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We all have our own patterns of thinking that allow us to process the barrage of details that demand our attention everyday. These same patterns that help us to make decisions and move forward through the usual can be our downfall when our typical modus operandi is upset – for example, in an economic recession.

The following processes were introduced to me at a recent workshop I attended on Fostering Creativity in Your Child by Shelia Glazer. The four processes jumped out at me in context of my business life and what I’m hearing from clients and colleagues so I had to share.

Willingness to Take Risks
To have the courage to:
be unconventional;
expose oneself to failure or criticism;
take a guess;
function under non-structured conditions.

Preference for Complexity
To seek the challenge to:
look for many alternatives;
see gaps between how things are and how they could be;
bring order out of chaos;
delve into intricate problems or ideas.

Curiosity
To want to:
be inquisitive;
toy with an idea;
look for new insights;
to be open to one’s own hunches;
follow a particular bent just to see what will happen.

Imagination
To have the power to:
visualize and build mental images;
dream in the world of fantasy;
feel intuitively;
reach beyond artificial or sensual boundaries.

Now, read those again and find the change you can bring to your day, your business, your industry…

People’s lives revolve around their… well, lives – their interests, their activities, their families, their causes. Mike Arauz of undercurrent.com calls them desire paths. Meaning, everyday people explore avenues that lead them to their interests. For example, an avid reader probably spends a lot of time reading reviews and finding deals on amazon.com.

Guess what people don’t do everyday - search for new ways to buy your product, Google you or think about your company.

In the 1950’s, an advertiser could reach a huge portion of the population with one, single television commercial. In the digital media age, even if you scour the couch cushions for the ad dollars to put 30 seconds on American Idol – you won’t reach a fraction of your intended audience. Who watches TV in real time anymore?

So, unless you figure out what your target audience’s lives revolve around and set up shop right in the middle of their “desire path” you probably won’t get noticed. Take for example, Nike. They are certainly not the most inexpensive athletic shoe or even the most well made, so how are they the best selling? They have aligned themselves with the passions of their audience: running, fitness, endurance. Nike has taken their emotionally charged messaging and integrated into the daily, interest exploring avenues of their customer.

In order to be relevant, you must delve into the lives of your consumers and discover their passions. Make their passions your passions and get involved.

On the news, in the headlines: crisis, crisis, crisis-talk, talk, talk.

1.  We prefer not to think of it as a crisis, more of a temporary set back.  Not to diminish the economic pain that everyone is feeling, but we can get through this!  Let’s start by changing the self perpetuating language that surrounds us.

2.  “Hey, you - deer in the headlights- wake up!” We know that the market has been subdued and that it may take some time to recuperate.  The reality of the situation is that people don’t stop needing new homes and they don’t stop wanting to improve their current home.  Life will continue.  Right now, buyers are deciding who they will choose to help them create their dreams when the time is right.  When, they are ready (soon!) make sure yours is the name they’ll choose.  Take action!

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News 4 in St. Louis is actively reporting on good news in the area and came to us to find out the latest updates in the St. Louis Region’s new housing industry. Click here to see what Joe Zanola has to say about the the good news in housing , what will happen to the developed lot supply and the areas where values are stabilizing.

One in five Americans plan to buy a home in the next five years, 53.5% are first time buyers.

Ask yourself:  Are you properly capturing first time buyers?  Are you fully utilizing the tax credit in conversations and materials? If the answer is "NO" or "UMMM…." you might want to give us a call.

Full story with other stats here.

Eight of them are 100% cost free.  Please pay special attention to #3 - it’s so important!

Find out why Zillow Rocks!

Friday, March 13, Joe Zanola presented MarketGraphics Housing and Subdivision Analysis research findings for Southwest, Missouri to a packed auditorium in Springfield. Visit the following links to view news coverage from the presentation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOsyVugGua0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZIno_6iH8U

Friday, March 13 at 10:30 a.m. Joe Zanola will present the MarketGraphics Southwest, Missouri Housing Forecast and Market Research Update for the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield. The research will cover land, lot, homebuilding and demographic detail for Greene, Christian, Barry, Stone and Taney Counties. Joe will include data-driven strategies to be successful in today’s market.

Join us at the Library Center located at 4653 S. Campbell in Springfield.

RSVP to HBA office at 573-881-3711 or jennifer@springfieldhba.com.

I was out visiting a sampling of new home communities from Columbia, Illinois to St. Louis County to Jefferson County to Wentzville (a lot of windshield time but that’s what we do). I saw some fairly clean sites that looked to me as though they were completely finished with selling homes (they aren’t). This ends the good news.

I also saw:
Deteriorated and haphazard signage (if there was any at all)
Models (that I could find) were closed and in some cases, no hours were posted
None of the fifteen sites had an information box
Flattened tires on work vehicles
Heaps of construction debris

If I wanted to buy a house in one of the sites I visited I would not know who to talk to or where to go for information – just imagine an overly cautious buyer’s reaction.

Two of the sites had some new signage, which was great but the signage color selected was cautionary yellow with black lettering. Cautionary yellow is the color of cautionary type signage like these:
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In a market where every little detail counts, this would probably not be the best color scheme.

I talk with our clients everyday about today’s market realities and understand we can’t afford to do things the way we once did but we can’t just pack up our toys and go home. There are buyers out there and we need to be available when they are! There are low-cost or no-cost solutions available! What about a self-touring site? Or a centralized sales zone? We need to concentrate activity. I have tons of solutions. Let’s chat about this – call me today!