IRVINE, CA -- Linda Mamet, Vice President of Corporate Marketing for TRI
Pointe Group (NYSE: TPH) and Beth Callender, Brand Strategist for Greenhaus,
teamed up to present the September 14th class on ‘creating and
elevating brand’ across multiple divisions and companies, the continued
importance of insights from “boots on the ground” team members and always being
customer-driven. Organized and led by John Martin of Martin & Associates,
sponsored by ULI OC/IE’s Leaders & Managers Program, the evening also
touched on a wide array of other topics, including career building in the
industry, mentors and innovation. The high-energy tone of the class stirred
enthusiastic audience participation.
Ms. Callender initially took on the role of interviewer, reviewing
Ms. Mamet’s 15-year career trajectory, including her move from her native New
Zealand in 2000, her earlier work with Sea Country, Laing, and Pulte Group to
today, after joining TRI Pointe Homes in 2015. Soon after, TRI Pointe Homes
merged with five other regional home builders, creating the TRI Pointe Group
family. Today, TRI Pointe Group is one of the largest national
homebuilders, combining the resources and
scale of a public company with the insight and agility of regional brands.
Ms. Callender then shared her work with numerous large companies
such as Starwood Capital and W Hotels, and national homebuilders and
developers. The two spoke of their mentors, working together over many years
and the multitude of similarities in their experiences of bringing companies
together as other existing brands were acquired to form one large company
Ms. Mamet stated that great brands start on the inside. For TRI
Pointe Group, that meant first talking with the leaders and team members at
each regional company and arriving at five brand pillars: The Best of Big and
Small, Customer Driven, Lifestyle Brand, Premium Position and Passionate
Culture. While maintaining an entrepreneurial approach, with the TRI Pointe
Group brand at the foundation of the company, the six regional homebuilding
brands have been successfully unified into one overall culture, critical to
growth and expansion of the company.
Ms. Mamet explained the unique role of brand in the homebuilding
world, and its connection to all who are involved in delivering the dream of
home ownership. She related the idea that direction to the internal group
affects external impact, giving the team a path to walk and principles to
embrace. When the brand position is delivered authentically, the buyer will
connect, engage and become a brand ambassador. This discussion quickly
transitioned to Ms. Mamet’s passion for understanding the customer’s mindset
and their decision-making process.
Company gatherings are one way the TRI Pointe Group builds
consensus within the team and advance the internal philosophy outward. Ms.
Mamet related how the TRI Pointe Group brought together all divisions and
companies to develop a universal language that encourages team members to
leverage local strengths as they are expressed in different markets. They
chose to retain the regional names of the acquired companies, which is
uncommon. However, they were able to integrate the TRI Pointe Group culture
into the local brands. By adhering to a unified mission, TRI Pointe Group
was able to instill a shared vision. Their unifying phrase is “Life Inspiring
Homes.” which they see as their toughest mission and highest calling.
With the brand identity established, the focus shifted to customer’s
attitudes and ideas about home ownership. Ms. Callender explained that
people “buy on emotion and justify with reason,” and that “90% of all purchase
decisions are made in the subconscious.” She mapped the buying decision through
a long list of steps that lead up to active searching, serious intent, making a
commitment and experiencing satisfaction – a process she refers to as the
customer journey.
Recognizing this process and its implications, Ms. Mamet further
addressed use of technology, and how in only a few short years, technology has
changed everything about the way new homes and communities can be marketed and
how all areas of messaging, from print to social media to digital marketing,
should be crafted to align with the customer’s journey. The goal is to pull
consumers in rather than push them.
Ms. Mamet also discussed the importance of measuring marketing
efforts and embracing new tools to lay a foundation for attribution.
Correspondingly, expanding the brand through innovation is a practice that Ms.
Mamet has helped institute at the TRI Pointe Group, creating sales and
marketing think tanks and design summits. These gatherings help to reinforce a
culture of innovation, studying other premium lifestyle brands outside of home
building and discovering new ways to align with today’s customer’s purchasing
experiences.
In summing up, Beth Callender recommended staying curious and
continuing to learn, surrounding yourself with smart people, and using the
power of AND – a way to invite the open ended discussion of ideas, solutions
and goal setting. Linda Mamet concluded with the idea of being willing to zig
and zag on your career to gain new insight and experience. She advised learning
to speak your audience’s language and maintaining personal determination, which
she calls “grit.” Lastly she counseled the class to always carve out time to do
the big projects and focus on what makes the biggest difference to the company,
and most importantly, to customers.
A roster of leading top marketing executives and leaders in
community development and homebuilding are participating in the ULI INDUSTRY
LEADERS & MANAGERS PROGRAM, organized and led by John Martin of Martin
& Associates. The program runs through November 2, 2016 with a
break during the week of the ULI Fall Meeting, October 26.
Participants at every level of experience and various industry
disciplines attend these valuable two-and- one-half hour seminars that meet
Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at First Service Residential in
Irvine. There are several ways to participate including special pricing for ULI
OC/IE Members and non-members as well as students and the public. For details
on these special programs or to register, email Kendra.Chandler@uli.org.
The Urban Land Institute (http://www.uli.org)
is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its
mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating
and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the ULI has
more than 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and
development disciplines.