condominium project or even a master planned community.

Blogging can be done by anyone. Facebook pages are created every day for businesses and new home communities. More and more people have started tweeting on Twitter. Its great they are trying, but I have seen a lot of sites that NEED HELP!

Have you changed your colors on YouTUBE? See the mRELEVANCE channel at YouTube
Have you made the most of facebook? See mRELEVANCE on facebook

The big questions we get the most; "Are we doing it right?" "How do we know if its working?" "How do I make it prettier?"

Most professionals in the industry are new to social media and the power it has in generating exposure. Its not a magic bullet that will instantly solve all your problems. Its not going to completely turn everything around, but when its done right and tracked correctly, it sure does have an impact.

Do you need help? Contact our team at mRELEVANCE

Sell More Homes with Social Media

2009-04-21T13:12:00.002-04:00

Social media is not just for teenagers anymore. An effective social media marketing plan can give you a competitive edge in the home building industry. On June 4, 2009, national speakers and mRELEVANCE founders, Carol Flammer and Mitch Levinson will present "Sell More Homes with Social Media" at the 2009 Southern Building Show. The class will touch on a variety of topics from social media to social networking, blogging and social bookmarking. Attendees will see case studies of how builders, developers and new home communities are benefiting from social media optimization as well as find out how to incorporate a blog and sites such as Active Rain, FaceBook, My Space, Blogger and others into an effective Internet marketing program.

The Internet is rapidly evolving. Do not miss this opportunity to learn how to maximize your return on investment (ROI). Social media marketing and optimization, search engine marketing, an effective Web site, email marketing and social networking are all components of a successful Internet marketing program. Learn how to take your traditional public relations online as an integral part of reputation management. "Sell More Homes with Social Media" will last from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. Don't miss out on your opportunity to learn more about social media.

Highland Homes Experiences Success

2009-04-10T15:36:00.004-04:00

Central Florida home builder Highland Homes continues to see success with social media. With 61 homes sold in March, the builder has had four months in a row of record sales in a down market! Finding your first home has never been easier or more affordable. This builder offers 19 new home communities to choose from in Tampa, Lakeland, Davenport, Winter Haven, Lake Wales, Wimauma, Zephyrhills and more. Find the home that suits your lifestyle and your budget.

Bowen Family Homes Launches Corporate Blog

2009-03-18T10:05:00.003-04:00

The premier Atlanta home builder Bowen Family Homes recently launched a corporate blog. This is a big deal for a few reasons.

First and foremost, it shows that Bowen Family Homes is doing all that they can to reach out to their buyers. It's a known fact that home shoppers do most of their shopping online. They search for communities and homes in the areas they want to live and choose which homes to visit in person based on what they find online. Thus, if they can't find your homes online, you miss out on the potential sale. By launching a corporate blog, Bowen Family Homes is doing everything in their power to make sure shoppers find them online.

Secondly, this is a great customer service tool. A blog is much more interactive than a Web site. Visitors can leave comments and ask questions, and will get feedback to help guide them in their search for a new home. Making themselves more accessible to their customers will only increase customer satisfaction.

And thirdly, the blog is a great news source. This is the opportunity for Bowen Family Homes to publish information about everything going on in their communities and corporation. Many times incentives and grand opening events don't get the proper publicity, but by having the blog, the public can be informed of every important event and milestone.

If you would like to follow in Bowen Family Homes' footsteps and become social media savvy yourself, contact mRELEVANCE, LLC to see how Internet marketing for home builders can help you!

Bowen Family Homes Offers 2.75%

2009-01-28T21:50:00.002-05:00

Bowen Family Homes is pleased to announce the extension of their unbelievable interest rate offer of 2.75 percent*. The low interest rate was originally set to expire on Jan. 15, 2009 but the Atlanta home builder has decided to continue offering home buyers Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans at the 2.75 percent interest rate on qualifying 30-day closings only.

This is a great opportunity for Atlantans to buy their first home and live the American dream. It is a GREAT time to buy and this amazing rate won't last forever.

Bowen Family Homes’ low interest rate offer is based on a full-term 30-year standard FHA loan at a 4.75 percent interest rate and a sales price of $200,000. The first year interest rate is 2.75 percent and second year interest rate is 3.75 percent with years three through 30 at 4.75 percent. To take advantage of this limited time offer, call 1-877 MY BOWEN or email Bowen Family Homes at mybowen@bowenfamilyhomes.com for details. For locations and directions to communities in metro Atlanta visit www.bowenfamilyhomes.com.

