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Don’t Retire Print Marketing – Reimagine It

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Brochure of a K. Hovnanian Homes house

People often ask us why a print company specializing in print for home builders is necessary. Heck, today, builders sometimes ask us if print marketing is still a valuable sales tool! The answer to both questions is a resounding “Yes!” We explain why in this post.

The Role of Print in New Home Sales

In a recent episode of the Digital Velocity Podcast, co-hosts Erik Martinez of Digital Velocity and Tim Curtis of NaviStone talk with Alex Kupski and Jake Hoffman, co-hosts of the Millennials in Print Podcast, about the Power of Print in the Digital Age. They conclude, “The more channels you’re present on and the more channels you’re marketing to people on, ultimately, the more effective you’re going to be. Print, just like social, just like email, just like your website, just like a commercial on TV, is a channel for you to market on. It’s another arrow in the quiver. It’s another way to reach people you might not have before.”

…the ubiquity of digital media has given print media a strange new power.” –Brandon Ortiz, Salesforce.com

Print marketing works best when paired with digital marketing. Digital marketing is often the most effective way to draw people in. With interactive site plans, interactive floor plans, renderings, virtual tours, visualizers, and Matterport tours, your website is arguably a home builder’s most potent marketing tool. But it is only effective for a home buyer’s few precious moments on your website. Print collateral, on the other hand, has a much longer life span. Brochures and floorplan/elevation minis often sit on a potential buyer’s countertop or table for weeks or months, a lasting reminder of your homes and communities. Not every prospect immediately purchases a home, so print is a great way to keep them focused on yours. 

David Weekley Homes brochure with cactus front cover, and homes on the back

Data shows that print used in tandem with digital marketing is one of the most effective sales strategies as the two mediums strengthen and reinforce each other. A study by InfoTrends found that 66% of direct mail is opened, and 56% of consumers who respond to direct mail go online or visit a physical store. A recent article in SFGate offers some great tips to sync your print and digital marketing efforts:

  • Place QR codes on print materials.
  • Provide digital opt-ins for direct mail.
  • Include social media reviews and comments on print materials.
  • Include hashtags and calls to action on print materials.

Although digital and print marketing take different forms, They work together to engage customers and keep your brand at the top of their minds.

It isn’t game over for print marketing. The game has only changed.”

The game has changed regarding print marketing strategies. When you discover the power of fusing “low-tech with high-tech,” you will separate yourself from the homebuilders who made the mistake of transitioning to 100% digital marketing.

Print is particularly effective where there is a physical customer presence – In industries where customers interact in person, such as model home sales offices, print materials provide tangible takeaways. Homebuilders can leverage brochures, direct mail, and high-quality printed floor plans to keep their homes top of mind for buyers who may not be ready to purchase immediately.

Print Remains Relevant in the Digital Age – As digital marketing becomes more saturated, print marketing offers brands a way to cut through the noise. As digital marketing becomes more easily ignored, physical marketing materials command attention, creating a lasting impression.

Moreover, print campaigns should be fully integrated with digital efforts. Rather than treating print as an afterthought, homebuilders can maximize impact by designing campaigns that blend the strengths of both mediums. Brochures, mailers, even print ads should include QR codes, personalized URLs, or augmented reality elements that direct potential buyers to interactive experiences online. Instead of evaluating print and digital separately, builders should use KPIs that measure how both contribute to lead generation and engagement.

Why Use a Builder-Specific Printing Company?

The challenge builders face that is unique to our industry is the weekly sales cycle. From week to week, home prices may change, lot availability changes, and options may vary. The typical strip-mall printer is not equipped to automate this process. Outhouse built their business to serve a single industry – HOME BUILDING. We do all work in-house, from CAD for your construction documents to print materials for your sales centers. This allows all teams, including architectural, rendering, graphics, interactive, and print, to work in tandem. By doing so, we create accurate, up-to-date print materials that are consistent and coordinated with your digital marketing assets. Utilizing the latest technologies, we print and deliver materials on time every week, on the builder’s schedule. Challenge solved – you send us your edits, and we coordinate these changes across all platforms.  

Professional Artwork Creation: Outhouse provides clients with the considerable advantage of having drafting and rendering services on-site, allowing coordination with the development of their artwork for all printed materials. This coordination offers clients superior accuracy, faster turnaround times, and lower overall costs.

Coordinated File Management:  Another advantage is the ease of managing and coordinating all created artwork with professional digital file and asset management. All artwork is kept up-to-date, consistent, and coordinated between city design reviews, printed sales materials, large format displays, and interactive web products and services.  

