Providence

Challenge: A master-planned new home community in Ashland, Virginia, Providence began development in 2012 at a time when home sales continued to lag due to the effects of the Great Recession. The developer wanted to build excitement about Providence by replicating the small-town charm of Ashland within the community. That meant creating an environment that promoted walkability, created natural gathering spaces, encouraged neighbor interaction, and had the feel of a close-knit community.

Solution: Gray Ryan Communications crafted a marketing plan for Providence that emphasized storytelling through media relations, social media, and events. The plan included extensive demographic research on the types of buyers who would find Providence an attractive place to live. Based on that research, Gray Ryan crafted an outreach strategy through social media and traditional public relations. This strategy included highlighting the amenities, programming, and home types.

Bottom Line: The plan was extremely successful. Gray Ryan secured numerous media placements in local, regional, and national publications about Providence. These placements discussed the distinctive nature of the community and how both the amenities and programming brought neighbors together. Additionally, social media efforts proved incredibly effective in reaching target audiences. In particular, Facebook became one of the top sources of lead generation for sales agents. As a direct result of this marketing campaign, Providence exceeded its sales expectations every year by 15-25%.