In this conversation, Jordan and Salina discuss the innovative software Decoro, which enhances the home building experience by integrating technology into the selection process for home buyers. They explore the importance of analytics in understanding consumer trends, the seamless integration of technology to improve customer experience, and the future of home building as it adapts to new consumer demands. The discussion also highlights the challenges faced by builders in adopting new technologies and the positive feedback received from users of the Decoro platform.

Key Takeaways

• Analytics play a crucial role in understanding consumer preferences.
• The integration of technology can streamline the selection process for home buyers.
• Consumer experience is significantly improved with digital solutions.
• Builders are seeing increased upgrades due to better visualization tools.
• The future of home building will focus on customization and consumer trends.
• Feedback from customers is essential for continuous improvement.
• Decoro allows for a hybrid approach between in-person and digital experiences.

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In this conversation, Steve Griggs discusses the growing trend of outdoor living spaces in home design, emphasizing the importance of treating outdoor areas as extensions of the home and a significant way to increase ROI. He shares insights on creating cohesive designs that integrate indoor and outdoor spaces, the benefits of planning outdoor features during the initial home build, and the challenges faced in landscape design. The discussion also touches on regional differences in outdoor preferences, the impact of COVID-19 on buyer expectations, and the potential for increased home value through thoughtful landscaping.

In this conversation, Alison Girard, Director of Marketing and Placemaking for Brookfield Residential, discusses evolving trends in home design, affordability, and community living. She emphasizes the importance of thoughtful design that accommodates changing consumer lifestyles, the growing demand for outdoor spaces, and the role of townhomes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in addressing housing shortages. The discussion also highlights the significance of master planned communities and the need for builders to stay informed about market trends and consumer preferences.

Key takeaways

• Placemaking is about creating meaningful community spaces.
• Affordability is a pressing issue in the housing market.
• Outdoor spaces are becoming essential in home design.
• Townhomes are a viable solution for increasing density.
• ADUs can provide additional housing options but face challenges.
• Consumer behavior is shifting towards smaller, more functional living spaces.
• Master planned communities should have a clear vision and theme.
• The New Home Trends Institute provides valuable insights into market trends.
• Sales strategies are evolving with self-guided tours and virtual staging.
• Collaboration among builders, marketers, and designers is crucial for success.

We have some exciting news that just couldn't wait, so we're bringing you a special episode out of season. We're incredibly excited to introduce our partnership with Firehouse Agency, a full service marketing agency located in Dallas, Texas, to our listeners.

In this special summer episode, we invited Steven Smith, CEO, and Tripp Westbrook, President & CCO, of Firehouse to chat about what they specialize in, how ZGM and Firehouse align on our visions for shaking up homebuilder marketing, homebuilding trends they're seeing in Texas, and more.

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It's the final episode of Season 3! 🎉 Thanks for sticking around with us for another season.

In this episode, Jordan, Salina, and Shelby recapped their top takeaways from this season, shared their favourite personal brand experiences, and what homebuilders can take away from those memorable moments.

What should we discuss next season? DM us on Instagram or comment on LinkedIn with topic ideas and guest suggestions for Season 4. You can even let us know what your top takeaway from this season was, who your favourite brand is and why, or a memorable brand experience you've had—we'd love to hear from you.

Until next time, listeners! ✨

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For episode 9, we invited two longtime Storytelling ZGMers, Ryan Kenny, Copy Director, and Scott Steele, Director of Visual Execution, to the podcast. (Fun fact: both Scott and Ryan helped create the Build Up brand in 2021!)

In this long overdue episode, we discussed what brand means from a creative point of view, how to help your homebuilder brand stand out from the Sea of Same, and more.

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Can you believe we're nearing the end of season 3? For episode 8, we invited Amy Owen, Vice President of Human Resources at Highland Homes, to the podcast. In this episode, we discussed what brand means to Highland Homes, how being an employee-owned company impacts your brand, and more.

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Welcome back, listeners! For our seventh episode, we invited Derek Hovinga, Full Funnel Content Strategist and Founder of The Inbound Lab, to the podcast. In this episode, we discussed how to implement a full funnel content marketing approach for your brand. We chatted with Derek about how inbound & content marketing has changed since 2015, how to use content marketing to tell your brand story, how content marketing can help you become an authority in the homebuilder space, and more.

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Can you believe we're officially over the halfway mark for Season Three? For our sixth episode, we invited Sara Kerr, ZGM's Associate Media Director, back to the podcast to discuss how to develop an effective paid media strategy for your brand. Sara shared how brand advertising is different from product advertising, the strongest channels to tell your brand story, and more.

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For our fifth episode of Season Three, we invited Shane Wenzel, CEO & President, and Liz Lipton, Customer Experience Manager, from Shane Homes to discuss brand experience. Shane and Liz shared why Shane Homes invests heavily in the customer experience, their favourite examples of "wow" moments, brand experiences that have stood out to them, and more.

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