Superior Print Quality:  Superior brand standard quality and consistency every time on every product is only possible with the coordination, color calibration, and production of all graphics, printing, and display under one roof. Unlike a mass-market printer like Vista Print, Outhouse is not a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) printer. We believe that good enough is never good enough, and we have the magnifying glasses to prove it! On rare occasions when colors are incorrect or print quality is not up to snuff the first time off the press, we recalibrate and rerun the job.

Builder-Specific Delivery:  Unlike many industries, home building has a weekly sales cycle, and having your print delivered on time is critical. Outhouse understands this. We meet your deadlines your way on your weekly sales cycle.

Woodside Homes brochure with three homes

The bottom line is print marketing still plays an integral role in new home marketing and sales. There’s a reason the Outhouse Interactive Floor Plan has a save button. It allows prospective homebuyers to save their customized floor plans and print them out for further review. 

What about younger generations? Retail Focus Magazine tells us that print is 30% more memorable than digital. This applies to all age groups. You need look no further than nightclubs which hand out leaflets advertising upcoming events, and university welcome packs to know that print still appeals to young people. The magazine also notes the best campaigns are when print and digital work alongside each other instead of trying to compete. A younger audience may be digitally savvy, but they still appreciate a well-thought-out hard copy campaign.  

Although any printer can give you a halfway decent brochure, only a company like Outhouse coordinates your CAD, rendering, and interactive projects with your print materials and sales office displays. Even if our print pricing is a bit higher, you will save significantly more overall through efficiencies in coordination.     

Woodside Homes floor plan
When you update a plan, Outhouse coordinates the changes across CAD, print, and all digital marketing assets.

Is 2025 the Year to Break Out of the “Home Builder Box?”

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There are many brilliant people here at Outhouse, and one of them is our content creator and social media manager, Tabitha Warren. An enthusiastic advocate for the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, Tabitha made the bold decision to leave her full-time job as a tax accountant in her mid-thirties. But instead of retiring, she pivoted to a new career in digital marketing, joining our team at Outhouse while also helping other companies build websites. It wasn’t an easy transition, but through determination, hard work, and a relentless drive to learn new skills, she made it happen. Today, she’s a Canva expert, crafting stunning graphics and managing social media for most of our marketing efforts. What’s even more inspiring is her constant quest for the “next big thing.” Her curiosity and drive to adopt cutting-edge technologies push me, the old guy, to keep learning and reaching for more.





Tabitha Warren in front of husband Anthony





Tabitha Warren,  enjoying some free time with husband Anthony





In a way, Tabitha’s journey mirrors the challenges the home building industry faces. As she mentioned in her January 10th post, “Navigating Labor and Supply Chain Issues,” the industry enters another year trying to stay ahead. It’s not a lack of demand—there are plenty of families looking for new homes—but labor and supply chain bottlenecks, coupled with sticky inflation, that are driving home prices higher (thank you, pandemic). And let’s not forget the high interest rates that persist even after a couple of Fed rate cuts (thanks, lenders).







Builders and contractors who adapted quickly survived. 







The housing crash of 2008-2010 showed us that builders and contractors who adapted quickly survived. For many, that meant streamlining operations, letting go of staff (not-so-affectionately called “right-sizing”), and embracing new, cost-saving techniques. Some even chose to be acquired by other companies. Many long-time construction workers faced similar crossroads, and those who were willing to adapt to new careers—sometimes temporarily—are the ones who have thrived today.

The reality is, like the stock market, the home building industry is volatile. It’s a constant roller coaster ride with high highs and low lows, and rare are the moments when things are smooth sailing. The key to surviving and thriving? Being agile. Builders who can pivot quickly, streamline processes, adopt new methods and technologies, or even revert to time-tested strategies when necessary will be the ones who come out on top.





Image of a house blueprint transitioning to 3D exterior rendering










This is exactly why we built the Outhouse CAD department with this roller coaster in mind. Many homebuilders already rely on us for renderings and interactive tools, so it only makes sense to put our 30+ years of CAD expertise to work and help with drafting services. Here’s how outsourcing your drafting to us can benefit you:

• Uniformity for the Field Crew: Our approach ensures that your plans maintain a consistent look and feel across the board, no matter who the designer is.
• Compatibility is Key: Our 2D plans integrate seamlessly with other Outhouse services or external consultants—no hassle, just smooth collaboration. 
• You Own the CAD Files: Whether you build one home or a hundred from a single set of plans, the CAD files are yours to keep. 
• Accelerated Delivery of Marketing Assets: We can produce your interactive floor plans, site maps, virtual tours, visualizers, renderings, and brochures simultaneously, allowing you to hit the market faster and more cost-effectively.







