Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Marketing ideas ???

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

Deborah Behrens asked:

>I'll probably get some ideas as I go thru old email files, but our
>(Highline Crossing's) membership team would like to know if you
>have any novel ideas about marketing.  We've sold about 2/3 of our
>36 units, and have been plateaued for a few months.


Without knowing your demographics and price range I will assume you are 
building 36 units from scratch with a significant income to buy in.

1.  If you can find out who the local democratic or republican 
chairperson is contact them and try and find out who does their fund 
raising.  You can often buy that mailing list and it will contain a 
fairly high number of wealthy folks.  Direct mail is used pretty 
effectively by lots of organizations.  Other places to get mailing 
lists from are local chapters of Sierra club, Audubon chapters, garden 
clubs.  Many of these organizations have local newsletters which a 
small article can go a long way.

2.  If you are looking to broaden your ethnic base check into local 
ethnic newsletters. Often the local chapter of NAACP does a newsletter, 
 as do many local ethnic organizations.

3.  Spread fliers through your  membership - have everyone take and 
distribute 10 fliers.  Sharingwood did this once and the fliers 
multiplied through relatives and friends.  I once got a call from a 
woman who had seen our flier in the womans bathroom on the 40th floor 
of a downtown office building - to this day I still don't know who put 
it there.

4. The Unitarian church has been a good place for us - something about 
cohousing seems to really appeal to Unitarians.

5.  Be sure your promotional materials appeals to retired folks, 
assuming that is within your demographics.  1/3 of our membership is 
retired and cohousing offers enourmous benefits to the elderly.

Good luck

Rob Sandelin
Puget Sound Cohousing Network