President's Perspective

Update on The Grass is Greener Here Campaign

By Greg Hrabcak
President

By now I hope that you have seen "The Grass is Greener Here" billboards or heard our radio advertisements which began April 14, 2008. Please make sure that you have an opportunity to check our new website with Columbus Housing Partnership at www.ColumbusHousingFacts.com.

In the last issue of this magazine, we detailed the reasons for this campaign as well as the objectives. Here's an update on what's been going on since then. . .

CBR Ambassadors
In addition to myself and your President-Elect Gary Parsons, we selected 12 `Ambassadors' -- CBR members who have committed to taking our message to groups outside the REALTOR® organization, write letters to the editor, be interviewed on radio/TV, etc. The chart on this page lists our Ambassadors as well as their assigned areas and contact information.

On April 8, these folks devoted their entire day to an extensive training program on the campaign as well as getting more familiar with market conditions so as to speak on our behalf. Marianne Collins (Insight Bank) provided an update on the state of the lending market and CHP's Paul Haggard provided an overview of the services offered by the Columbus Housing Partnership. We also went over all of the components of the campaign. Then we brainstormed what organizations we could contact in order to get our message to the public.

The afternoon was spent with Direct Impact, courtesy of the National Association of REALTORS®, during which we were interviewed repeatedly-- on camera -- as we practiced responding to questions about the market and state of the central Ohio housing market.

FYI -- There were also NAR folks from REALTOR® Magazine there to video tape our training as they are including CBR in an article for the August issue. Be sure to look for it!

Press Conference
CBR held a press conference the next morning to unveil The Grass is Greener Here. CBR's CEO Larry Metzger welcomed the press and served as MC and then I explained the campaign. Also speaking were Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks, Franklin County Auditor Joe Testa, Delaware County Auditor Todd Hanks, and CHP's Executive Director Amy Klaban. After the press conference, all the Ambassadors took questions from the media.

As a result, the campaign was mentioned on Channels 6 & 10 that evening as well as in The Columbus Dispatch, Business First, Suburban News and WOSU radio.

I would like to give a special thanks to Marqué Bressler and Lori Wengerd, Wengerd Marketing Direction, (who put together the marketing materials for the campaign) for all of their hard work and efforts in putting this campaign together. I would also like to personally thank all the Ambassadors who have volunteered their time and efforts to get the word out.

Our Members, Partners and Friends I can't stress enough how critical it is that you as well as related industry professionals get this information to the public. Although the media reaches the masses, you have daily face to face contact with those who are considering buying or selling.

To assist you, we have put several items on the web site including: campaign pieces, logos, banner ads for your web site, art to include in your emails (your email signature in particular), sign rider art, a postcard, newsletter templates, etc.

We have had numerous -- I mean NUMEROUS -- requests for this info and reports from agents, banks, title companies, the Delaware County Auditor, builders and other organizations that they are including them on their web sites, email newsletters, mailing, signs - the list is impressive!!!

The Building Industry Association of Central Ohio (BIA) is partnering with us and has been very active in promoting and distributing campaign materials to their members.

It's exciting! And we want you to be a part of it! But most importantly, we want central Ohio residents to realize that . .. The Grass is Greener Here!