Embrace the future (or more precisely, the present) with 3D photorealistic renderings, 360-degree virtual tours, and interactive floor plans. 







If your website still sports black-and-white stick drawings and static floor plans and site maps, it’s well past time to think outside the box. Embrace the future (or more precisely, the present) with 3D photorealistic renderings, 360-degree virtual tours, and interactive floor plans. Interactive tools are far more engaging than static images—they allow homebuyers to digitally add structural options, rearrange furniture, and even take virtual walks through rooms with integrated VR hotspots. These experiences help families emotionally connect to your homes, turning casual browsers into serious buyers. Plus, interactive features are proven to increase the time visitors spend on your site, which often leads to more sales. In today’s tech-savvy market, these tools aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re essential. Younger homebuyers, especially, love the gamified, interactive experiences.


















Outhouse.net excels at providing all the digital and print marketing assets that today’s homebuyers expect when shopping for new homes, including 3D renderings, virtual tours, visualizers, interactive floor plans, and interactive site maps for your website. And we don’t stop there—we also offer interactive kiosks, print materials, large format signage, and display options for sales offices.

Looking for more ways to expand your horizons? The International Builders Show in Las Vegas, happening February 25-27, is a fantastic place to explore the latest in construction technology and trends. If you’re attending, make sure to stop by and say hello to Outhouse principals and our OSC partner Blue Gypsy Inc. in Sales Central, West Hall W311. We’ll be sponsoring coffee and snacks throughout each day, and we’d love to meet you. All are welcome—even if you have a floor pass only!







Optimizing the Design-Market-Sell Continuum: Tips for Home Builders – Part 2


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In the dynamic world of homebuilding, a term that often echoes through the corridors of innovation is “value engineering.” Investopedia defines it as a strategic method aimed at delivering essential project functions at the minimum possible cost. This approach champions swapping out materials and methods for more cost-effective alternatives while maintaining the integrity of functionality—and, we’d argue, quality, too.





At Outhouse, this principle is at the heart of our Design-Market-Sell methodology. Our suite of services—from drafting to visual aids and digital innovations to print solutions—caters to builders across the spectrum. Yet production home builders crafting anywhere from 30 to 3,000 homes annually, stand to gain the most from our holistic approach. By integrating our seasoned Computer-Aided Design (CAD) expertise, builders can forego the hefty expense of maintaining an in-house drafting team. As our CAD wizards work their magic, our graphics and rendering teams get cracking on interactive floor plans, site maps, virtual tours, and much more, paving the way for a seamless transition to print media and sales office displays. This cohesive strategy not only accelerates your market entry but does so with significant cost efficiency. And therein lies the secret to mastering the Design-Market-Sell continuum.





In the first chapter of this series, we unpacked the foundational tools every builder needs to design, market, and sell new homes. Now, let’s dive into the digital realm that captivates homebuyers and enriches their purchasing journey.





Crafting Emotional Connections: The Power of Interactive Floor Plans and Site Maps





Outhouse has been at the forefront of Interactive Floor Plans (IFPs) and Interactive Site Maps (ISMs) for over two decades, boasting a portfolio that’s as robust as it is innovative. Optimized for mobile use, these tools work like a dream on any device, aligning perfectly with the preferences of over 70% of today’s homebuyers.






Headshot of Outhouse VP of National Accounts Erin Kearney against a wood plank backdrop with the words, "Helpful Tips - Visualizers"
Erin Kearney, VP of National Accounts






Erin Kearney, our VP of National Accounts, emphasizes the importance of understanding buyer needs and adopting a personalized sales narrative. The ability to swiftly capture and analyze consumer preferences sets a builder apart in a market brimming with competition. IFPs and ISMs are more than mere marketing gimmicks; they are bridges to potential buyers’ hearts and minds, allowing them to visualize and tailor their future homes. This emotional engagement is akin to the bond formed during a car’s test drive, transforming a potential purchase of “your house” into “my home.”





Moreover, ISMs offer a comprehensive view of available lots, linking directly to elevations, IFPs, virtual tours, and more, thus streamlining the journey from lot selection to home customization.





Marrying market insights with interactive tools is critical to truly excel in sales. These technologies elevate customer interaction and deepen the emotional bond with their future homes, positioning builders as pioneers in their field.






