Last Thursday, 120 new and longstanding members of Housing First Minnesota gathered at the North House in Minneapolis for the first-ever Members Only event. This is a new event series put on by Housing First Minnesota to bring together members of the association for a night of networking, learning, and business growth.
During happy hour, attendees were treated to complimentary drinks and small bites and were free to mingle. This was a great opportunity for new members to gain exposure within the industry and make new connections.
The highlight of the event was the influential panel of industry leaders who shared words of wisdom during the evening presentation.
Mark Williams of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes, Danielle Yegge of Style & Structure, and Morgan Molitor of construction2style delivered industry-specific trends and best practices for collaborating with your competition.
“The housing industry is more powerful when we lift up each other’s successes,” stated Williams. “So why not celebrate other people? There are a lot of opportunities to partner with people in our industry.”
A piece of advice the panel continually stressed was getting involved in the housing industry and within Housing First Minnesota. They encouraged attendees to say ‘yes!’ to every opportunity — which leads to more doors opening down the road.
Getting involved in committees, judging for awards, and entering the Parade of Homes are great starting points.
“We love the Parade of Homes and make it a lot of fun,” said Yegge, “We have our entire team present at our model and make it a month-long party.”
Style & Structure’s biggest secrets for success on the Parade of Homes are hosting events, using unique social media marketing, and making their model memorable.
“Some people visit 20 Parade Homes in a day,” Yegge says, “They’re not going to remember yours unless you do something to make it memorable.”
All three speakers have planned events around their homes in the Parade of Homes or Artisan Home Tour to get people excited to visit. Williams’ favorite event involved balloon art for kids (and adults!).
The three speakers ended their presentation with an emphasis on creating sharable content. One of the best ways to create buzz around your business is posting personable stories, behind-the-scenes, funny videos with your team, or a favorite feature of a home design.
“Celebrate with your trade partners,” said Molitor. “Tag the people you’re working with, mention your partners, and create content that shows off everybody’s hard work. That way, other businesses get a shoutout and can easily reshare your post.”
All in all, the first-ever Members Only event was a huge success. Members were thankful for another opportunity to network within the industry and hear the tips shared by the speakers.
This event series will be held quarterly. If you missed last week’s event, keep an eye out for upcoming association events on the events calendar.
