The International Builders’ Show, put on by the National Association of Homebuilders each January, took Las Vegas by storm this year, showcasing important new trends, offering strategies for succeeding in an uphill market and reuniting friends and colleagues in a city that never sleeps. Key learnings were legion for those paying attention and taking notes. Here’s a smattering of what caught our attention from the massive gathering that kicked off what promises to be a year of both challenges and opportunity.
Boomers
They’re still a thing. So are 55+ communities, if the 55+ Central and its standing-room-only sessions were any indication. Lots of people were there trying to figure out the go-forward model, but one thing is for sure – you need to know this consumer, what they want and how they want to buy or rent.
Takeaway: Figure it out. There’s money to be made here, but every touchpoint needs to be thoughtful, strategic and spot-on.
Partnership
There’s a resurgence of interest in the idea of sales and marketing working well together to create mutual success. There’s always been huge power in that partnership, and some builders have always nailed it. Pun intended. But it’s heartening to see the focus here.
Takeaway: Builders and developers who maximize this partnership and associated processes to the benefit of the consumer stand to benefit. It’s always about the customer anyway. Getting this piece to serve them serves everyone.
Entertainment
Part of any educational session is a good slide deck. Add to that a builder who knows how to handle a guitar and another one who repeatedly shows the rest of us marketers how to market better, and you’ve got a session that had people talking. The remix theme was solid, instructional and actionable – but the guitar riffs made it fun and made it stick.
Takeaway: As a marketer, the challenge is not only to have the right idea (remixed or otherwise), but it’s also to deliver a compelling and cohesive message in a way that resonates and reverberates.
Impact
What weighed more than 300,000 pounds, recirculated 80 gallons of water per minute and took 32 semis to arrive at IBS from five different locations? Hint: It also featured a ceiling-mounted kitchen faucet, artist-designed sinks and a nostalgic rainbow of toilets, including a lavender model that first launched in 1927. If you didn’t guess the Kohler exhibit marking its 150th year, were you really there? Because this is the exhibit everyone was talking about.
Setup started at 8 a.m. on Jan. 21 with nonstop worker participation until 8 p.m. on Jan. 28 and then “short” 12-hour days on Jan. 29 and 30. And the attention to detail, storytelling and piqued curiosity at every turn was evidence of the commitment, strategy and planning behind it.
Takeaway: If you’re going to do something, knock it out of the park, and people will talk (and write) about it.
Wellness
Kohler’s exhibit, and many of the sessions and other exhibits, carried the wellness theme. An allergy physician in the audience during one of the Monday workshops talked about how 80% of health outcomes are related to the indoor environment and the communities where we live. And, because of that, his take is that construction professionals also are on the health care continuum. Not that builders treat disease, but that homes and communities can have a real impact on keeping people well.
Takeaway: Wellness is both a responsibility and an opportunity for homebuilders. Especially for marketers charged with getting the story right and putting it in front of people who will care about it.
Strategy
If you ever walk into a design charette workshop and see a highly respected architect you happen to know, sit next to him. That’s the strategy, because he can draw. Be lucky enough to have a diverse and fun group at your table, and you’re ready to learn a few new things while you collaborate to design a plan that beautifully serves the buyers’ needs. Because it’s always about the buyer, right?
Takeaway: Whether it’s research, data or intentional listening, understanding today’s buyer and meeting their needs were hot topics all week – as they should be.
Mixed Metals
Gold and silver work together for a lot of people when it comes to jewelry. Same is true for The Nationals. Put about 850 people in a room, most of them with at least one Silver award to their name, and a lot of Gold awards by the end of the evening, and you’ve got some serious energy.
Takeaway: Winning is fun. And it’s hard to beat the camaraderie that comes from celebrating in the company of the people who know and appreciate what it takes to get to award-winning work at this level.
Transportation
Yes, apparently there have been accidents in the Tesla tunnel, aka The Loop, that connects various conference halls at the vast Las Vegas Convention Center. But catching a ride in a human-operated Tesla in this underground tunnel is a highly recommended way to quickly get around LVCC. Check it out next time you’re in Las Vegas.
Want to compare notes about IBS 2023 or talk about how we might be able to work together to help you and your company shine this year? Let’s chat! Connect with Barbara Wray at barbara@wickmarketing.com or (512) 564-4289.