Sketch of Marilyn Monroe against a wood plank backdrop with the words, "Helpful Tips - Interactive"






Maximizing Engagement with IFPs and ISMs





Success with IFPs and ISMs hinges on precise construction documents and strategic website placement. Marcy Smith, our incredibly talented but media-averse Graphic Department Production Manager, shares invaluable tips for optimizing these tools:





  • Ensure clarity and accuracy in your CAD files before engaging with a digital tools provider. Autodesk offers a free ‘DWG TrueView’ for this purpose.
  • Incorporate a PDF version of your CAD files for ease of reference.
  • For IFP projects, detailed CAD files minimize back-and-forth, saving time and resources.
  • Clearly delineate desired lots for ISMs, especially in master-planned communities, to avoid unnecessary costs.
  • The placement of these tools on the website is crucial; they should be prominently displayed for easy access by potential buyers, enhancing engagement and site retention.






Headshot of Outhouse partner Stuart Platt against a wood plank backdrop with the words, "Helpful Tips - Visualizers"
Outhouse partner Stuart Platt






Virtual Reality: The Frontier of Digital Engagement





Virtual Reality (VR) stands as the latest marvel in digital homebuilding tools, offering virtual tours, animations, and visualizers that transport the model home experience to buyers worldwide. Stuart Platt, an Outhouse partner, advises:





  • For interior VR projects, consider selecting from Outhouse’s extensive library of interior designs to save on costs, unless custom designs are necessary.
  • Utilize color and material visualizers to give buyers a comprehensive view of their customization options, though it’s wise to limit exterior color schemes to maintain community aesthetics.





As a quick VR refresher: Virtual Tours are user-controlled tours – buyers click from room to room. Animations are essentially a video tour. And, Visualizers are customization tools that allow buyers to select options, colors, and finishes whether it be interior cabinets and countertops, or exterior roofing, stone, and siding.





In Summary





The key to optimizing the design-market-sell continuum is to work with a sole provider like Outhouse – the outsource hub for home builders.  Whether launching a new community or seeking innovative cost-saving strategies, Outhouse is here to guide you through optimizing your design, market, and sell process. Reach out today to explore how we can transform your homebuilding journey.


Optimizing the Design-Market-Sell Continuum – Tips for Home Builders – Part 1


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As the 2024 NAHB International Builders Show gears up to roll out the red carpet this week, it’s the perfect backdrop for a little fireside chat on elevating your home building game. With the industry’s brightest minds converging in one spot, buzzing with the latest trends and innovations, we at Outhouse are seizing the moment to sprinkle some of our own seasoned advice into the mix. Let’s dive into the art of perfecting the design-market-sell trifecta, shall we? 





With so much information, this post is being broken into two parts. In Part 1 we cover CAD, Rendering, and Print Marketing – the essentials every builder must have. These are what we would call the more physical items, the ones used for design review, neighborhood presentations, in your design centers, and for the construction of your homes. In Part 2 we will discuss website tools. Although renderings fall into both categories, our second post focuses on digital tools that are more interactive. 





Part 1: The Essentials – CAD, Rendering, and Print Marketing 





In the realm of home building, there are a few non-negotiables: CAD, rendering, and print marketing. These are the bread and butter, the tools that transform a blueprint dream into a sticks-and-bricks reality. 






VP of Operations Darin Keezer with CAD tips
Darin Keezer, VP of Operations






CAD (COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN) 





Imagine having a magic wand that ensures your construction documents are flawless, a foundation as solid as the homes you build. That’s what good construction documents do for you.  Here at Outhouse, under the guidance of our VP of Operations, Darin Keezer and his cadre of seasoned pros with over 30 years of experience working exclusively with production home builders, we offer CAD services that are a cut above. Here’s why: 





  • Uniformity for the Field Crew: Our approach ensures that regardless of the designer, the plans maintain a consistent look and feel, making life easier (and error-free) for those on the ground. 
  • You’re the Boss: The files? They’re yours. Whenever you want them, wherever you need them sent, consider it done. 
  • No Nickel-and-Diming: We’re all about transparency. No per-lot-use or other hidden fees, just straightforward billing for the time spent on your plans. 
  • Compatibility is Key: Our 2D plans play well with others, making them a breeze to integrate with additional Outhouse services or other consultants. 





While the CAD magic happens, why not simultaneously kickstart your marketing with some stunning renderings, virtual tours, visualizers, interactive floor plans, interactive site plans, and print collateral? It’s all about multitasking. 






