TAYLOR WOODROW IS CAPITALIZING ON THE popularity of iPods among consumers by becoming one of the first builders to pod-cast sales promotional videos.
The podcasts are on the Taylor Woodrow site (www.itaylorwoodrow.com) and can also be accessed through iTunes, Google, and podcasts.yahoo.com. iTunes users can download the pod-casts right from the iTunes music store, or they can click on the video portion of Google and type in “Taylor Woodrow Homes.”
Most of the videos try to put the builder's best foot forward, showing clips of people golfing, swimming, or enjoying private time with family and friends. Each segment costs from $1,500 to $6,000 to produce.
Mike Forsum, president of the company's Western region, says Taylor Woodrow Homes considered advertising in traditional media such as newspapers, direct mail, and billboards, but decided that pod-casts were a great way to connect with younger, more tech-savvy buyers. “We need to meet the buyers where they are today,” says Forsum. “And they are in this digital world.” He adds that most people use the Web to narrow down their new-home search, which means that people who used to visit eight communities now visit four. Forsum says Taylor Woodrow is betting that the podcasts are much more compelling than print brochures and will draw traffic to its communities.
