Projects

In an industry known for intense competition, volatility in market conditions, and evolving buyer demands, Painted Prairie (PP) is a forward-thinking Master-Planned Community (MPC). And, its development team is committed to promoting the success of its community homebuilders. Starting in their third year, PP experienced well-deserved local and national recognition, as a Community of the Year. In earlier years, to ramp-up and gain early exposure and excitement, they needed to amplify brand awareness, broker relations, and sales performance. This would also help increase sales momentum and maintain builder retention for future development phases.

The Challenge: Stand Out in a Competitive Market

Being a recognized leader in the MPC industry can help advance builder confidence to invest in homesites. This supports retention and attraction of top performing home building companies for lot purchases in all phases of development. In turn, the good reputation enables the builders to attract top performing sales professionals. All of these factors can enhance opportunities for higher pricing, lot premiums, and absorption, contributing to maximized builder and developer profitability.

To help propel this success and increase home sales, the developer needed to build brand awareness, demonstrate key differentiators, and drive buyer and broker traffic to the site. They wished to grow a solid group of “ambassadors”  in broker, builder, partner, and resident audiences. The goal was to recruit and engage clients, colleagues, friends, and family in the community offerings.

As part of this initiative, PP wanted to build a reputation as Denver Metro’s most broker-friendly MPC. Through strengthened partnerships with real estate professionals and developing more community advocates, they would create a positive buzz and passion among brokers promoting the community. They desired to be the one community brokers know and talk about, show, and sell homes in. Development and implementation of a robust broker outreach program would grow the broker community awareness of PP, the builders, and their products.

To execute a “Best in Class“ program and offer the builders more than any other MPC, PP faced several industry challenges, including:

• Unpredictable market shifts.
• COVID’s impact on events and in-person comfort levels.
• Inconsistent broker and builder engagement.
• Limited awareness among increasing competition within the real estate market.
• Difficulties in driving consistent traffic to model homes.
• Fragmented communication between builders, brokers, and community stakeholders.

These issues were significant and contributed to reduced profits, resource depletion, and inefficient processes. They hindered PP’s progress in growing builder participation and consistently reaching traffic and sales goals.

“Neneh [of GMG] has been extraordinary in finding creative ways to engage (outside of the typical) with the broker community, especially during these challenging times! Refreshing!!”

~ Rebecca Morris, Director of Marketing – KB Home @ PP

The Solution

To help tackle these challenges, PP leader, Cheryl Schuette gathered a team of experts. Green Means Go, LLC (GMG) was engaged for program development and strategic consulting. In the initial six month phase, we performed several key steps:

Step 1: Discovery & Strategy Development

• Met with PP leadership and marketing team to learn about community and marketing tools. We assessed broker marketing efforts, successes, and downfalls, industry benchmarks, and community goals.
• Engaged with PP builder Sales and Marketing teams to gather intel & FAQ’s relevant for informational presentations. We received product information and got familiar with their broker outreach programs, vision, and objectives in the community.
• Organized and hosted a Broker Focus Group to gather market intel, suggestions, & FAQs.
• Hosted a Whiteboard Brainstorming Session with PP marketing team to review intel, identify key topics, broker objections. Then, formulated targeted marketing strategies, including recognition, reward, and promotion plans.
• Proffered a sales, market, and industry perspective – combining the views from both the broker and builder/developer worlds for broker program ideation.
• Developed, managed, and evolved informational presentations, directed messaging to target important topics relevant to the broker community.

Step 2: Broker and Builder Relations & Education

• Identified and engaged with target list of key brokerages, brokers, and organizations. Targeted to build the community brand awareness and Prairie Partner network.
• Encouraged broker on-site visits in a wide variety of ways – office outreach, email, text, presentations, etc.
• Managed ongoing broker program activities and outputs, including personalized follow-up to brokers with sales and closings. Tailored messaging for flyers, social media, and email campaigns.
• Fostered relationships with builders, regular check-ins with on-site sales teams to confirm effective programming, outreach, and engagement.

Step 3: Events & Community Engagement

• Planned and executed first broker event, Prairie Partner Launch, with developer and builder panel discussions and community tours.
• Created, planned, and hosted Spirit of Excellence Awards program to recognize top-performing brokers with PP.
• Participated in community and industry events to strengthen relationships with real estate and home building community.
• Connected with Industry Partners who had relationships with PP and its builders to collaborate and brainstorm joint promotional opportunities.
• Assisted with launching successful PP community event programming and promoted events to broker community, helping ensure strong attendance.

Step 4: Technology & Process Optimization

• Evaluated and provided direction for community website and broker page, lead generation follow-up, & email response results from PP and builder.
• Reviewed social media and recommended adjustments that required modification for optimizations & targeted messaging.
• Built and maintained broker contact lists in CRM, evolving communications, lead follow-up protocols, and email automation.

“Neneh has been beyond helpful in providing information on every aspect of PP. From the vision, the vision of the development, to the latest news, her enthusiasm, resources, and attitude make it so much fun and easy to help our buyers settle in the community.”

