We’re excited to share that our very own Genevieve Benson, Director of New Business, recently joined an esteemed panel of marketing experts on The Market Pulse podcast from SmartTouch Interactive. The podcast delved into the critical topic of marketing budgets for 2025, exploring both traditional and digital strategies that can help real estate and homebuilding professionals stay ahead of the curve.

Hosted by Aaron Fichera, COO at SmartTouch Interactive, the podcast featured four real estate marketing professionals. In addition to Genevieve, guests included:

• Lianne McOuat, Principal Partner for McQuat Partnership
• Jennifer Cooper, Founder and Fractional CMO of Evolution Marketing
• Robert Cowes, Founder and CEO of SmartTouch Interactive

Key Takeaways from Genevieve’s Insights

Throughout the podcast, Genevieve provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of real estate marketing. Here are some of the key takeaways from her discussion:

The Power of Differentiation and Competitive Analysis

• Educate First: As buyers continue to increase the time they spend researching online before they ever contact you, investing in high-quality content such as educational blog posts, videos and 3D tours can help build trust and brand awareness.
• Clear Value Proposition: A clear value proposition serves as the foundation for branding, marketing, and sales efforts. It aligns teams around the core differentiators and ensures consistency across all channels. Homebuyers and investors are more cautious than ever, given economic uncertainty and rising costs. A compelling value proposition communicates reliability, trustworthiness, and the tangible benefits of choosing a specific home builder or master-planned community.
• Leveraging AI for Strategic Insights: Utilizing AI tools can provide valuable competitive analysis, helping builders identify unique selling propositions and optimize marketing strategies. For example, when preparing a marketing strategy for a new community, ask AI to review the biggest competitors and tell you what they’re doing well, what the value propositions are, or if there are any missed opportunities that you can take advantage of when marketing your new community.

The Enduring Relevance of Traditional Media

• Layered Approach: Combining traditional and digital marketing can create a powerful and impactful campaign. Incorporating traditional media is ideal for brand awareness or marketing a new community. Use tactics like outdoor signage, print, radio, TV and more.
• Storytelling Through Traditional Media: Traditional media offers opportunities to tell compelling brand stories through visually appealing campaigns. Some traditional media avenues, like print, allow you to tell a story more in-depth than a single digital ad. 
• Understanding Your Audience: Identifying how your target audience consumes media is crucial for effective marketing. This can help guide your marketing budget and tell you how to split budget between digital and traditional marketing tactics.

Prepare for the Unexpected

• The Red Folder Strategy: Having a contingency plan ready can help real estate developers to adapt quickly to market changes and unexpected challenges. Don’t wait until there is a problem to begin scrambling to find a solution. Instead, plan for it up front and have plan B ready to deploy quickly.

A Bright Future for Real Estate Marketing

Genevieve’s participation in The Market Pulse podcast highlights Milesbrand’s commitment to staying at the forefront of industry trends. By sharing her expertise and insights, she empowers real estate professionals to make informed decisions and achieve their marketing goals.

Listen to the full podcast and gain deeper insights from all the panelists:

Ready to take your have your best year yet? Connect with Milesbrand to learn how you can leverage these strategies to elevate your marketing in 2025 and beyond.