Social Media for Home Builders 2.0: It's Easier Than You Think

Home builders who have embraced social media strategies for marketing their business, have seen extraordinary results. According to the second edition of Social Media for Home Builders 2.0: It’s Easier Than You Think, builders have seen results ranging from a 25-300 percent increase in website traffic, to increased customer referrals through using social media. This popular resource recently released by BuilderBooks, the publishing arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) teaches builders and residential construction professionals how to use social media tools such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, to increase their visibility and improve their sales results.

Social Media for Home Builders 2.0: It’s Easier Than You Think, by Carol M. Flammer, MIRM, CAPS, CSP is designed to help readers understand social media and construct a strategic plan for attracting more prospects, following up on leads and closing on more homes. This book speaks specifically to the needs of the real estate industry, and teaches home builders how to build a social media presence from the ground up. The updated edition includes even more examples, details and strategies than the first edition, featuring examples of specific social media campaigns and their sales results by builder type; sample tweets and Twitter campaigns to draw foot traffic to homes and communities; and new research on how people are using social media.

“Social media has become increasingly important to businesses as a marketing and sales tool”, said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev. “With this new resource, builders and remodelers can learn how to use these tools to more effectively market their business, increase visibility, and make more sales.”

Author Carol Flammer outlines in a clear, concise style how to engage consumers through social media. She provides content suggestions for creating and maintaining a blog, and includes real-life examples of successful blogs that have attracted readers. Flammer also provides details on how to:

• Improve search engine optimization (SEO)
• Gain Facebook friends and Twitter followers
• Find the right social media groups
• Run social media campaigns
• Optimize websites, blogs and other social networking sites
• Track, analyze and improve results

Carol Flammer is a public relations and social media marketing expert, strategist and consultant. With 20 years of experience, Carol has established herself as the “go to” person for real estate and construction products public relations and social media. Carol is the founder of the online Atlanta Real Estate Forum, president of Flammer Relations, Inc., and managing partner of mRELEVANCE, LLC, an Internet marketing, social media and public relations firm with offices in Atlanta and Chicago.

Social Media for Home Builders 2.0: It’s Easier Than You Think is available for purchase at www.BuilderBooks.com or by calling 800-223-2665. Soft-cover/264pages, $19.95 retail, $17.95 NAHB member, ISBN 978-0-86718-675-8.

HBAs Compete for Social Media Seminar

Football season is about to start and soon teams will be pitted against each other to win regional titles. A similar competition is going on at Home Builders Associations around the country as they compete against each other for a free hands-on social media seminar from me (Carol Flammer).

The Social Media for Home Builders Contest launched earlier this month at the Executive Officers Council convention in beautiful New Mexico. So far, more than 25 HBAs have registered. The rules are pretty simple, sell the most copies of "Social Media For Home Builders: It's Easier Than You Think" and win the seminar.

Now, I'm certainly not playing favorites or trying to stack the deck, but I wonder. . . . Is Hawaii participating? Or what about Alaska?

There is still time to register to participate if you have not, but hurry HBAs must register by Aug. 20 to compete. Visit www.nahb.org/socialmedia for more information.

Order your copy of "Social Media For Home Builders: It's Easier Than You Think" today!

mRELEVANCE Creates Award-Winning Social Media Programs

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.

mRELEVANCE won the following awards:

• Gold OBIE for Best Print Ad – Magazine
  
• Gold OBIE for Best Interactive Application for http://www.atlantarealestateforum.com/
• Silver OBIE for Best Website Associate for the company’s website http://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 http://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

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!

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.

Sell More Homes with Social Media

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

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

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!

Flammer and Levinson Present Basics of Social Media

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.

Baby Boomers use Social Media

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