In the digital age, it’s too easy to think that having an up-to-date website and social media presence is all the marketing you need. Yes, those are vital tools in your marketing arsenal, but they need to deliver the right message to the right prospects at the right time. And the right message changes regularly – seasonally; with the economy; with your inventory, etc.
Good, effective marketing is about creating a consistent, predictable system that attracts, nurtures, and converts homebuyers over time. And it has been proven that retailers who plan their marketing outperform those who market only when sales are down.
A well-structured marketing calendar is one of the most valuable tools your business can put in place. It aligns your sales goals, inventory strategy, and customer journey into one coordinated plan that drives higher-quality leads and more consistent sales.
Why a Marketing Calendar Matters
1. Your customers have long buying cycles.
Manufactured home buyers take weeks or months – sometimes years – to make a purchasing decision. A marketing calendar ensures you stay in front of them—with education, financing guidance, inventory updates, and community messaging—throughout their entire journey.
Also, there are events that you want to plan and prepare for in advance, such as open houses, home shows, or tours of homes. Your marketing calendar will ensure you don’t miss a prime opportunity and are well-prepared to participate.
2. The industry runs on predictable seasonality.
Retail traffic increases in spring, early summer, and early fall. It slows down mid-winter and right after the holidays. A marketing calendar ensures pipeline consistency through these cycles.
3. Factory lead times and inventory influence demand.
A calendar helps you shift your messaging strategically:
- Promote quick-delivery homes during production backlogs
- Push build-order promotions earlier in the year
- Use factory order deadlines as conversion tools
- Highlight trade-ins during long lead-time cycles
4. Consistency builds brand authority.
When customers repeatedly see helpful content, financing tips, videos, and testimonials from your brand, they begin to trust you—long before they’ve stepped onto your sales lot.
5. Planning reduces chaos and aligns your team’
A marketing calendar keeps sales, admin, marketing, and lender partners aligned, reducing last-minute stress and ensuring cohesive messaging.
How to Build a Marketing Calendar
1. Set Your Core Objectives
Examples: increase qualified leads, raise lot traffic, promote new floor plans, expand reach, or strengthen follow-up engagement.
2. Define Your Buyer Journey
Map your marketing to each stage:
- Awareness – reaching new prospects
- Interest – sharing a message that resonates with buyers
- Engagement – inspiring them to take action
- Decision – Showing why choosing you and acting now is their best choice
3. Create Monthly Themes
Themes help shape your content, such as tax season, spring showcases, quick-delivery summers, fall order deadlines, and year-end close-outs.
4. Choose Your Channels
Use a strong mix of:
- Social media
- Google Business Profile updates
- Email newsletters
- SEO-driven blog content
- YouTube walkthroughs
- CRM automation
- Local events and partnerships
5. Assign Ownership
Clarify who writes, edits, films, posts, and measures results.
6. Review Quarterly
Track KPIs such as leads, website traffic, email engagement, and appointment conversions. Note and add new opportunities that arise, and adjust based on results.
Sample 18-Month Marketing Calendar
Q1 (Months 1–3)
January:
- Campaign: “New Year, New Home”
- Blog: Top Floor Plans of the Year
- Email: Tax Refund Prep + Prequalification
- Video: Retail Center Walkthrough
- Event: Winter Open House
February:
- Campaign: “Love Where You Live”
- Blog: Cost Comparison Guide
- Email: Trade-In Spotlight
- Social: Testimonial Series
March:
- Campaign: “Spring into Savings”
- Blog: Site Prep 101
- Email: Spring Promotions
- Event: Spring Sales Event + Lender Day
Q2 (Months 4–6)
April:
- Campaign: Land-Home Packages
- Blog: Understanding Factory Lead Times
- Video: Build Process Tour
- Email: Featured Inventory
May:
- Campaign: Memorial Day Model Sale
- Blog: Hidden Costs to Budget For
- Social: Before/After Installs
- Event: Cookout + Model Tours
June:
- Campaign: “Move In by Summer”
- Blog: Financing Programs Explained
- Email: Quick-Ship Inventory
- Video: Floor Plan Tour
Q3 (Months 7–9)
July:
- Campaign: Independence Day Factory Rebates
- Blog: Energy Efficiency Benefits
- Social: Factory Spotlight
- Email: Success Stories
August:
- Campaign: Family-Friendly Floor Plans
- Blog: How to Evaluate Floor Plans
- Event: Back-to-School Promotion
- Video: Lender Interview
September:
- Campaign: “Order Now for Holiday Move-In”
- Blog: Timeline from Order to Move-In
- Email: Factory Deadlines
- Social: FAQ Video Series
Q4 (Months 10–12)
October:
- Campaign: Fall Factory Savings
- Blog: Fall Maintenance Checklist
- Email: Close-Out Inventory
- Event: Fall Festival
November:
- Campaign: “Thankful for Home”
- Blog: Safety Guide
- Email: Customer Appreciation
- Social: Staff Highlights
December:
- Campaign: Year-End Liquidation
- Blog: Preparing for a New Home in the New Year
- Email: Last-Chance Pricing
- Event: Holiday Hot Cocoa Tours
Year 2 (Months 13–18)
Repeat top-performing campaigns and refresh them with:
- Updated loan programs
- New floor plan releases
- Inventory changes
- New walkthrough videos
- Expanded automation workflows
Using an 18-month calendar – and updating it quarterly – lets you make notes from this year’s campaign that will be adjusted for the following year. What went well, what didn’t, what will make the next event even better. It allows you plenty of time to give thoughtful preparation to your marketing and keeps you from ‘winging it’, which only produces anxiety and limited results.
Planning your marketing message and delivery ensures your efforts get optimum results. A sample 18-month Excel calendar is included here.