Bowen Family Homes has 26 affordable single-family and townhome communities located in the most sought-after locations throughout metro Atlanta. Homes are priced from the $110,000s to the $500,000s and include the best in today’s home features and finishes.

Flammer and Levinson Present Basics of Social Media

2009-01-15T14:21:00.011-05:00

Are your prospective buyers finding you where they expect to find you? Digg, Delicious, Active Rain, FaceBook, MySpace, Blogger, YouTube, Twitter and more. The Internet is rapidly evolving and on Wednesday, Jan. 28 don't miss out on your chance to learn how to maximize your return on investment (ROI). mRELEVANCE founders, Carol Flammer, MIRM and Mitch Levinson, MIRM, will present the basics of Social Media at The Housing Center on Wednesday, Jan. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The class will focus on Social Media program basics, Social Media's influence on SEO and how to use Social Media to relate to buyers. Attendees will learn how to utilize Social Media for a competitive advantage. Whether you are planning a simple news blog on your website or implementing a full blown Social Media campaign, Flammer and Levinson will demonstrate how Social Media increases key words and enhances search engine optimization.

The cost to attend the class is $75 for Greater Atlanta HBA members and $150 for non-members. Attendees need to bring their laptop because this hands-on workshop will include setting up a social bookmarking account. To register for this class, call 770-939-9900 or visit http://atlantahomebuilders.com/education/classes-events.cfm. If you have any questions, send an email to education@atlantahomebuilders.com or call 678-775-1469.

Two Can't Miss Seminars at the International Builders Show

2009-01-08T16:08:00.004-05:00

Carol Flammer and Mitch Levinson, the founders of mRELEVANCE, are both presenting seminars at IBS that will help home builders get the most out of their Internet marketing dollars. For the builders, developers and other new home building industry professionals that have yet to embrace Web 2.0, attending these seminars will help teach you how to take your Internet marketing to the next level.

Mitch is presenting "Internet Tracking-What your Web Site Visitors are Telling You." At this seminar, attendees will learn how to analyze their tracking reports. Tracking reports tell you how visitors find your site, which pages they spend the most time one, how long they are spending on your site and more. By understanding these reports, builders can increase traffic to their site and keep visitors there longer. This is obviously extremely beneficial information for anyone in the new home building industry, so be sure to put this seminar on your IBS calendar. See Mitch on January 22 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

While understanding Internet marketing for builders is important, it is just as important to know how to put your Web site in front home shoppers. This is why you need to put Carol's seminar, "Sell More Homes by Becoming a Social (Media) Butterfly," on your IBS calendar as well. She will be discussing different tactics that help increase search engine optimization and also search engine results page. Be sure to mark January 23 from 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on your IBS calendar to see Carol's seminar.

Need Better SEO?

2008-12-29T09:08:00.005-05:00

Atlanta Real Estate Forum offers Atlanta Home Builders a great way to improve SERP results.
Next time a potential buyer searches for your building company. . . what will they see? Here is a great opportunity to influence your results -- Corporate Profiles and Community Profiles.

Two examples are already up:
Bowen Family Homes
Heron Bay Golf & Country Club

The proof is already online. Google Bowen Family Homes or Heron Bay Golf and Country Club to see where these profiles fall in the search results.

Now is the best time to engage in a proactive reputation management program. Contact mRELEVANCE.com to consult on strategies and tactics that will work best in your Internet marketing mix.

Want to Attract Homebuyers to Your Web Site?

2008-11-26T14:25:00.009-05:00

Happy 2nd Birthday to Atlanta Real Estate Forum.

Atlanta's most popular real estate blog is celebrating the big 2.0 with a new look. AtlantaRealEstateForum.com is Atlanta's favorite real estate blog for Atlanta new homes and community news. Dedicated to Atlanta home buyers, home builders and generally anyone interested in what's happening in real estate, the site reports everything from community grand openings to real estate news and trends.

Home builders, developers and others in the industry have new opportunities to participate on the site. Unlike most real estate sites, AtlantaRealEstateForum.com sends links directly to participants' Web sites, increasing their exposure and search engine optimization (SEO).

AtlantaRealEstateForum.com has the highest Alexa ratings of any real estate blog in the city and generates search engine traffic from more than 8,000 phrases. Its internal analytics show site traffic up 14%, with more than 35,000 visitors per month.

