NBN Online for the week of June 25, 2007

Amendment Puts Immigration Bill Back on the Right Track

A bipartisan amendment put forth last week by Sens. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is critical to putting immigration reform back on the right track, according to the nation’s home builders.

“Everyone has a stake in reforming the nation’s immigration laws in a fair and just manner that will enhance our border security and provide a sensible process for people to enter our country legally,” said Jerry Howard, executive vice president and CEO of NAHB. “The Grassley-Baucus-Obama amendment would help achieve these aims by improving the bill’s employer provisions to enable small business owners to play a constructive role in the enforcement of the new laws.”

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Soda Pop Maverick Shows Builders New Ways to Market

Everything from soda pop to new cars provided cues to builders attending the May 29 to June 1 PCBC on how they can sharpen their marketing and branding skills to rise above the competition in today’s tough market and beyond.

Peter Van Stolk, founder and president of Jones Soda, told building industry professionals attending the conference and tradeshow in San Francisco how he has been able to compete against “companies that are really big” and prosper.

Builders Hitch Advertising to ‘Buy Now’ Campaign in Arizona

Several builders in the Tucson-based Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA) gained additional exposure and leveraged their individual “buy now” advertising campaigns by using the same core messages as those used by their HBA.

The Southern Arizona HBA campaign was part of the NAHB “Buy Now” advertising assistance program that provides advertising grants to qualifying HBAs hit hard by the housing downturn.

In its ad campaign, SAHBA promoted a “buy now” message primarily through radio advertising. In addition, the association specifically targeted renters and commuters by supplementing its radio advertising with ads in city bus shelters located near apartments and along high-traffic roadways, said Roger Yohem, SAHBA vice president. 

“Our campaign is just ending, so it's too early to tell what measurable effect it had on consumers,” said Yohem. “One thing I know for sure, however. We are grateful to NAHB for the grant. It demonstrated to our members that NAHB is committed to helping our industry get through this down cycle.”