Outhouse partner Stuart Platt






RENDERINGS – A WEBSITE STAPLE





A well-crafted rendering can speak volumes, turning the intangible into something almost touchable. In today’s market, where digital home tours are gaining ground, the allure of a beautifully rendered image remains undiminished. While virtual tours and visualizers are becoming more mainstream, renderings are still the essential source of product visualization. Colored renderings should be a staple for every home builder website. Black/white stick drawings are a huge turnoff. For as little as $195, Outhouse can create a very nice 2D rendering. For a bit more, most builders opt for 3D photorealistic renderings, as they provide a far superior picture of a home. With realistic landscaping and the ability to include special lighting like dusk shots, the renderings are often more appealing than a photo of a newly constructed home, which is frequently on a dirt lot with a couple of “twigs” for trees. Today’s home buyers expect the essential marketing tools, and renderings fall into this category.  Here’s how we make your projects pop: 





  • From Meh to Marvelous: Ditch the bland for the grand with colored renderings that capture the imagination of your buyers. 
  • The Devil’s in the Details: Outhouse partner, Stuart Platt, swears by the golden rule: the more accurate your CAD, the more stunning the rendering. It’s that simple. 






Outhouse Partner Bill Gelbaugh with print media tips
Outhouse partner Bill Gelbaugh






PRINT MARKETING – YOUR PROJECT IN THE SPOTLIGHT 





In an era where digital is king, print marketing retains its crown for creating tangible connections. With an onsite print department dedicated to print media for production home builders, here at Outhouse, LLC, we understand the importance of every stage of production home building printing and the vital steps to making your project a success. This includes on-time delivery to your sales centers. Bill Gelbaugh, our print guru, knows the ins and outs of making your projects shine on paper. Here’s his blueprint for success: 





  • Plan with Precision: Like laying a foundation, choosing the right quantity, size, and type of print material sets the stage for everything that follows. 
  • Choose Wisely: Not all printers are created equal. Opt for one that knows the ins and outs of the home building industry. 
  • Attention to Detail: A single typo can throw a wrench in the works. Proofread like your project depends on it (because it does). 
  • Clear as Day: When it comes to special requests or concerns, communication is key. The right printer will make your vision a reality. 





That is our humble advice to ensure your print media materials turn out just as you envisioned and on budget. Remember, at Outhouse, LLC, we have more than 25 years of experience in specialized homebuilder printing. 












MEET US AT IBS! 





And there you have it, folks. A sneak peek into the alchemy of blending design, marketing, and sales into a seamless continuum. But wait, there’s more! Swing by IBS this week for a cup of joe on us at Sales Central in the West Hall, Room 311. Outhouse and our friends at Blue Gypsy Inc. can’t wait to meet you. 





Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll dive into the digital deep end with website tools that make your projects not just seen, but experienced. Until then, happy building! 


Building a House in Arizona:  Expert Guidance From Local Builders | Redfin


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Outside view of white home with palm trees






Redfin is featuring Outhouse in an article, and we encourage you to check it out. Although we provide computer-aided design (CAD) and interactive marketing tools to builders nationwide, we are pleased to be included in an article about home building in our home state of Arizona.





Embarking on the journey of building your dream home in the Grand Canyon State of Arizona is an exciting adventure filled with unique considerations. From the vibrant energy of Phoenix’s city life to the tranquility of Flagstaff’s pine-scented forests, constructing a home here requires careful planning and consideration.





In this article, Redfin has gathered insights from seasoned Arizona builders to walk you through the essential steps, from understanding zoning laws to choosing the right materials for the Arizona climate. With practical advice and tips from start to finish, you’ll gain the confidence to manage your building project effectively and make informed decisions that bring your vision of an Arizona home to life.

















Read the full article here: Building a House in Arizona: Expert Guidance From Local Builders | Redfin





Consider an Integrated Build/Market/Sell Process for Speed





Whether you live in Arizona or one of the other 49 states, when you are ready to design, build, and sell some new homes, it pays to consider a digital marketing provider like Outhouse, which offers in-house drafting services. Outhouse’s experienced CAD team works with some of the most successful production home builders across the nation on everything from master sets to redline revisions to plot plans. And, while your homes are being drawn, our production teams are simultaneously creating interactive floor plans, renderings, virtual tours, visualizers, print collateral, and more, helping you bring homes to market faster than the competition. Starting with Outhouse CAD as the foundation, integration is the key to streamlining the build/market/sell process.





As we head into the holiday season, Outhouse would like to thank all our clients and friends. We appreciate you and are grateful for the business you bring us throughout the year. Happy Thanksgiving!







