2 min read
For a number of years we’ve been telling custom home builders and remodelers that having a robust, compelling blog is a critical component for successful marketing in today’s market. And we still have seasoned builders (who have heard their share of marketing promises) raise an eyebrow and ask, “How in the world will blogging help me sell homes?”
It’s a fair question. After all, people want you to build a home for them—not write stories about building homes, right? Actually, potential home buyers do want you to talk about the building process online. Here’s why.
If you’ve been in the home building industry for a while you know that the sales cycle can be a bit lengthy. People don’t shop for a home the way they shop for groceries. Many of your potential clients have never built a home before. They have lots of questions that they need to answer before they’re ready to sign a contract to build a home. They’re looking for information.
Where do people go today when they want information? They go to the Internet. You’ve got a website, right? That means customers ought to be able to find you, right? Guess what? A lot of other people have websites, too. According to internetlivestats.com the number of websites should hit one billion this year. What are the chances that a home buyer will land on your site—particularly if he or she doesn’t know your name?
One way to make that happen is to be out there talking about the things that home buyers want to know. That’s how people search for information on the Internet. They don’t look for “XYZ Homebuilders.” They type in questions—specific questions about the home building process. They want to know about building materials. They’re eager to know about floor plans. They want to understand how long the process will take and where their money will be best spent.
If you have content on your website that answers those kinds of questions, you can pull people into your website which is the essence of inbound marketing. Of course the content on your site needs to be optimized to make sure it reaches the right people. But once you start getting people to your site, you can begin cultivating a relationship with them—turning them from “visitors” into qualified leads. And when you establish yourself as a knowledgeable, trustworthy expert—you have a much better chance of turning your leads into customers.
That’s where blogging comes in. It’s an opportunity for you to showcase your knowledge and expertise about home building. But equally important, it’s a chance for potential clients to find you. It’s a great first step in building a relationship with clients.
If you’re a builder who wants to sell homes, you may need to start by building a blog that answers the questions your potential customers have.