Hollub Homes, Miami
Type of business: custom builder
Years in business: 50
Employees: 10
2006 volume: $23,000,000
2006 starts: 6
In the quest for a positioning statement—a tagline that summarizes what a company stands for—most custom builders settle on some version of “built with quality.” But brother-and-sister builders Harry and Helene Hollub drilled down deeper to find what sets Hollub Homes apart in the marketplace.
Working with branding consultant Ritchie Lewis of Think Factory, they interviewed scores of current and former clients, trades, vendors, and anyone else the builder dealt with to find out how Hollub Homes was perceived. Nearly every person they spoke with mentioned a good relationship with the Hollubs. That inspired the new tagline, “Relationship Built,” a positioning statement so good, Hollub Homes trademarked it.
The catalyst for the branding effort was winning the Building Association of South Florida's prestigious Builder's Overall Best of Show Award last year. The company had never run ads or marketed itself; word of mouth had kept it busy for half a century. But before they publicized the honor, the Hollubs decided they needed marketing tools to help them make the most of it and to stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace. That effort took nine months and resulted in a marketing program that is thorough and imaginative.
The program touches nearly every aspect of the company. From its new orange H logo to its redecorated offices, Hollub Homes projects a strong, consistent image. The orange H is a visual symbol for the builder. It cleverly forms a door that opens to reveal the BASF award on the home page of the company's new Web site (www.hollubhomes.com). The H appears on new site signs that proclaim “Another Satisfied Customer.” It's on the company trucks and holiday cards. And, in a sophisticated co-branding move, the company arranged to have the logo appear on the milkshake cups of a very popular roadside stand next to a community Hollub builds in. Nearby residents go through about 10,000 shakes a month, and each time they down their favorite treat, they see the Hollub logo. The company was started 53 years ago by Marvin Hollub, father of Harry and Helene. The new marketing program reflects “the friendly approach to building that goes back to the family roots,” says Harry. “They already had a brand,” Lewis chimes in, “but they just never looked at it that way.”
