This week on The Home Builder Digital Marketing Podcast, Stephanie Walker of Rancho Mission Viejo joins Greg and Kevin to discuss how home builders and developers market to home buyers in master-planned communities.
Master-planned communities often have a comprehensive mix of housing types, so there are various home buyer profiles to reach through marketing efforts. Stephanie says,
“It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. We have custom messaging, custom creative, and custom targeting for all of these different audience segments. There are not just two or three segments. But if you put them into different buckets, you have your first-time buyers, your move-up buyers, and then your 55-plus. Most certainly the visual and the messaging that we send to a 55-plus is not going to be the same as a move-up buyer with four kids. So, I think that is such a key element of our marketing. Just making sure what we are putting forth is really resonating and speaking to everybody.”
One of the benefits of building homes in a master-planned community is that builders can highlight the lifestyle and unique community experience offered in their marketing. Stephanie explains,
“It’s a really interesting dynamic because our role is the developer, and we work directly with a big array of different neighborhood builders. Our job is not necessarily to sell the homes. It’s to generate qualified traffic. So, we try and get folks to fall in love with the community, the amenities, the land, the activities, the programming. That is in the forefront of all of our marketing.”
As with all home builder digital marketing, adaptability and flexibility are key. Stephanie says,
“Don’t be afraid to pivot. Again, it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. I know sometimes that might be the easiest and the most cost-effective, but you don’t always see the benefits by having that one size fits all.”
Listen to this week’s episode to learn more about marketing for master-planned communities.
About the Guest:
Stephanie Walker serves as Vice President of Marketing for Rancho Mission Viejo. She has served The Ranch for over a decade in various marketing capacities. In her current role as Vice President, Walker is responsible for establishing and maintaining The Ranch’s competitive brand position while developing strategies and tactics to optimize visibility and drive continued sales for the community’s newest village of Rienda and the upcoming, Gavilan Ridge.
Before joining The Ranch, Stephanie worked in various traditional and digital agency settings with clients in the healthcare, biotech and automotive industries.
Stephanie graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Media Studies. She lives in Laguna Niguel with her husband and two small children.
