Linda Mamet & Beth Callender Discuss Brand Expansion

IRVINE, Calif. - Sept. 20, 2016 - PRLog -- Linda Mamet, Vice President of Corporate Marketing for TRI Pointe Group  and Beth Callender, Brand Strategist for Greenhaus, teamed up to present the September 14^th class on 'creating and elevating brand' across multiple divisions and companies, the continued importance of insights from "boots on the ground" team members and always being customer-driven. Organized and led by John Martin of Martin & Associates, sponsored by ULI OC/IE's Leaders & Managers Program, the evening also touched on a wide array of other topics, including career building in the industry, mentors and innovation. The high-energy tone of the class stirred enthusiastic audience participation.

Ms. Callender initially took on the role of interviewer, reviewing Ms. Mamet's 15-year career trajectory, including her move from her native New Zealand in 2000, her earlier work with Sea Country, Laing, and Pulte Group to today, after joining TRI Pointe Homes in 2015. Soon after, TRI Pointe Homes merged with five other regional home builders, creating the TRI Pointe Group family.  Today, TRI Pointe Group is one of the largest national homebuilders, combining the resources and scale of a public company with the insight and agility of regional brands.

Ms. Callender then shared her work with numerous large companies such as Starwood Capital and W Hotels, and national homebuilders and developers. The two spoke of their mentors, working together over many years and the multitude of similarities in their experiences of bringing companies together as other existing brands were acquired to form one large company.

Ms. Mamet stated that great brands start on the inside. For TRI Pointe Group, that meant first talking with the leaders and team members at each regional company and arriving at five brand pillars: The Best of Big and Small, Customer Driven, Lifestyle Brand, Premium Position and Passionate Culture. While maintaining an entrepreneurial approach, with the TRI Pointe Group brand at the foundation of the company, the six regional homebuilding brands have been successfully unified into one overall culture, critical to growth and expansion of the company.

Ms. Mamet explained the unique role of brand in the homebuilding world, and its connection to all who are involved in delivering the dream of home ownership. She related the idea that direction to the internal group affects external impact, giving the team a path to walk and principles to embrace. When the brand position is delivered authentically, the buyer will connect, engage and become a brand ambassador. This discussion quickly transitioned to Ms. Mamet's passion for understanding the customer's mindset and their decision-making process.

Company gatherings are one way the TRI Pointe Group builds consensus within the team and advance the internal philosophy outward. Ms. Mamet related how the TRI Pointe Group brought together all divisions and companies to develop a universal language that encourages team members to leverage local strengths as they are expressed in different markets.  They chose to retain the regional names of the acquired companies, which is uncommon. However, they were able to integrate the TRI Pointe Group culture into the local brands.  By adhering to a unified mission, TRI Pointe Group was able to instill a shared vision. Their unifying phrase is "Life Inspiring Homes." which they see as their toughest mission and highest calling.

With the brand identity established, the focus shifted to customer's attitudes and ideas about home ownership.  Ms. Callender explained that people "buy on emotion and justify with reason," and that "90% of all purchase decisions are made in the subconscious." She mapped the buying decision through a long list of steps that lead up to active searching, serious intent, making a commitment and experiencing satisfaction – a process she refers to as the customer journey.

Recognizing this process and its implications, Ms. Mamet further addressed use of technology, and how in only a few short years, technology has changed everything about the way new homes and communities can be marketed and how all areas of messaging, from print to social media to digital marketing, should be crafted to align with the customer's journey. The goal is to pull consumers in rather than push them.

Ms. Mamet also discussed the importance of measuring marketing efforts and embracing new tools to lay a foundation for attribution. Correspondingly, expanding the brand through innovation is a practice that Ms. Mamet has helped institute at the TRI Pointe Group, creating sales and marketing think tanks and design summits. These gatherings help to reinforce a culture of innovation, studying other premium lifestyle brands outside of home building and discovering new ways to align with today's customer's purchasing experiences.

In summing up, Beth Callender recommended staying curious and continuing to learn, surrounding yourself with smart people, and using the power of AND – a way to invite the open ended discussion of ideas, solutions and goal setting. Linda Mamet concluded with the idea of being willing to zig and zag on your career to gain new insight and experience. She advised learning to speak your audience's language and maintaining personal determination, which she calls "grit." Lastly she counseled the class to always carve out time to do the big projects and focus on what makes the biggest difference to the company, and most importantly, to customers.

A roster of leading top marketing executives and leaders in community development and homebuilding are participating in the ULI INDUSTRY LEADERS & MANAGERS PROGRAM, organized and led by John Martin of Martin & Associates. The program runs through November 2^nd, 2016 with a break during the week of the ULI Fall Meeting, October 26^th

Participants at every level of experience and various industry disciplines attend these valuable two-and- one-half hour seminars that meet Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at First Service Residential in Irvine. There are several ways to participate including special pricing for ULI OC/IE Members and non-members as well as students and the public. For details on these special programs or to register, email Kendra.Chandler@uli.org.

The Urban Land Institute (http://www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the ULI has more than 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.