Integrated marketing communications strategy for Slice of Heaven tiny homes

Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy

Advertising

Slice of Heaven is specifically targeted to a higher-end demographic of prospective tiny homeowners. One prospective audience is that of young people wishing to save money but who still wish to have the amenities and privacy of home ownership as well as older couples who are downsizing. Using Facebook to target his demographic seems wise, given it is the social media source most used by middle-aged professionals. "82% of online adults ages 18 to 29 use Facebook, along with 79% of those ages 30 to 49, 64% of those ages 50 to 64 and 48% of those 65 and older" (Duggan 2015). Advertising should stress the benefits of cost, reducing the impact on the environment, and also the luxury of the accommodations, given that lower-end tiny house consumers are not likely interested in seeking out a gated community. Television commercials, ideally in prime time when the target demographic is watching, could be used to communicate both the lifestyle as well as the low cost of tiny homes and build awareness.

Housing bloggers and real estate bloggers can also be used to promote coverage of the organization and give more intimate details of what it is like to live in a tiny home. Asking current residents of tiny homes to write about their positive experiences or the builder of the community to share his vision in a sponsored article can help people think outside of the traditional box of how they envision home ownership

Sales Promotion

Although tiny homes are cheaper than standard-size homes, working with local banks to facilitate mortgages would be one way to use promotional strategies to incentivize the purchase. The gated community could also offer discounts on any HOA fees during the first year of ownership, or any other costs associated with the community amenities such as the shared gym, play areas, and parking.

Public Relations

The environmentally-friendly nature of the housing complex might be an 'angle' that a local or national news organization would be interested in covering from a sustainability perspective. The tiny house movement itself is a growing story within the news and touches upon many issues of public interest such as baby boomers struggling to save enough for retirement and young families burdened by student debt and not having enough money to support their professional lifestyle. Although news stories cannot be controlled in the same manner as advertising, it is less costly and sometimes carries greater credibility because it is disseminated by an apparently objective source.