Sometimes thinking outside the box can create a marketing legend. The Rock City Barns.

When did you buy out ActiveRain and change it to ActiveRichard?!!!!

I love your posts, but featuring yourself over and over again?!!!

Richard, we all need to think outside the box, at least once in a while!

Hi Richard!!  Another gold star!!  Congrats!!  xxoo

It wasn't until I went into business for myself three months ago that I started to really appreciate great marketing.  I have always loved the Rock City barns!

It is amazing how making just one clever marketing move at just the right time can put you way over the top!

Richard - I love this type of "old school" marketing, and it's generally instructive for all of us.  There is a place between Austin and Dallas called "Carl's Place" that I never fail to notice.  Why?  Because it's painted on the roof, just like in your photos here.

Ha...this is a great idea.  I've seen it in VT and NH on some barns.

Thanks for the post today.

Patricia Aulson/Portsmouth NH Real Estate

Hmmm. Clever. It worked back then. Now to come up with some clever marketing strategy like this that doesn't come across as a cheap knock-off of an original idea...or maybe I might be able to come up with an original idea. Thanks!

Hi Richard,

This is very clever marketing which I have seen before but great idea..simple and effective!

Hi Richard -- Very interesting post.  It's interesting to see how things change, and also how things still remain the same at some level.

How far is that from Wall Drug?  And do they actually function as a drug store anymore?  Actually, there are a lot of brilliant marketing ideas like that... I need to come up with mine. 

Richard,

I remember seeing the "See Rock City" barns around the midwest and it became a source of amusement. :)

Steve

I'd never heard of this phenomenon, and think it's quite ingenious.  It would be great to come up with this type of idea.

Richard I love this post.  It brings back wonderful memories.  Years ago my late husband and I bought a Rock City birdhouse for his sister's birthday.  It hangs proudly in the woods of Chuluota, Florida.  Thanks!

Great idea......bring back what the old farmers in MN used to use years ago.  Gotta go and find somebody to paint for me...........thanks!  Just have to figure out how to adapt something like this to phoenix.

There is nothing in this world like creativity, it sure makes things interesting and keeps the gears turning.

With so many homes languishing on the market today we DO need to 'think outside the box' especially when it comes to vacant homes. They are harder to sell even in good times. There is a 'win/win' marketing tool available. It's www.myvacanthouse.com. The website connects the vacant house with a live in stager who will furnish it and maintain it like a model home. The homeowner gets a fully furnished house and someone who will take care of the lawn and pool, etc. The agent gets a more marketable listing and one that will probaby sell faster and for a higher price than a vacant house. It's a great tool to offer your individual clients or banks with multiple vacant houses. The fee that is paid by the live in stager goes to the homeowner or the agent or can be split between the two. The website is new but the concept has been used successfully for over 20 years. You have to post the vacant house on the website in order to expose it to the live in stagers, but there is no cost to do that right now, so there's nothing to lose by trying it.

That's a clever idea that I am sure didn't just come out of the box. I have never been to RockCity Richard. Thanks for sharing this Richard. Great post.