The Cutting Edge in Online Marketing - Latest Comments

Re: Manufactured Home Industry Survey Aug 2015 ver 1.1

MMHA — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 14:40:15 -0000

Completed this, hope its helpful! Good luck!

Re: Comparing Manufactured Home Apples to Conventional Housing Apples

Selisa Graham — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 01:39:03 -0000

After Suggestion of pro/home shopper about structured or re-framed. Then what will be your next step for your costumer's. Hexder

Re: What’s CRM? How Can it Make Your Location(s) more Money in 2014?

Mike Richardson — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 03:07:22 -0000

Always good to see someone tackling these questions Tony. I’d say having a CRM and operating it in the right way can be like lifting the blindfold you didn’t know you’d been wearing. It gives you complete transparency and control over your business, not to mention the added benefits of being able to automate tasks and take much of the time out of admin work.

Get more info on what CRM is all about here - http://www.max.co.uk/crm-fo...

Mike Richardson
Maximizer CRM
www.max.co.uk

Re: What’s CRM? How Can it Make Your Location(s) more Money in 2014?

Tony — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:01:50 -0000

Scott,
My pleasure! Given all that is happening - or not - in the industry right now, this is a common sense step that could benefit many. Glad to have you on the panel

Re: What’s CRM? How Can it Make Your Location(s) more Money in 2014?

scottstroud — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 16:29:54 -0000

Tony - Thanks for promoting this special event. I'm looking forward to joining you and Jason on stage to address this important topic.

Scott Stroud
Selling More Homes Media

Re: “’Tis the Season” for a Marketing and Sales Lesson!

Ron Thomas Jr — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 13:13:51 -0000

Well written, well said!

Re: Memorable Destination and Launching Pad

Greg McClanahan — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:32:53 -0000

Great story and analogy to our businesses. As for the ping-pong match --- clearly you had a height advantage. You were MUCH closer to the top of the table!!!

Re: Messaging: Crafting and Delivery

JohnOConnell3 — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 22:38:44 -0000

We need to get back to business and get over the fact that Romney lost. It was not because of how Obama played. Romney lost because he never found the voice of a majority of Americans. Mitt Romney lost because he told us that 47 percent of Americans are dependent freeloaders, including retired people, struggling students and disabled vets, instead of Americans who need help because "we’re all in this together". Romney didn't make a clear case that he would improve the lives of those who are struggling, and he gave them reason to believe he didn't care that they are struggling.

Romney was just not a great candidate. He thought that the rhetoric and positioning of 1980 and 1984 could win in 2012. Romney was damaged over and over by the rights loony social agenda gaffes. He took the nomination because every other potential top-tier candidate took a pass. Look at his competition. We had Herman Cain this summer as the field’s front-runner Rick Santorum, the ultra-conservative former senator who lost his own seat by 18 points, wound up being Romney’s stiffest competition.

It was ridiculous for the Republicans to nominate a multimillionaire who had made his fortune in the kind of investment activity many voters associate with the economic crash, in an election they could have easily won because of the nation's economic hardship.

Re: Cave Man

Tony — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:35:08 -0000

Lol!!! Thx.

Re: Cave Man

JamesC — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:37:38 -0000

Word of advise: Never dangle a link in front of an ADD person like me and expect us to kindly return :)

Re: A New Trend in Marketing Communications

latonyk — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 10:48:21 -0000

James
Thanks for your candor and comment. This quote is a reminder to me, you might find it interesting too:

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer.

Re: A New Trend in Marketing Communications

James — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 10:37:48 -0000

Sat up and took note. It's something USA Today has done for years (and been made fun of) but I agree that it is powerful as my own perceptions of foreign competition from China has been brought into question. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Fear

JimH — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 21:00:28 -0000

Fear as motivation is not a new concept. However, most of the stories, anecdotes or examples we know of are all about fear being a negative motivator – that is motivating people to do the wrong thing, go the wrong way, or ending up making a victim out of the person.

Marketers use fear as a motivator as often as they can. They present a scenario they hope will invoke our sense of fear. Then they show us a solution – a path back to our comfort zone – that entails using their product or service. Fear is used to sell virtually everything: cars, tires, and life insurance are classics. But, clever marketers also use it to sell breakfast cereal and deodorant. As a result we purchase all sorts of things that a generation ago were considered unnecessary: antibacterial soap, alarm systems, vitamins... the list goes on and on.

Fear can be too powerful to use as a motivator because it can also paralyze -- the classic deer in the headlights syndrome. Would you like to use fear to motivate your employees to perform better? “If you don’t sell more homes - you’re FIRED!” It can work, but there are rules you must follow for it to be successful. To use fear successfully as a motivator, a solution must be offered with it. A new path to follow. You can tell an employee he or she must sell more, but unless you show them how, fear will cause flight or worse: paralysis.

Fear is a powerful motivator, but it is a negative one. I prefer to motivate someone by eliminating doubt. Doubt destroys motivation. If you can help a person get rid of it, you will motivate them positively.

