Social media Web sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube, are used by millions of people, many of whom may happen to also be interested in finding a new home or finding a builder to help them create their dream home. Builders seeking new ways of reaching potential home buyers and clients would do well to take advantage of such tools, simply because they're cost-effective—they're either free or require small fees; they're easy to use and manage; and they reach a much broader audience than advertising alone. So says a recent Nation's Building News Online article. Carol Ruiz, the author and vice president of public relations for Los Angeles-based marketing and public relations firm red rocket LA, adds that although their messages are different from those of production builders seeking to sell houses, custom builders should be using the same social media strategies to market their services, skills, and craftmanship. "I think that all people selling anything right now should be using social networking marketing," Ruiz says.
