ModVic - Modern Victorian Home Restoration

Week 22 -- The Magical Marketing Power of 3

Oct 21

Written by: Bruce Rosenbaum
10/21/2008 

It took me a little while to figure out -- but 3 is the magical number in marketing and selling of a unique home in a down real estate market.

Usually 3 is associated with negative outcomes. 1) Two's company -- three's a crowd; 2) Third Place: Win, Place and 'Show' and 3) Don't light 3 matches (in the war trenches -- the third soldier would usually be in the line of fire because the enemy would see the first light, get ready to shoot on the second light and fire on the third).

In marketing (especially direct marketing) -- it usually takes 3 communications or "touches" to get through someone's attention (wall) barrier. When you are direct marketing -- the first two mailings will soften up your prospect -- the third mailing is more likely the one to effect a response. If you want to really make an impact, you need to think "campaign" in your mailings vs a solo shot.

I've now taken this concept and applied it to creatively marketing and selling our unique Victorian Italianate home in North Attleboro. However, all 3 marketing efforts have to be interconnected and should have some combination of being "online and offline". Here's the 3 plan:

1) BACK HOME TO THE FUTURE -- ModVic's Time Machine Adventure

Pictures speak a 1000 words. Moving pictures speak a 1000 words x 10. Home tour videos can be one of your best marketing and selling tools when you're trying to find the right person for your home that can live anywhere in the country or for that fact, the world. Virtual tours have their place (I've done that too), but they do not provide the human element or the lasting expression of a human story or history connected to your special property.

A home tour video with a realtor or owner walking through the property is the next best step up than a virtual tour -- but we wanted to go one better -- to come up with a creative storyline to entertain along with presenting our unique Victorian Italianate home in its best light. The story of 'Back Home to the Future' www.youtube.com/modvic111 was born and came to life with the help of some friends and family.

Here is the storyline:

An original 1877 Victorian Homeowner travels forward in time to see his restored home modernized in 2008. In the home’s restoration, Bruce and Melanie Rosenbaum, owners of ModVic (Modern Victorian Home Restoration) find the plans to build a time machine in one of the home’s walls – put there by the original owner, Benjamin Stanley Freeman – a wealthy jewelry manufacturer who did his own Italianate transformation in 1877. Mr Freeman wanted to see what his home would look like 100+ years after his “remodeling” – so Bruce and Melanie build the time machine and bring Mr. Freeman forward in time to view his own home at 390 Mount Hope Street in North Attleboro MA – 131 years into his future.

The unique home tour video helps to give people a real sense of what the home is like and the history of its owners -- but how do you get people to watch it? In the digital age, the best bet now is YouTube.com. It's free and you can start off with telling your family and friends to watch your video and build up your "views" to induce a viral marketing campaign. We already have over 450 views and we're hoping at some point the right viewer will end up being the right buyer.

2) Win a Time Machine and Get a FREE Victorian Home Italianate Home!

I don't expect someone to come to Ebay looking to purchase a Time Machine, spend $1.3MM to win the item and move into their new Victorian home shortly afterwoods. The idea is to get attention and get people talking about the creative approach in selling a unique home. Again, trying to get viral in your marketing efforts. We've also listed our website and the YouTube link to our home tour video so the marketing "touches" are connected and helping to feed off one another.

3) First Time Ever -- 5 Historic 'Homes for Sale" OPEN HOUSE Tour on the South Shore of Massachusetts

It helps if you can make the sale of your home an "event" that gets people excited to attend and enjoy. Some realtors have had themed Open Houses that combine specific homes in a development, neighborhood or area that prospective buyers can save time by viewing the homes right after one another.

As far as I know -- no one has offered a Historic 'Homes for Sale' OPEN HOUSE Tour and used an "antique treasure hunt" theme to get people from one historic house to the next. All the antique homes on our tour are at least 100 years old and have been fully restored and modernized. Our Historic OPEN HOUSE Tour will start in Easton MA at a grand Victorian Italianate mansion and estate, then to Sharon, Foxboro, Mansfield and ending up at our Victorian Italianate home in North Attleboro. The person who is able to get all the answers correct from the clues left in the homes -- will get a $50 AMEX Gift Card.

