Mother Nature Big
OK Florida developers.
This blog is for you. Now is the
time to reap what you sow. You have
never had a better opportunity to blow away your sales targets with out of town
buyers. Savvy developers know how to
follow up on a major advertising campaign.
Offer incentives, giveaways, throw a party. The point is to get customers through the door
while your product is fresh on their minds.
So, what are you all waiting for?
Mother Nature just put your marketing campaigns in bright lights,
brought you mainstream to the entire country.
She gave you a first class, “A” rated advertisement for the sunnier
climes. And she did not just advertise
up north where it is historically cold.
She even gave you a front page spread in the mid-south and all points in
between, like the Carolinas and Georgia, where snow is as common as sundresses
in January. And what are you doing about
it? NOTHING. Sure, you may be giving lip service about how
the bad weather will cause people to move.
You may even take out a regional newspaper ad or put something on the
radio or TV.
Big deal. Think bigger.
Think Mother Nature Big. You need
to not only roll out the red carpet, you need to paint the major highways
red. Physically red, using big cans of
paint, directing them where to go. Show them
the path the whole way down south. Free
meals at every Denny’s and Cracker Barrel along the way if you buy a home right
now. Send a plane. In fact, send a fleet of planes. Let people know their flights are waiting on
the tarmac. First come, first
served. Free flights. Hand out floral shirts and plaid shorts and
tell them they look good. Black socks, sunglasses
and big hats too. Let them know that
never ending sunshine awaits. Pay no
attention to those who say they are afraid of hurricanes. Really?
It seems like their recent winters of discontent have been on par with
our stormy summers. The last time I
checked, the hurricanes played no favorites along the east coast, either. Just ask those from New Jersey who are still
feeling the effects from Hurricane Sandy.
Send buses. Reroute trains. It can be the mother of all parties. Pour lots of fruity drinks with little
umbrellas in them. Put orange slices on the highballs. Let them know they can grow those
same oranges in their backyards. Have a
bonfire party. Let them bring all their
winter coats to throw on the fire. It
can be the world’s largest weenie roast.
Tell them to forget the Yankees and the Cubs. The Tampa Rays have been better anyway. They don’t have to worry about how bad their
hometown football teams are, either. We
have three mediocre pro football teams right here that they can lament
over. You want winning football? Follow the state’s college programs. We even have two pro hockey teams. Give them nice warm sweaters to wear to the
games to ward off the chill from the ice.
Whatever it takes. This is your
chance. Think big. Mother Nature Big.
Until next time…
Keep kicking the dirt!
Jeff Gersh is President of Gersh
Consulting Services, a real estate advisory firm, headquartered in Orlando,
FL. He may be reached at jsgersh@gmail.com
or 407-468-9328
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