OutThink - The Outhouse Blog

The Outsource Hub for Home Builders

Jim Sorgatz

Growing Sales with Bitmojis – a Lesson for Home Builders from Ralph Lauren


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How resilience, agility, and focusing on what matters most lead to success in both retail and in home building.

Ralph Lauren Bitmojis on Snapchat
Ralph Lauren Bitmojis on Smapchat

Who knew Ralph Lauren had their own Bitmojis? In a recent webinar featuring Matthew Shay, President & CEO of the National Retail Federation, and Patrice Louvet, President & CEO of Ralph Lauren, the two men discuss the importance of resilience and agility in 2020. Hired in 2017, Patrice is a brand guy and was brought on board to, “write the next great chapter of the iconic brand.” How the company interacts and engages with consumers is where Patrice centers his attention. And that is why, when the pandemic hit, this rather traditional brand stepped outside the box and designed their own Bitmojis for Snapchat. Launched in August, there have already been more than 3 million downloads. Building amazing partnerships with social media in recent years is one of the company’s greatest strengths.

An “opportunity in crisis,” the shift to digital moved light-years ahead in 2020.

Heavily focused on what the digital age wants, Patrice believes digital will become like electricity – we won’t notice it, but it will be everywhere, and it will power everything. An “opportunity in crisis,” the shift to digital moved light-years ahead in 2020.

What was most interesting about this webinar is how retail and home building share many of the same challenges and goals. To move the company forward in the Twenties, Patrice has 5 primary areas Ralph Lauren is targeting:

  1. Elevate and energize the brand – bring in a new generation of consumers.
  2. Shift to direct-to-consumer. Stores will continue to play an important role, but online sales are growing.
  3. Digital
  4. International expansion
  5. Develop high-potential, under-represented categories
Robot finger touching house icon - a symbol of the digital revolution
A tech-savvy generation of home buyers has accelerated the digital revolution.

In the homebuilding industry, the pandemic along with a tech-savvy generation of home buyers has accelerated the digital revolution. Sales centers will still play an integral role, but much of the interaction between builders and buyers will take place virtually. International barriers are being toppled as builders crisscross “the pond.” Landsea Homes and Sekisui House (Woodside Homes) are just a couple of examples. And, builders are constantly working to develop under-represented categories – affordable housing for one.

Also needing attention are four areas affected by Covid that Patrice believes are here to stay:

  1. Health and safety have become a huge factor in human behavior and will continue to be for quite some time, if not indefinitely.
  2. The move to connectivity – people are not going to quit using apps and having home deliveries. Mom and grandpa just learned how to do all that!
  3. Consumers are looking for a personalized experience.
  4. Importance of values and purpose, “What difference will we make?” Consumer response to companies focusing on these has been amazing. Authenticity is a core Ralph Lauren brand value.

With the world staying home, resilience, agility, and focusing on what matters most have become critical to the success of every business.

Three valuable lessons Patrice learned from Covid:

  1. Focus on what matters most
  2. Resilience
  3. Agility

Companies who quickly learned these lessons and adapted have survived and even done well.

This insightful webinar brings home the importance of your brand, company culture, and marketing. As home builders, our industry tends to not be on the cutting edge. We have been building and selling homes the same way for 100+ years. Builders have been making strides forward, but nothing prepared us for the events of this year. With the world staying home, resilience, agility, and focusing on what matters most have become critical to the success of every business. Engaging with consumers online is key. This is where Zoom, Online Sales Counselors, CRMs like TopBuilder and Lasso, chatbots like those powered by AtlasRTX, and online marketing tools including Interactive Floor Plans, Virtual Tours, Matterport Tours, and Visualizers play an integral role. Focusing on what the digital age wants, and thinking outside the box (Snapchat Bitmojis anyone?) to write the next great chapter of your iconic brand are keys to success.

Interactive Floor Plan
Drive engagement on your website with the Outhouse Interactive Floor Plan.

On a final note, Patrice talks about citizenship and sustainability. Companies like Ralph Lauren cannot be successful if they don’t take the lead. Consumers and partners expect it. “People will remember you for what you did and the way you behaved.” These words hold true for home builders as well.

Mentoring & Nurturing


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How mentoring kids enhances a career in nurturing client success

My "Little" and I on top of South Mountain at cancer hike in 2014
On cancer hike with my Little in 2014

One of the accomplishments I am most proud of in life is mentoring two boys through the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program. With no kids of my own, I felt a calling to volunteer with this tremendous organization as I realized how growing up in a relatively stable family helped prepare my brothers and me for adulthood. There are so many kids whose lives are in constant flux or would simply benefit from a little extra adult encouragement and support. BBBS is comprised of Bigs (adult volunteers) and Littles (the kids) who are matched one on one, based on common interests. Although most activities are on your own, each match is supervised by a BBBS specialist. The minimum time commitment for a Big is 2-4 outings a month for one year, but there are many matches that evolve into lifelong friendships.