Celebrate Atlanta Real Estate Forum's big 2.0 with us. Contact us to schedule an appointment, contact mRELEVANCE at 770-383-3360 x30.

mRELEVANCE to Promote 2009 Southern Building Show

2008-11-19T23:19:00.005-05:00

mRELEVANCE, LLC has been chosen to promote the sixteenth annual Southern Building Show and Conference through public relations and social media. The Southern Building Show is the Southeast’s premier event for builders, remodelers and design professionals. The 2009 Southern Building Show is sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Georgia (HBAG) and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA). The show will be held June 4-6, 2009 at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

Connie Burney, Vice President of Association Affairs & Operations for the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association says, “RELEVANCE is the perfect marketing partner to promote the Southern Building Show. Their proven ability to reach the industry through traditional public relations and social media outlets such as Atlanta Real Estate Forum.com will greatly enhance the show’s exposure.”

With offices in Atlanta and Chicago, marketing RELEVANCE can connect your company with buyers and build relevant relationships nationwide. For more information, visit www.mRELEVANCE.com or call 770-383-3360 or 847-259-7312.

Heron Bay Selects mRELEVANCE

2008-10-04T22:26:00.009-04:00

Heron Bay Golf and Country Club, a master-planned development in Henry County, has selected mRELEVANCE as its Internet marketing, public relations and social media firm of record.

“mRELEVANCE uses multiple channels to bring awareness to Heron Bay,” said Lisa Brutvan, Marketing Director for Heron Bay Golf and County Club. “Their use of Internet marketing and social media combined with their traditional public relations expertise spreads the word through a wide range of outlets to reach a variety of consumers.”

Heron Bay Golf and Country Club is made up of many different neighborhoods, each built by a top Atlanta new home builder. All of the homes at Heron Bay offer a wide variety of options. Architectural styles include Traditional, European, Cottage and Craftsman designs, while plans range from active adult cottages on small, low maintenance lots to custom golf or lake-view homes on lots ranging from one half of an acre to over 1.5 acres. Homes are priced from the high $100’s to more than $1 million.

As Heron Bay has discovered, maximizing marketing dollars is more important than ever in today’s market. mRELEVANCE thoughtfully analyzes Internet traffic and traditional media messages to target relevant audiences with relevant messages for maximum results.

Named the “Community of the Year” in 2005 by the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association, and awarded the 2006 Grand Award for Outstanding Development by the Georgia Urban Forest Council, Heron Bay Golf & Country Club, developed by Minerva Properties, is a master-planned community that is setting new standards for development in the Atlanta marketplace. Heron Bay includes a variety of neighborhoods designed for every life stage and features a full complement of unparalleled amenities in a resort-like setting in Locust Grove, Ga., just south of Atlanta. For more information, visit www.heronbayinfo.com or call 770-957-5633.

Contact mRELEVANCE to find out how we can help you with new home marketing for builders.

Baby Boomers use Social Media

2008-09-19T08:59:00.002-04:00

Mitch Levinson with mRELEVANCE recently commented about an article on BrandWeek.com discussing Social media and Baby Boomers

Future of Search Article

2008-09-18T15:49:00.004-04:00

Google Search is so important to marketing on the Internet. Questions come up in every Internet Marketing seminar I have ever been to about how to come up better on google search. Builders and developers are all asking the same question "how do I come up better on google?"

I read this article about the future of search on Google's blog recently.

Official Google Blog: The future of search

There is a lot to consider. Decisions are being made on how to design and build sites to get the most from the search engines. As search changes change, so should your strategy about how to interact with the search engines.

Latent Semantic Indexing and SEO

2008-08-08T22:53:00.003-04:00

Have you naturally structured your homebuilder website to include Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI)? Does your site cover topics that are helpful to your customers or is it stuffed full of keywords that aren't relevant?

Does your site rank where you want it to rank for specific keywords and phrases? Or do other builders and developers always seem to have better SERP - search engine results page?

Attract qualified homebuyers to your website by utilizing LSI.

Optimized relevance can help you make your goals and reach your buyers. This online SEO and internet marketing package incorporates keyword research, LSI, competitive analysis, link building and more.

Contact mRELEVANCE to discuss ways to enhance your online reputation.

IBS Speaker News

2008-07-31T18:14:00.003-04:00

mRelevance managing partners Carol Flammer, MIRM and Mitch Levinson, MIRM have been selected to speak at the International Builder Show in Las Vegas. Look for more details on dates and times as we get closer to the show.

Carol is speaking on Social Media. Her program, "How to become a Social Media Butterfly" demonstrates the power of social media and an Internet optimization tool for homebuilders and developers.

Mitch is presenting Internet Tracking. His program is "Internet Tracking: What your Web site visitors are telling you." Learn how to maximize your online exposure, increase your SEO, keep visitors on your site longer and more.

Online registration for the International Builder Show is now open. We will see you in Vegas, Jan 20 – 23, 2009.