Print Marketing Sells New Homes


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Brochure of a K. Hovnanian Homes house





People often ask us why a print company specializing in print for home builders is necessary. Heck, today, builders sometimes ask us if print marketing is still a valuable sales tool! The answer to both questions is a resounding “Yes!” We explain why in this post.





The Role of Print in New Home Sales





In a recent episode of the Digital Velocity Podcast, co-hosts Erik Martinez of Blue Tangerine and Tim Curtis of CohereOne talk with Alex Kupski and Jake Hoffman, co-hosts of the Millennials in Print Podcast, about the Power of Print in the Digital Age. They conclude, “The more channels you’re present on and the more channels you’re marketing to people on, ultimately, the more effective you’re going to be. Print, just like social, just like email, just like your website, just like a commercial on TV, is a channel for you to market on. It’s another arrow in the quiver. It’s another way to reach people you might not have before.”





Print marketing works best when paired with digital marketing. Digital marketing is often the most effective way to draw people in. With interactive site plans, interactive floor plans, renderings, virtual tours, visualizers, and Matterport tours, your website is arguably a home builder’s most potent marketing tool. But it is only effective for a home buyer’s few precious moments on your website. Print collateral, on the other hand, has a much longer life span. Brochures and floorplan/elevation minis often sit on a potential buyer’s countertop or table for weeks or months, a lasting reminder of your homes and communities. Not every prospect immediately purchases a home, so print is a great way to keep them focused on yours. 





David Weekley Homes brochure with cactus front cover, and homes on the back





Data shows that print used in tandem with digital marketing is one of the most effective sales strategies as the two mediums strengthen and reinforce each other. A study by InfoTrends found that 66% of direct mail is opened, and 56% of consumers who respond to direct mail go online or visit a physical store. A recent article in SFGate offers some great tips to sync your print and digital marketing efforts:





  • Place QR codes on print materials.





  • Provide digital opt-ins for direct mail.





  • Include social media reviews and comments on print materials.





  • Include hashtags and calls to action on print materials.





Although digital and print marketing take different forms, They work together to engage customers and keep your brand at the top of their minds.





Why Use a Builder-Specific Printing Company?





The challenge builders face that is unique to our industry is the weekly sales cycle. From week to week, home prices may change, lot availability changes, and options may vary. The typical strip-mall printer is not equipped to automate this process. Outhouse built their business to serve a single industry – HOME BUILDING. We do all work in-house, from CAD for your construction documents to print materials for your sales centers. This allows all teams, including architectural, rendering, graphics, interactive, and print, to work in tandem. By doing so, we create accurate, up-to-date print materials that are consistent and coordinated with your digital marketing assets. Utilizing the latest technologies, we print and deliver materials on time every week, on the builder’s schedule. Challenge solved – you send us your edits, and we coordinate these changes across all platforms.  





Professional Artwork Creation: Outhouse provides clients with the considerable advantage of having drafting and rendering services on-site, allowing coordination with the development of their artwork for all printed materials. This coordination offers clients superior accuracy, faster turnaround times, and lower overall costs.





Coordinated File Management:  Another advantage is the ease of managing and coordinating all created artwork with professional digital file and asset management. All artwork is kept up-to-date, consistent, and coordinated between city design reviews, printed sales materials, large format displays, and interactive web products and services.  





Superior Print Quality:  Superior brand standard quality and consistency every time on every product is only possible with the coordination, color calibration, and production of all graphics, printing, and display under one roof. Unlike a mass-market printer like Vista Print, Outhouse is not a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) printer. We believe that good enough is never good enough, and we have the magnifying glasses to prove it! On rare occasions when colors are incorrect or print quality is not up to snuff the first time off the press, we recalibrate and rerun the job.





Builder-Specific Delivery:  Unlike many industries, home building has a weekly sales cycle, and having your print delivered on time is critical. Outhouse understands this. We meet your deadlines your way on your weekly sales cycle.





Woodside Homes brochure with three homes





The bottom line is print marketing still plays an integral role in new home marketing and sales. There’s a reason the Outhouse Interactive Floor Plan has a save button. It allows prospective homebuyers to save their customized floor plans and print them out for further review. 





What about younger generations? Retail Focus Magazine tells us that print is 30% more memorable than digital. This applies to all age groups. You need look no further than nightclubs which hand out leaflets advertising upcoming events, and university welcome packs to know that print still appeals to young people. The magazine also notes the best campaigns are when print and digital work alongside each other instead of trying to compete. A younger audience may be digitally savvy, but they still appreciate a well-thought-out hard copy campaign.  