My "Little", who is no as tall as me, and I on top of South Mountain at cancer hike in 2018.
My “Little” (2nd from right) and I on cancer hike in 2018

The need for volunteers is great, especially for men as the organization seems to have an easier time recruiting Big Sisters. If you are looking to help others in a role that is both challenging and rewarding, this is the perfect opportunity. Does everything go smoothly – NO! Things can and do go wrong. My current Little is now 19 and comes with all the drama and emotions most 19-year-olds experience. Although no longer in the program we still see each other regularly. As I write this, he is staying at my home due to challenges getting along with his roommate and his mom at the same time. So, lucky me, I get the brooding young man! The bottom line is, we have grown very close during our 10+ years together and I want to do everything I can to help him find his way in the world as an adult. Bigs are also not immune to the challenges parents face. Like the title of that famous song “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” (or in today’s world – Rap!), Bigs often have to address these issues as Littles navigate their teenage years. There was a point earlier this year where things had gone so awry, I was questioning whether my efforts made a difference at all.

And that is when, out of the blue, my first Little (now 26) sent me a chat via Messenger. Together in the program for 5 or 6 years, our match was terminated by BBBS due to a change in circumstances at his home; and this meant no further contact. Remembering a painfully shy and quiet teenager, I was not prepared for the chatterbox I encountered when we met for dinner. Confident, self-sufficient, incredibly happy, and overly-talkative, he was working as an assistant manager at Fry’s but decided to take a detour as an Uber/Lyft driver as he wanted more freedom. That evening made me realize, without a doubt, the time and energy dedicated to mentoring these young men was worth it.

What I learned while volunteering with BBBS is I am passionate about mentoring, nurturing, and helping people solve problems and overcome challenges. These interests have played an integral role in my career as well.

As former VP of member services at the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, I helped builders and trades connect with one another through business development events and programming.

Here at Outhouse, rolling out new products (did someone say Visualizer?!) and educating clients on the full range of benefits offered by our interactive tools are two key roles. There is often much more than meets the eye. While builders actively use front-facing tools like the furniture planner, structural options selector, and pricing calculator on our Interactive Floor Plans, they sometimes forget about the lead generation, and analytics available through the back end. Outhouse may not be the largest provider of online marketing tools, but we have always taken pride in being the best. Working with clients to be sure they effectively use these tools to guide successful marketing strategies and close sales is part of that mission.

Nurturing and mentoring play an integral role in both business and our personal lives. There is so much we can learn from one another, and a great deal we can share to help others realize dreams and achieve goals. To learn more about Outhouse, or being a Big, give me a jingle at jims@outhouse.net. There is a great need for volunteers to help guide kids and teens in the right direction. It’s not easy, but I believe you will find the experience rewarding.

Insights From Our Online Marketing and Product Expert


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Atlanta Real Estate Forum Podcast

The career path taken by my co-worker and friend Kevin Weitzel is more interesting than most. Starting as a professional cyclist, he was an Olympic Alternate in 1988.  This was followed by service as a highly-decorated United States Marine for eight years.  Returning to his cyclist roots, his many productive years in the industry landed him a very successful career in the motorcycle/automobile world.  A strong belief in and practice of relationship selling catapulted him from floor sales to GM of the largest Motorcycle Dealer network in the United States in less than 5 years. He also has owned his own bicycle shop.  Five years ago, Kevin was introduced to the home building industry through a friend who owned Outhouse where, as Vice President of Business Development, he has led the team to the largest sales growth in company history since the housing downturn.  An expert in Interactive Builder Web and Marketing Content, 3D Rendering, Animation, Drafting, Virtual Reality, Matterport, and Print Marketing, Kevin is also a top-ranked International Builders Show speaker, and co-host of the weekly Builders Digital Marketing Podcast.

The podcast tables recently turned, with Kevin bringing his industry knowledge to the studio for an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan of Denim Marketing and Todd Schnick, the trio discuss Outhouse’s outsourcing services, as well as the effects COVID-19 has had on the way home builders design product, market online to buyers, and conduct sales onsite.

Click Here for Podcast

An early adopter of working remote, Outhouse has been riding the wave alongside the pandemic by helping home builders come up to speed with new technology. While builders have always used services like interactive floor plans and marketing features, the ongoing pandemic has accelerated reliance on these tools, plus more sophisticated virtual tours, animations, and visualizers in order to stay ahead of the competition in our new virtual world.

Enjoy the podcast!

Great Architectural Design Never Goes Out of Style


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What inspires a young entrepreneur to found a company focused on Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) for residential architecture?  For Outhouse partner Stuart Platt, a big catalyst was growing up in one of the most breathtaking homes in Phoenix, “a unique desert oasis,” built by internationally acclaimed Architect, Will Bruder.  Constructed from a combination of glass, steel, and desert masonry, the home takes full advantage of the impressive desert setting in north Phoenix.  It is often hard to tell where the inside of the home stops and the outside begins.  SPECTACULAR!  This is the first thought that comes to mind when you walk in.   The second is, Wow, when Stuart says he grew up in an uninhibited family, he isn’t kidding.  There is nary a window covering in sight.  Third is who cleans all the glass?  The joke at Outhouse is this is why Stuart is so tall, he needed to be to reach the clerestory windows.  

