As you look into the crystal ball, what do you see for 2007? Will your company prosper or can you foresee a slower year compared to years past? Although I doubt we’ll see as much a slow down as the new housing market, it appears that many of us will experience a quieter phone in the coming months.

Fortunately, as a CAPS designee the cards may be stacked in your favor. 2006 ushered the first baby boomers to age 60 and from an aging in place perspective our potential market will swell over the next ten years. This is perhaps an opportunity if you are successful in marketing yourself as the local authority for CAPS related services. It all boils down to how you deliver the message, getting it to the proper decision makers and at the appropriate time.

By now many of us have some experience in the unique marketing and sales challenges that we face in this arena. The one thing I’ve learned is that the vast majority of potential clients don’t really want to invest in “aging in place.” They are willing to spend their money on great design solutions that make their lives easier and their homes more attractive and pleasing to them.

The hidden bonus by using you is that the project is well thought out to incorporate some or possibly many details that also support CAPS design principles. It is here where your value as an aging in place expert comes to life. It is here where every dollar they spend with you is invaluable compared to the untrained service provider and it is here where you should be concentrating your marketing efforts. CAPS education presently is a very unique marketing opportunity and could be extremely valuable to you if properly packaged and presented. The market is yours for the taking.

As far as the program itself is concerned, 2007 should be a very good year, as we will see the CAPS community continue to strengthen. Our number of designees has surpassed 1000 nationally and hopefully CAPS will continue to contribute strongly to NAHB’s University of Housing educational efforts for both new CAPS designee training as well as for renewals. 2007 will be the year we also roll out the newly rewritten Working with and Marketing to Older Adults and Home Modifications core courses.

As I step down in February as chair of the CAPS Board of Governors I want to wish the best of luck to our CAPS Board and their new chairperson, Cindy Knutson-Lycholat CGR, CR, CAPS.

I also want to encourage you to become active in the future of CAPS by volunteering your time at the local, state or national level. We need you to continue to bolster this exciting program and to assist in taking it to new levels of recognition and acceptance across the nation. We pledge to continue to help you but we also would encourage and appreciate your assistance as well. Together we can make a difference!

Bill Owens, CGR, CAPS
Owens Construction
bowens@columbus.rr.com [ return to top ]