Re: Pinterest

Tim Connor — Sat, 19 May 2012 09:08:34 -0000

I wasn't aware of this site. Thanks for mentioning it. But considering the millions of sites on the internet I have to wonder how many more sitres are out there that could benefit us all vs. wasting our time and efforts. I just signed up. Looks like a winner for all who participate4.

Re: The View

James — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:49:37 -0000

Ah, the classic debate by building presence/brand in the prospect's mind vs. getting them to take immediate action. I've read various takes and I personally think it depends on the product. Mom & Pop MH Insurance co. won't have the deep resources of a Mickey D's to build presence...and Mickey D's, like you mentioned, is not going to develop a downloadable Big Mac anytime soon.

Good read.

Re: We Hate to Lose

James — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:19:23 -0000

In psychological circles it's well known that we do far more to avoid negative consequences than to gain positive rewards. Most elderly, for example, regret what they DIDN'T do far more than what they did do - decisions that came about as a result of this common thought model.

I would challenge us further to not only look at lost sales (pain) but in sales is to not only hit on the prospect's hot buttons (you did elicit those, didn't you?) but to find out what they don't want as well and focus on that too.

Lastly, great book and a fun read on behavioral economics: "Predictably Irrational" by Dan Ariely - highly recommended for anyone involved in marketing at any level!

Re: Does the latest news about Sears have a message for Manufactured Housing retailing?

Mhlmvl — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 07:16:14 -0000

Of course Sears is everything the article says it is, but the talk of upgrading is far easier than actually finding the resotces to do it. In my lifetime, Sears bested Montgomery Wards with newer, better located stores. This left Wards with many small, downtown stores as the suburban shopping malls were emerging and thriving. This got the new entrants better locations and larger, more inviting stores. No one can stand up to that type of competetion.
Often, as with Sears today, not only are the stores tired, but leases for the location might well be a factor in not moving.

Re: Lazy vs. Professional Sales People

John Thalacker — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:35:43 -0000

Lazy people, are you inspired yet?
Merry Christmas to all my friends in the biz!

Re: Is Content Marketing in Business 2 Business Marketing the New King?

John Thalacker — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:29:53 -0000

Martyn Chamberlin had some interesting things to say about content marketing for generating quality traffic and email subscriptions.

http://www.linkedin.com/gro...

Re: Warren Buffett’s advice to Manufactured Housing

Tony — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:49:21 -0000

Actually, Dan R at MHV refers to his system as an MLX.

IMHO - Their approach certainly has potential, given the inclusion of other variables.

Tony

Re: Warren Buffett’s advice to Manufactured Housing

John Thalacker — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:42:26 -0000

I guessed you might be talking about Dan's MLS.

Re: Warren Buffett’s advice to Manufactured Housing

L. A. Tony Kovach — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:06:38 -0000

John, we know each other well. So it is with respect that I say that in your own warm, whimsical way, it is you who are doing the baiting ;-)
That said, Warren Buffett and I agree on this point (gee, isn't that interesting ;-) Buffett's statement to Kevin Clayton in the video on our Daily Business News blog is dead on.
The MH Industry suffers in part from a lack of an effective resale mechanism.
What makes Real Estate work in terms of a normal market and the normal opportunity for appreciation? Resale, image and financing. So realtors are a part of the mix that makes real estate what it is today. if reselling your site built house or condo was as big a hassle as it is with MH, real estate would never have had the bloom that it has enjoyed.
There are billions to be earned when an effective resale mechanism is established for factory built housing that mimics what Realtors and an MLS system do. Combined with image building, marketing and more, you have the MH Alliance/Phoenix Plan.
Cheers!

Tony

Re: Warren Buffett’s advice to Manufactured Housing

John Thalacker — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:18:49 -0000

"resale marketing system"
"effective resale mechanism"

I feel like I'm being baited with double talk. I wish you could speak plainly.

Re: Starting the MH Image and Marketing Campaign

Derrick — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:47:07 -0000

This project is tremendously great and much needed. To bring the MH industry together to better our image, reputation, products, and business is long overdue. Will it be easy? Of course not, but then nothing that is truly worthwhile ever is. I applaud Tony and everyone at MHMSM for spearheading and managing this effort. We will be more than happy to participate in any way needed.

-Derrick Hachey, Manufactured Home Source

Re: Manufactured Homes: we either Define ourselves or let others define us

Johnny Edmundson — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 06:03:43 -0000

I have been in the Retail side of this industry for 36 years (24 as an owner). When our industry gets out of denial and shares your message and all the positive things about our product on national TV with all Americans, then we will begin to see more customers. When the industry stops spending millions on plant shows and regional shows and begins spending those millions on advertising their message to the masses, then we will see more customers. As you say here we will get a shot at the low income customers anyway, its the middle income customers, who have good credit and just can't quite reach that $200,000.00 average site built house that we must target. While shipments are down nationwide for 2011, the retail sales at our little MOM and POP dealership in Athens, TN are up 35% for this year. 50 new homes thru July. How, you say? Because we ADVERTISE on TV. It is the only way to relay the message effectively. Mail outs don't work, neither do newspaper line ads or little signs on the side of the road. I know how to beat the Real Estate industry for the middle income customers, but I can't get anyone to listen!! Johnny Edmundson/johnny@zl55.com/423-337-1545