| |
|
|
 |
 |
| August, 2007
|
| Case Study - Web-to-Print
|
| Home Sweet Homes
|
| Cross Media targets homebuilders with a cost-cutting, web-to-print solution |
 |
Cross Media helped community management company
Ryland Homes streamline and target its marketing efforts
by offering collateral through a web-to-print portal. |
Residential home building is a multi-billion dollar market. Its
success depends partly on the idea that people outgrow their
homes and move into bigger ones. Contractors and community
management companies such as Calabasas, Calif.-based Ryland
Homes want homebuyers to be repeat customers later in life.
Despite the inherent incentive to build and maintain relationships with their
customers, the home building market is notoriously behind in adopting 1-to-
1 marketing methods." A lot of them are focused on the lifetime of the customer− from the first home until they buy up− but they have no real way
of keeping track of customers or nurturing them through that lifecycle," says
Jeff Bradford, President of Cross Media, a Dallas-based printer.
" Historically, home builders are very good at mass marketing and primarily
have used radio and billboards to market their homes. With the new media
channels now available, they´re focusing more on individual home buyer."
Ryland Homes´ Dallas operation oversees 42 communities. Providing
collateral to the sales force took the marketing coordinator five to six weeks
at a time. Furthermore, she was working with multiple vendors and
spending a lot of money. A Cross Media sales rep approached Ryland
Homes with a web-to-print solution designed to streamline the ordering
process, reduce costs and facilitate target marketing." The first objective
was to streamline what they already do," says Bradford."The second
objective was to help them market better locally.
After the solution was implemented, delivery time for collateral dropped to
one week, and the marketing coordinator was no longer devoting all her
time to managing the process."Now their marketing department can focus
on generating sales and leads,"says Bradford. He estimates that total cost
reductions for Ryland Homes reached a total of $100,000 the first year.
Cross Media begins with a basic web-to-print platform and customizes it for
individual accounts. It worked with Ryland Homes ahead of time to
determine which products sales reps could purchase, including direct mail,
brochures, letters, post cards, customized neighborhood newsletters and
employee retention programs.
Of the items available, some can be
purchased by the sales reps immediately. Others, says Bradford, are
designated as requester items and must be approved by the corporate
office before the order is released.
|
A lot of [homebuilders] are
focused on the lifetime of the
customer− from the first home
until they buy up−but they have
no real way of keeping track of
customers or nurturing them
through that lifecycle." |
Jeff Bradford, President
Cross Media, Dallas |
|
|
|
The Ryland Homes sales reps were trained on the system when it was
implemented. Each rep was given an unique user ID. When they log into the
website, they see only information and products pertinent to their locale. For
direct mail, reps can purchase a mailing list directly through the system or
upload their own lists. They sign off on an electronic proof, and the file is
forwarded to Cross Media. The printer uses offset and digital equipment to
produce the pieces."We outsource things that don´t make sense for us to
print, and we´re looking for partners across the country as we take this
program nationwide," says Bradford.
" The most difficult thing with these sites is getting the customer organized and planning ahead, because you have to get a lot done up front," he says. For example, he had a web-to-print customer with branch locations around the world. The corporate office had never compiled the branches´ addresses and phone numbers into a single list. It took weeks to compile the information, says Bradford. Other decisions clients must make include which products to allow, which design elements remain static or variable, and pricing.
" The process does help them get streamlined," says Bradford". I tell people
that the cost of the printing is only one-tenth the cost of the document. The
other 90 percent is in the supply chain."Cross Media is working with Ryland
Homes to create even more sophisticated " touch" marketing programs. For
instance, when prospects visit model homes, they often describe to sales
reps what their ideal community would include, whether it´s a pool or golf
course. Sales reps now can follow up with personalized marketing
materials that respond directly to prospects´ needs." They can start talking
to them in the tone and manner in which they want to be addressed," says
Bradford, and the pieces are still branded and corporate-approved.
Cross Media started as a printer, but Bradford initiated a sea change eight
years ago. He named the company Cross Media in 2004 to reflect the
company´s new concentration on marketing implementation through value-
added products and services."Our focus is on helping corporate marketing
professionals," he says."We take headaches away from them by handling
all the details of a marketing campaign. Once they have their design and
brand, we help them implement and improve it."
− Andy Brown
|
|
|
|
|
