Kevin Oakley of Do You Convert has over a decade of experience running marketing and sales operations for home builders of all shapes, sizes and areas of expertise. Kevin speaks regularly at the NAHB International Builder’s Show® (IBS) as well as select local home building associations and home building companies looking to gain an edge over the competition.
Kevin was featured this summer in the NAHB Best of IBS webinar series, and he’s back again at IBS 2018 in January. He is one of three speakers at the session, “Clash of the Titans: Marketing Megaminds Debate Today’s Hottest Topics” and will also present a Spotlight Session, “Stop Being Social! Driving Real Sales Results with Social Media.”
We caught up with Kevin to get a sneak peek into his sessions and a few fun tidbits, too.
NAHB: Without giving too much away, what will people learn at your IBS sessions?
KEVIN: “Clash of the Titans…” will be something completely unique that I don’t believe has ever been done before at IBS. Will, Dennis and I will know the potential topics we will be debating, but we won’t know which side of the argument we’ll be speaking from! This will lead to a frank and honest discussion about the pros and cons of current marketing trends. There are always trade-offs that are critical to understand, but usually a presenter is only highlighting the positives of their topic. This presentation will give you the 360 perspective of each topic we cover.
The Spotlight Session, “Stop Being Social! Driving Real Sales Results with Social Media,” is all about showing the latest techniques in paid social media advertising to drive incredible sales results. I’ll share the secrets learned from running over $1,000,000 in Facebook and Instagram ads for builders of all sizes and show you how to build your own campaigns from scratch.
NAHB: Why should people come to the show to hear you speak?
KEVIN: I only have one agenda: to teach you as much as possible so that you aren’t taken advantage of by others. Almost everyone has been “ripped off” in the past with digital marketing simply because they don’t understand it. It is perfectly OK to work with an outside partner, but you have to understand enough to hold them accountable.
NAHB: Best memory from IBS last year…
KEVIN: I love interacting with so many amazing people who have the same interests, challenges, and passions as me! When I was still a home builder, I used to get so depressed waiting for the plane to take me home after the show was over. I was heading back to a place where people wouldn’t know what PPC stood for or what a syndication network was.
NAHB: This industry has changed dramatically in the past five years. What have you seen from inside your company?
KEVIN: Marketers, in general, have stopped resisting making necessary changes. Mostly because they don’t have a choice anymore. It really is a period of “adapt or die.” The problem is that while they are over the mental hurdle of change, they often aren’t sure how to execute it.
On the consumer side, their expectations are constantly being raised. They want more and better content on your homes and the communities they are within. The problem is no longer how to reach our target markets efficiently. That has, for now, been mostly solved. It is how to keep their attention and make them care about us once we do.
NAHB: Where do you think the changes will happen in the next five years?
KEVIN: I believe that the amount of time spent researching by the consumer prior to making a purchase will become shorter and shorter as technology and depth of content improves. This will have big impacts for builders and developers because right now we have the luxury of knowing we have several weeks or months to get in front of potential buyers.
NAHB: Any random fact you could share with us?
KEVIN: If your website converts 2% of visitors to a lead, that means you’ve potentially disappointed the other 98%. You can never stop testing and improving your website.
NAHB: What do you work towards in your personal time?
KEVIN: I try to donate around 10% of my time translating the ideas I teach to builders and developers to non-profit organizations. The rest of my personal time is consumed by my 2-, 4-, 7- and 10-year-old kids. They’re a blast!
NAHB: Favorite line from a movie?
KEVIN: “Uh, had a slight weapons malfunction. But, uh, everything’s perfectly all right now. We’re fine. We’re all fine here, now, thank you. How are you?” — Han Solo in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
NAHB: If you could do another job just for one day, what would it be?
KEVIN: I’d be the CEO of the fictitiously combined mega-corporation of Apple, Google, Amazon, Tesla and Facebook. We’d get a lot done in a single day.
NAHB: Who would win the fight between Batman and Spiderman?
KEVIN: I want to say Spiderman because he’s a happier and less moody guy, but I’m pretty sure Batman would have the edge. Actually, my answer is Luke Skywalker.
When you select “full registration” for IBS, you get access to 140+ sessions across 8 different building industry topic tracks. Register for IBS today.