Request Information Contact Forms

2008-07-25T08:02:00.003-04:00

Website Contact Forms? Request for Information? The goal of most real estate websites is to generate a lead. How do you want that lead to come in? Ideally that person would just show up at the sales center and announce they were on your website. They could pick up the phone and tell you up front, " I am looking at the community information on your web site". Lastly they could fill out your email lead form or send you an email directly. Most builders and real estate agents would rather have one of the first two leads to happen, yet most websites assume the only way they can get a lead is the last option.

Look at your website. Are you asking them to visit you? Are you making the phone number prominent on the website along with a reason to call? The next time you look at your website, think about the consumer and the goals you want to accomplish. Decide if the web site is helping you to accomplish those goals or if something can be changed to direct the traffic on your website along a path you want them to follow.

Three MIRMs form new Marketing Company

2008-06-07T09:56:00.009-04:00

mRELEVANCE, LLC, a joint venture of Flammer Relations, Inc. and MLC New Home Marketing, launches next week (June 11 - 13) at the Southern Building Show in Atlanta.

Founded by three MIRMs -- Carol Flammer, Mitch Levinson and Bo Gilbert -- we think this might be the most MIRMs working together in one marketing firm anywhere!

This new web 2.0 centered marketing firm offers relevant solutions for building relationships in today’s changing world. By combining the talents of public relations and social media agency Flammer Relations, Inc., with Internet marketing agency MLC New Home Marketing, the resulting marketing firm is equipped to identify and implement the strategic marketing tactics that create relevant relationships for home builders and developers. Services will encompass both traditional public relations and Internet marketing to include search engine marketing, social media, email marketing, Web 2.0 tools, blogs, tracking, analytics and business intelligence.

Back to the Basics of New Home Marketing

2008-05-29T10:35:00.003-04:00

New home builders and developers are continuing to refine marketing budgets and look for ways to differentiate themselves in a tough market. This is a great time to evaluate your marketing budget and go back to the basics of marketing. Take the time to review this simple exercise with your team and refocus your efforts where they will most benefit your company's goals.
Seven basic steps of marketing
1. Know your company
2. Know your market (top 3 competitors)
3. Know your buyers
4. Be ready to do business
5. Reach your buyers (target market)
6. Sell and manage sales
7. Monitor and control results
Once you have reviewed the 7 steps of marketing, look for ways to improve. Does your sales training have the tools and training they need to sell your homes? Are you doing a good job of differentiating your homes and communities from your competitors? Are there unmet needs in the market that you could fill? What are your core competencies? Can everyone on your team give the two sentence elevator speech on the company? How can you improve your marketing mix to reach your target market? Are you employing low cost solutions such as public relations, social media and Internet marketing.

Does Social Networking Confuse You?

2008-04-25T14:33:00.003-04:00

Social Networking is rapidly being embraced by builders and developers seeking ways to interact with online buyers. From business networking on LinkedIn, to Realtor networking on ActiveRain and anything and everything on Facebook and MySpace, social networks provide opportunities to build personal and corporate brands while building online networks.

Still don’t get it? Here is a great video showing how Social Networking works - Video: Social Networking in Plain English

Target your Social Networking campaign to drive traffic to your website. Contact MLC New Home Marketing to learn how.

How Quickly do You Respond to Buyers?

2008-03-11T06:26:00.006-04:00

Recent Internet Marketing surveys show that homebuyers expect a faster response time from email. According to the California Association of Realtors Internet vs. Traditional Buyer Survey (2007- 2008), 94-percent of Internet buyers expected a response within 4 hours or less in 2007. This compares with 67-percent expecting a four hour turn around on response in 2006.

Is your current email marketing program set up to respond this quickly? Do you have a system in place to work a homebuyer lead through the system to become a sale? Does your Internet marketing program inspire homebuyers to take action?

Home Builders and Developers wishing to take their email marketing and Internet Marketing program to the next level should contact MLC New Home Marketing.

eBlast Management

2008-03-03T12:30:00.004-05:00

It is important to stay in touch with clients, vendors and potential clients through the use of eBlasts. These are a powerful tool that can help homebuilders and developers reach their desired audiences when used effectively. However, when used improperly eBlasts and email marketing can become flagged as SPAM.
We recommend that you use a program such as iContact or Constant Contact for your eBlasts. Programs such as this provide you with many necessary features. You can time the release of your email, check to see who opened it, see the website links they opened and more. Best of all these programs provide one touch unsubscribe -- an important feature in today's world.
For more information on how you can use eBlasts to gather business intelligence on your homebuilding company, visit MLC New Home Marketing.