The OPEN HOUSE tours will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2008 from 9:00AM to 5:00PM and Sunday, November 16, 2008 from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. In the marketing of the Historic OPEN HOUSE tours (newspapers, brochures, website) we also will mention our home tour video on YouTube.com. You can also email me at bruce@modvic.com to learn more.

There it is -- the magical power of 3 in finding the right person to buy our unique Victorian Italianate home. Please spread the good word 'virus' and hopefully the marketing magic will be performing at a theatre close to you.

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Neighbor Comments

2/27/08
I read about the Houdini thing at the jail in North Attleboro. I was born and raised there in North Attleboro and I remember my grandfather telling me about a magician that had a floating lady in one of the store fronts in downtown for a week. I not sure if that was Houdini, for some reason I think it was Blackwell. Not sure if he was around the same time or not. Just thought I would give you that info in case it helps you out. By the way, what a beautiful job you have done with the Freeman house. If I win the lottery, I would buy it in a second. Keep up the good work there and will come to open house in April.
John Amaral

1/27/08
Hi Bruce and Melanie,
My Great Grandparents were Annie and Herman Theile who lived at 390 Mt. Hope Street (Mt. Hope Manor) in the early 1900’s.  I would love to talk with you and your wife about the house and the history I know from my Great Aunt Mrs. Bell and my mother who was born there.  As a young girl I used to polish the mahogany banister on the circular staircase to the third floor.  I have a lot of fond memories regarding that house, and I would love to reminisce and share what I know about its history.  Sincerely, Donna Jurdak, N Attleboro MA

8/27/07
Just wanted to tell you we are watching your progress with great enthusiasm and excitement!  We are only one house away and my ten year old son is fascinated with your progress and checks on your work several times a day.  We can't wait to come in and see your progress. Thank you for bring this house back to life, I have been waiting for its rebirth patiently for years. Julia Wheatley (juliawh@comcast.net)

7/24/07
Hi Bruce :My cousin Dorothy Forbes just called me to tell me about the Victorian Home in North Attleboro . My great great grandparents owned and lived there many many years ago. Dorothy was thrilled to of had the opportunity to go thru the home. My name is Albert Berard ,my age is 83 and I don't remember too much about the house other than what was told to me by my parents and grandparents on the Berard side.I once had a photo of some relative by the name of LaPlant that was recently discarded because I have no other living sister or brother that could explain to me who the person was . In past years I've seen the house many times and remember the servant quarters and also a carriage house that I believe is no longer there. the years have taken a toll on my memory.I still have an old brownish grey photo of the home .It's been many years since the relatives lived there. I seem to remember something about a Priest by the name of LaPlant living there after his retirement. I'll have to talk to Dorothy about that when I see her in a couple weeks. Albert J. Berard.

7/23/07
I drove by the house on Mt. Hope Street earlier this evening. I read about your project in the Sun Chronicle, Sunday. I am an artist and one of the pieces I did a few years back was a pen and ink drawing of North Attleboro center around 1900. I was going to drop off one of the prints, if you'd like it. I can appreciate your undertaking. A friend of mine and I gutted his Queen Anne Vic close to eight years ago and remodeled it. Neither of us had ever done something that involved before. We have since parted ways. I work for a landscape company now and do some remodeling/ fix up jobs in the winter, if the opportunity comes along. I'd like to see the work you are doing, just curious and if you need a hand (weekends, rain days, evenings) let me know. Learning and gaining experience are always of interest to me. If you'd like the print, free, let me know. Best wishes to your success.
Sincerely, Peter Clarke.
  
 

For further information, or to schedule a personal visit of a property with Bruce and Melanie Rosenbaum please call 781-784-0250 or email bruce@modvic.com. Thanks for visiting!
  
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