Although any printer can give you a halfway decent brochure, only a company like Outhouse coordinates your CAD, rendering, and interactive projects with your print materials and sales office displays. Even if our print pricing is a bit higher, you will save significantly more overall through efficiencies in coordination.     





Woodside Homes floor plan
When you update a plan, Outhouse coordinates the changes across CAD, print, and all digital marketing assets.


Why Is Experiential Marketing Essential for Home Builders?


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Children at a Hogwarts themed party 
A giant wall wrap printed by Outhouse, “floating” candles, and authentic table decorations create the perfect setting for a Hogwarts themed party.





There is a much more businessy answer to this question, but I’m going to start by introducing Darin Keezer, our VP of Operations. Most people know Darin as a number cruncher, spreadsheet whiz, Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) specialist, and an all-around smart guy. Many people don’t realize he is also an expert on experiences and a brilliant party host (watch out, Martha!). Whether it be a Wizard of Oz Halloween or a Harry Potter Birthday bash, Darin and his wife Angie create the most amazing experiences for their two daughters and others. I am so jealous! With all the chatter about left brain vs. right brain – how is it possible that someone so technical can also be so immensely creative?





The bottom line is Darin and Angie know their audience and what kind of experiences they crave. With this knowledge, they put in the time, effort, and expense to create the best, most engaging experiences possible.    















People crave personalized experiences. And after spending a significant amount of time sitting at home the past couple of years, we are seeking them out more than ever. In response, companies, and their marketing teams, are ramping up efforts to create unique, hands-on experiences for clients/customers. Salesforce tells us, “Brands who can facilitate outstanding customer experiences will be the ones that will differentiate themselves. And it’s not a secret to executives, as 68% of marketing leaders claim their company is increasingly competing on the basis of customer experience.”  





Darin and his wife Angie turn their backyard into the road to the Emerald City.





Outhouse and our digital marketing and web development partners like Blue Tangerine, Group Two Advertising, Meredith Communications, Adlanta Creative, Denim Marketing, A2 Digital Consulting, Boe Creative, Bokka Group, Evolution Marketing, Flying Orange, Kovach Marketing Pepper Glen Creative, Rhoads Creative, Wick Marketing, and 616 Marketing, and more understand the importance of experience when marketing for home builder clients. In today’s scroll through, swipe left, swipe right world, home builders need to stand out from the crowd if they want to be memorable. Experiential marketing gives a competitive edge to forward-thinking builders.      





So what does experiential marketing encompass? A few general examples include: 





    

  • Demos
    • 




  • Events and festivals
    • 




  • Activities and kiosks at trade shows
    • 




  • Unique brand experiences
    • 




  • Retreats
    • 






In other words, pretty much anything that actively engages clients/consumers.





Darin’s Halloween experience gives Tim Burton a run for his money.





How does this relate to home building? The past couple of years have been huge for our industry. As the pace slows down, the top builders are elevating their homebuyer experience to grow sales. Static floorplans and stick renderings are out. Interactive Floor Plans, Interactive Site Plans, Visualizers, User-Controlled Virtual Tours, onsite Interactive Sales Kiosks, and community events/open houses are in. Today’s tech-savvy home buyers expect and respond most positively to experiential marketing online and in your sales centers. This interactive community map created for SoMi by Homes Built for America is a prime example.





Click the image to engage with the multi-layered site map, interactive floor plans, and more for SoMi, the new community by Homes Built for America.





Here are the most significant benefits you will see if you create a more engaging website and sales center:





    

  • Increased Brand Awareness
    • 




  • Emotional Connection: People purchase products based on emotions — positive, hands-on experiences move them closer to conversion.
    • 




  • Word of Mouth: Draw potential buyers by giving people something to talk about on social media with a fun activity and a hashtag.
    • 




  • Lead Generation: Outhouse has designed our Interactive Floor Plans and, Interactive Sales Kiosks to deliver leads directly to your inbox. Participatory social media campaigns can generate leads as well.
    • 






Humans crave experiences. Think about that when you open a new community or redesign your website. A day at Six Flags can be fun. But, like Darin with his Harry Potter-themed parties, the best theme parks (Disney, Universal) understand people want more than a simple roller coaster. They return again and again for the experience – the interaction and emotional connections.       





Cheers, America!





Outhouse has dedicated significant time and resources to developing online experiential marketing tools housed on a single Virtual Interactive Platform. Compelling on their own, our Interactive Floor Plans, Interactive Site Plans, Animations, Virtual Tours, and Visualizers are even more engaging when builders roll them all into an Interactive Sales Kiosk.





