Fall 2011 issue of Horizons

Home Builders - continued

media programs are estimated to generate a 25 percent increase in new website visitors and have become increasingly important to businesses as a marketing and sales tool. For many buyers, Facebook has supplanted home builders’ websites as the source of information about a new project or community. With nearly 85 percent of home buyers researching their home purchases on the web due to time constraints, websites like Facebook must provide easy navigation for users. The fastest growing segment of social media has become Twitter. Builders have found the power of quick online connection and the appeal of reduced marketing dollars as two significant benefits along with driving users to a builder’s website offering a critical sales advantage. Twitter, like counterparts, Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn, offers advantages through a simple yet addictive approach. Users choose for free whom

they want to “follow” through a customized and constantly updated news feed. Builders are able to communicate to many for limited dollars and target messages to buyers. Builders can also create deeper relationships with their customers by responding publicly or privately to tweets. Advances in social media, however, will not entirely replace the interaction a buyer has with their sales agent and the builder. The “human connection” and personal insight will remain important as it has been in the past.

RubinBrown’s Home Builders Services Group As a recognized leader in the home building industry, we serve home builders across the country.

Steve Hays, CPA - St. Louis Partner-In-Charge Home Builders Services Group steve.hays@rubinbrown.com 314.290.3336

Glenn Henderson, CPA, CFP - Kansas City Partner Home Builders Services Group glenn.henderson@rubinbrown.com 913.499.4429

Jim Massaro, CPA - Denver Partner Home Builders Services Group jim.massaro@rubinbrown.com 303.952.1211

Felicia Malter, CPA - St. Louis Partner Home Builders Services Group felicia.malter@rubinbrown.com 314.290.3249

Raise Your Expectations

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