With a slower sales pace then 2003-2005 (duh!) and a client base that is tired of hearing that people are not buying because of the recession (I can’t say that I blame them) coming up with innovative ways to drive traffic and sales has become a more frantic part of my job. It’s a task that I cannot claim to be very good nor very bad at carrying out. Some ideas work, some ideas don’t. In the spirit of self deprecation and not taking life or myself too seriously I would like to share with you my 10 worst marketing ideas so far. Some ideas were dismissed (and rightly so) in meetings, while others never even made it out of the recesses of my brain for fear of the mockery they would surely elicit.
10. Have both developers at Palmer Hill (http://www.palmerhillhomes.com/) jump into the newly completed pool in mid-December for a photo op that could be pitched to the press as “Palmer Hills’ Polar Bear Club.”
9. Start a matchmaker service for new residents. It could be marketed as an amenity -kind of like the “Millionaire Matchmaker” only it would be more like “Andrea chooses who you date out of a pool of people who were also smart enough to buy a new home, but are probably not millionaires.”
8. Provide NYC Marathon runners with t-shirts branded with the name and website of a specific condo building. If they finish in the top ten (yes of the whole marathon pool) they win a free condo.
7. Name the Penthouse portion of the condo tower Aria (http://www.ariathecondominium.com/) Aira (yup Aria backwards) so it would appear to be 2 different buildings and make the PH homes exclusive and differentiated. It’s a bad idea, what can I say?
6. Arrange for the next 10 purchasers at Trump Plaza Jersey City (http://www.njtrump.net/) to have a guest appearance on The Apprentice.
5. Hire rickshaws to poach clients from the competition’s sales office and deliver them right to the door of my sales office (not my idea- but morally questionable and deviously clever).
4. Give away a free apartment for the PR buzz to any of the following: Lindsay Lohan, Nick Lachey, Paris Hilton, Brett Michaels, or one or more of the Olsen twins.
3. Film a season of “Deadliest Catch” right here in Manhattan. Atelier (http://www.ateliercondos.com/) could be the equivalent of “Dutch Harbor” and it goes without saying that anything caught in the Hudson is potentially deadly. It’s going to be an exciting season premiere as The Cornelia Marie dodges crashing airplanes and rush hour traffic.
2. Provide free bonus cashing advances for all top AIG employees when bonuses are used as a down-payment for homes.* *No refunds, even for ethical reasons will be permitted.
1. Give away condoms with “Everything’s bigger in Riverdale – Size Matters” printed on them. I was kind of kidding about this, but everything IS bigger in Riverdale – giant kitchens, huge closets, bedrooms that fit king sized beds etc. (http://www.solariariverdale.com/).
Surprised my Buy One Get One Free concept isn’t on the list? I am standing behind that one. It’s a damn good idea.
Hmmm,I don't recall getting to hear about the Aria idea. Were you waiting for a particularly gloomy weekly meeting to bring it out?
ReplyDeleteHere's one for your list:
Let the winning broker selected from registrants at an event, live in the model home to experience "life at Aria.