The benefits of experiential marketing are numerous. Outhouse is here to help you explore, learn how to create emotional connections with homebuyers, and discover which online and onsite engagement tools will boost your sales. Contact us today to learn more.


OutThink – The New Blog from Outhouse LLC


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Moving Home Building Forward – Together





One of my favorite activities at trade shows is learning from industry insiders – even our own competitors.  Collectively, we share so much knowledge.  Yes, we are all vying for our piece of the pie, but builders, trade contractors, and service providers are also working as a community to build and sell the best new homes, and bring our industry into the 21st century.  The catalyst triggered by events in 2020 cannot be overstated.  Builder marketing and sales strategies have changed forever, and the way new homes are constructed is rapidly evolving as well. 





Blocks spelling New Normal.  Homebuyers now expect online engagement with Interactive Floor Plans, Site Maps and virtual tools.
The New Normal: Homebuyers shopping online expect an engaging, interactive experience, similar to when they visit your model homes. Interactive Floor Plans, Site Maps, and virtual tours all play an integral role in online sales.





With an emphasis on pushing boundaries, Outhouse is pleased to present OutThink – our new blog for home builder marketing, sales, architecture, and construction executives who are looking to up their game.  In addition to insights from Outhouse staff, the blog will feature posts from top website builders, online sales experts, marketing gurus, designers, architects, engineers, and developers of new products.  All will focus on ways builders can create the best homes and offer an optimal experience for buyers shopping online and onsite in your sales centers. 





In an industry slow to change, the onset of Covid-19 has catapulted home builders forward in their migration to virtual home sales.  A recent article in Builder affirms the importance of having a buyer-centric website with engaging sales and marketing tools.  Homebuilding is booming, and much of that is due to builders finding innovative ways to market and sell homes online, and/or with minimal contact onsite.  Today’s home buyers expect digital buying solutions.  Sophisticated online marketing tools like animations, virtual tours, Interactive Floor Plans, and Interactive Site Maps play a huge role in building emotional connections with your buyers. 





Interactive Site Map.  Click on lot to view available home plans, elevations and Interactive Floor Plans
Take our most sophisticated Interactive Site Map for a spin.  Click on any lot to reveal available floorplans.  Then click a rendering to link to the corresponding Interactive Floor Plan.





Traffic is also ramping up at model home sales centers, so it is important to have great displays, and quality print brochures for potential buyers to take away.  You might also consider unassisted model home tours to adhere to social distancing guidelines.  We are in a challenging period, but it is also an exciting time for progression to the next level for marketing and sales. 





To learn more about the latest online tools for builders, email us to schedule an online demo.  Or, catch us in one of our upcoming “live” presentations. 





Knowledge is Power – Join Us at Upcoming Educational Programs





Home Builder Digital Marketing Summit





You will not want to miss the Home Builder Digital Marketing Summit, which Outhouse presents with leading digital marketing agency Blue Tangerine.  Taking place in October and November over four weeks, the once-a-week two-hour program features an engaging roster of new home sales and marketing experts:





Chris Hartley – K. Hovnanian Homes
Michelle Smallwood – Holiday Builders
Ashley DeYoung – DeYoung Properties
Jimmy Diffee – Bokka Group
Angela McKay – Lasso CRM
Dana Kovach – Kovach Marketing
Spencer Powell – Builder Funnel
Bassam Salem – AtlasRTX
Greg Bray & Erik Martinez – Blue Tangerine
Stuart Platt & Kevin Weitzel – Outhouse, LLC.





TecHome Builder Online Summit





We are also pleased to sponsor the TecHome Builder Online Summit where our VP of Business Development & Sales Kevin Weitzel will be sharing his knowledge on the implementation of virtual tools to grow your market share. His presentation takes place on September 30th.





Pulse - Online Sales and Marketing





Finally, the Do You Convert PULSE event hosted by Mike Lyon and Kevin Oakley comes online October 6th and 7th.  Although not speaking, Outhouse is proud to sponsor this program where builders will learn to navigate and leverage the current sales and marketing landscape to boost appointments and conversions





Join us for one or all of these insightful programs designed to help your sales and marketing team grow sales.





Now, a Question for You





What is your preferred length of blog?  The “gold standard” for many years has been 500-800 words. Data is now showing articles with closer to 2,000 words are garnering the most reads, likes, and shares.  This is assuming the content is interesting and educational.  As a reference, this post has around 730 words.  Do you prefer 500, 1,000, 2,000 words?  Or a mix?  Please let us know your preference in the comments section. 





Thank you for checking out the OutThink Blog!  











Ready to get started, want more info? 




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