Sep. 30, 2005 Edition

Forbes Features HomeVestors

HVA's Media Touchdown By Monica Feid When Forbes magazine writes about a company, it's major league! "I would describe an article in Forbes as a media touchdown," said John P. Hayes, HVA President and CEO, a former journalist and communications professor who taught students how to write for magazines, including Forbes. Hayes, as well as others associated with HomeVestors, was recently interviewed for Diamonds in the Rough, a Forbes feature by Christopher Steiner, which appeared in the Oct. 3, 2005 magazine. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2005/1003/071.html As HomeVestors public relations agency of record, BizCom Associates recognized that recent HVA accomplishments warranted media of national importance. In recent months, HVA has exceeded 250 franchise locations in 29 states, franchisees had bought more than 5,000 houses in 2004, the company was rapidly rising in the polls of SMU's Cox School of Business ranking to be the 15th fastest-growing private company based in Dallas, and the national advertising campaign had achieved nothing less than dominance overall. HVA became a national story! After researching several media outlets, BizCom purposely pitched reporter Christopher Steiner of Forbes on "the red hot company" that has taken the real estate industry by storm. It helped that Steiner isn't based in Forbes' main office in New York City. He's located in the magazine's Chicago bureau, which also happens to be a market choc full of "We Buy Ugly Houses" billboards. No stranger to HVA's branding, the reporter was interested in learning more…a lot more. After getting the green light from his editor in New York [who first said, "HomeVestors who?"], Steiner went on his fact-finding mission and corporate employees and franchisees delivered the goods. In total, the story came together in 11 weeks, compliments of a huge team effort. Hayes, Mike Stoner, Vice President/Finance, Ken Channell, Vice President/Training, and franchisee Bob DeClue, of RMD Investments in St. Louis, were interviewed at length by phone. The reporter also shadowed franchisee Alan Washer, of Value Properties, Chicago, for an entire day to see a franchise operation up close. A crew of additional employees at corporate assisted with data research. Hayes was then photographed in a signature "ugly house" furnished by Cal Wilkins, of The Real Advantage, in Mesquite, TX. The story went to press and, voila! In all my years in public relations, I've never seen the cooperation at all levels of a private company like I witnessed on this one story. Not a single person needed to be coached on how to address the reporter. Interviews were one-on-one, and everyone supported the same message. The franchise system, itself, was center stage, as everyone communicated his role within the business. And the results speak for themselves. You can pick up your copy of Forbes at newsstands nationwide. Oh, by the way, 10 days before the Forbes article went to press, we got a call from a reporter at The New York Times who asked to feature HomeVestors. Unfortunately, we had to put the reporter on hold because we had given Forbes an exclusive through the end of September. No doubt the Forbes article will generate interest from many other media, as well as others who will be interested in associating with HomeVestors. . . . Monica Feid is vice president of BizCom Associates and handles public relations for HVA.

Ugly Float's A Marketing Winner

Visual exposure in parade a winner for franchisee By Gregg Stengel In mid-September, the people of Arnold, MO. look forward to their annual Arnold Days celebration, which includes a parade. Arnold is the office home of St. Louis franchisee Bob DeClue, and where there's a crowd of people you're likely to find Bob. In this case, more than 10,000 people turned out to watch the parade, which included a HomeVestors float. “Putting our float in the parade turned out to be great exposure for us and HomeVestors,” said Bob, whose float was cleverly disguised as his yellow HomeVestors pickup truck that had a makeshift Ugly house with sale signs in the truck’s bed. With throngs of well-wishers lining the Arnold streets, Bob didn’t miss the chance to distribute HVA adorned items, including UG buttons with office phone number and referral program information on the back, plus a few dozen UG bobbleheads and candy for more than 3,300 children. “We are in the running for one of the best float categories for a local business,” said Bob. “We received so much exposure and had so much fun that we plan to do more of these next year. We envision building a bigger house, half pretty, half ugly on a larger trailer.”