~ Diana Kearns, Realtor® – Realty One

Solution Phase Two

For the next four years, as the community progressed, we continued improving strategies, best practices, and consistent messaging to educate individuals about PP’s differentiators. GMG expanded into additional, innovative services, progressive strategy with multifaceted programs across broker relations, sales enhancement, and business development, including:

• Engaged with the builders more effectively, to encourage reciprocal communication, benefit from broker initiatives, and help them sell more homes.
• Conducted multiple Secret Shops, including PP’s builder sales offices and competition in neighboring developments. Shared reports with best practices and strategic recommendations.
• Developed and delivered comprehensive Community Onboarding and Training Program. Successfully equipped builder sales team members with all the tools and information necessary to properly present and sell the community.
• Originated and managed unique sales initiatives – Power Hour Appreciation Events and Hot Topics emails for on-site Sales Associates (SA). Encouraged collaboration, gathered intel, shared market updates, and enhanced PP’s marketing strategies.
• Recruited for builder participation, advised, and strategized with sales teams to effectively host vendor tables, maximizing the opportunity, at signature event.
• Communicated with builders to have cohesive and effective promotion plans for Broker Opens of new model home grand openings.
• Became a visible leader in the broker community by continuing to nurture relationships and evolve the successful broker community awareness.
• Continued to evolve, promote, and ultimately, revamp the Leaderboard Program. Refined rewards and recognitions to coincide with the market and broker changes.
• Helped determine appropriate industry association involvement and sponsorships. Recommended membership levels, events calendar, & participation schedules.
• Evaluated previous broker-centered events to determine best practices, processes, logistics, and strategies to effectively implement for future events. Created shared documents for PP team’s future reference.
• Evolved engagement and value-add programming. Created and hosted educational events, webinars, and expert panels to encourage brokers to visit and bring their buyers to PP.
• Planned, organized, and moderated brainstorming and Focus Group Sessions with builders, brokers, and PP leadership to gather market intel. Communicated outcomes, feedback, and recommendations to PP marketing team.
• Facilitated broker hosted on-site events, i.e. open houses in inventory homes and buyer workshops in models, to increase awareness and engagement with PP.

“I had the privilege of working with Neneh Biffinger during her tenure as Broker Ambassador at [PP], and I can’t speak highly enough of her contributions to our [MPC]. Neneh’s exceptional ability to bridge relationships between builders and brokers was truly remarkable. What sets Neneh apart is her genuine commitment to creating value for all stakeholders. Her professional expertise, coupled with her warm personality, created an environment where builders and brokers, all felt supported and valued.”

~ Michelle T., Principal – Hipcat Media LLC

From Strategy to Success

As a result of these strategic initiatives, what started as proof of concept became a one-of-a-kind, GOLD AWARD-WINNING Broker Relations Program (The Nationals), delivering remarkable outcomes to PP.

PP’s broker network expanded significantly, providing opportunities for over 200 targeted outreach activities and educational events. We created and hosted 7 plus webinar and panel events. Over 3,000 brokers and real estate professionals were introduced to the community. This outreach drove more informed and motivated brokers to promote the community, leading to increased foot traffic to model homes. Subsequently, PP sustained high broker-initiated sales rates of 78% to 81%.

PP was the first Denver Metro community to launch partnerships with Denver Metro Association of Realtors® (DMAR) and South Metro Denver Realtors® Association (SMDRA). Together, we hosted four progressive community tours, maximizing awareness and attendance. These events directly contributed to impressive sales figures and elevated PP’s brand among brokers, partners, and homebuyers. Approximately 280 attendees toured the community, with over 75% being first-time visitors and prompting a 70% month-over-month increase in traffic. At least 10 homes were sold by attending brokers of one event alone. Over 15 brokers hosted open houses in inventory homes. And, countless social media posts made by brokers tagging builders and PP. These partnerships helped PP stand out as a desirable community for brokers to bring their buyers, reinforcing brand reputation and market presence.

By consistently listening to broker feedback, adapting programs, and simplifying processes and events, PP built lasting relationships. They continue to drive referrals and community advocacy, while improving their ROI through saved time and resources.

SA Onboarding Sessions were well received and effective at getting the onsite SAs excited about the community. The training created ambassadors who promote the community, not just their products, and brag about PP to visitors and other co-workers. The program was so impactful, it was expanded virtually for Online Sales Counselors and S&M leaders. These trainings also received favorable reception & feedback. The deliberate communication between the PP team and SA’s via Power Hour Celebrations and other touch points increased collaboration and cross promotion across builders in the community. These innovative engagements impacted builder sentiment and the desire to invest and sell in PP, helping maximize PP’s profitability goals.

The strategic partnerships set a new benchmark for broker engagement, builder relations, and community success. PP was positioned as a leader in innovative community marketing.

“Passion, energy and fun are words that come to mind when I think of Neneh. She’s creative and is re-inventing how to promote the features and sale of community and homes on traditional and new social media platforms.
She is an excellent presenter, moderator, and facilitator in the housing industry; enthusiastically engaging everyone at the table, in the room or on ZOOM. Neneh’s enthusiasm for growing and evolving builder business is hard to beat in the Metro Denver marketplace.”

~ Cheryl Schuette, Head of Marketing & Builder Relations – PP

Build Your Community’s Success Story

Are you facing similar challenges in engaging brokers, fostering relations with builders, driving sales, and strengthening your community’s market presence? Green Means Go, LLC specializes in creating award-winning programs tailored to your community’s needs. We serve as an effective liaison between developers and builders to drive impactful, measurable results.

Contact us today for a consultation and let’s turn your biggest challenges into real estate success stories.