Great design - expansive living room constructed of metal, glass and wood.
Great Design – Platt Residence, Phoenix AZ

Building this house did not come without challenges.  To move into their home, Stuart and his parents lived in a trailer on the property for four years while they were building.  After moving into the home prior to completion, construction continued for most of the Platt family’s tenure.  For those of us who have undertaken renovation projects while in our homes, we can certainly relate!

Modern, open kitchen designed for entertaining
Minimalist, but highly functional kitchen – perfect for entertaining

Earlier this year, the Platt residence went on the market and sold in a very short time.  Being curious by nature, Stuart asked a realtor friend to arrange a tour, and off they went.   When they arrived, they had a chance meeting with the owner, and when Stuart let him know his family built the home, the owner extended an invitation to house sit for a week while he was on vacation.  True story!

Outhouse Partner Stuart Platt in front of home his family built.
Outhouse Partner Stuart Platt – original homeowner (via parents)

Over the years, changes were made.  The sunk-in living room was raised, the kitchen was renovated, and needed most of all, proper air-conditioning units replaced a single evaporative cooler.  But the overall structure remains the same as it was when it was built more than thirty years ago. 

Expansive master bedroom with glass wall to bring the outdoors in.
Spacious bedroom which extends to the great outdoors.

The Platt residence proves that great design is timeless.  The HERS Rating on this home is probably astronomical, but who cares.  The one-of-a-kind design is fabulous!  Its style is being incorporated into today’s production homes which feature expansive walls of glass that open to the great outdoors, and materials that complement the natural setting.  Enhancing great design today are energy efficient features like dual pane low-e windows, well insulated walls and ceilings, a tight thermal envelope, air/vapor retarders, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, low flow faucets and toilets, and energy efficient appliances.  Forward thinking builders are also implementing value engineering, modular construction, and innovative building envelopes including Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) and the JEP building system, all of which increase energy efficiency of a home.    

Great design and energy efficiency are at the core of Outhouse’s new partnership with Linderoth Associates Architects.  Our 40+ years of experience have led to a shared philosophy based five pillars of home design and marketing presented a decade ago by Sam Rashkin, Chief Architect of the Department of Energy Building Technologies Office:

  • Sustainable land development
  • Great design
  • High-performance
  • Quality construction
  • Effective home sales and marketing

With 76 million Boomers and 72 million Millennials seeking out builders who embrace these principles, the importance of designing, constructing and selling homes and communities featuring innovative planning techniques, great, timeless design, high performance, and socially responsible features cannot be overstated.  Homes like the Platt residence inspire us to build homes that seamlessly integrate indoor and outdoor living spaces.  Today’s innovative construction techniques allow that to happen.

OutThink – The New Blog from Outhouse LLC


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Moving Home Building Forward – Together

One of my favorite activities at trade shows is learning from industry insiders – even our own competitors. Collectively, we share so much knowledge. Yes, we are all vying for our piece of the pie, but builders, trade contractors, and service providers are also working as a community to build and sell the best new homes, and bring our industry into the 21st century. The catalyst triggered by events in 2020 cannot be overstated. Builder marketing and sales strategies have changed forever, and the way new homes are constructed is rapidly evolving as well.

Blocks spelling New Normal. Homebuyers now expect online engagement with Interactive Floor Plans, Site Maps and virtual tools.
The New Normal: Homebuyers shopping online expect an engaging, interactive experience, similar to when they visit your model homes. Interactive Floor Plans, Site Maps, and virtual tours all play an integral role in online sales.

With an emphasis on pushing boundaries, Outhouse is pleased to present OutThink – our new blog for home builder marketing, sales, architecture, and construction executives who are looking to up their game.  In addition to insights from Outhouse staff, the blog will feature posts from top website builders, online sales experts, marketing gurus, designers, architects, engineers, and developers of new products.  All will focus on ways builders can create the best homes and offer an optimal experience for buyers shopping online and onsite in your sales centers. 

In an industry slow to change, the onset of Covid-19 has catapulted home builders forward in their migration to virtual home sales.  A recent article in Builder affirms the importance of having a buyer-centric website with engaging sales and marketing tools.  Homebuilding is booming, and much of that is due to builders finding innovative ways to market and sell homes online, and/or with minimal contact onsite.  Today’s home buyers expect digital buying solutions.  Sophisticated online marketing tools like animations, virtual tours, Interactive Floor Plans, and Interactive Site Maps play a huge role in building emotional connections with your buyers. 

Interactive Site Map. Click on lot to view available home plans, elevations and Interactive Floor Plans
Take our most sophisticated Interactive Site Map for a spin. Click on any lot to reveal available floorplans. Then click a rendering to link to the corresponding Interactive Floor Plan.

Traffic is also ramping up at model home sales centers, so it is important to have great displays, and quality print brochures for potential buyers to take away.  You might also consider unassisted model home tours to adhere to social distancing guidelines.  We are in a challenging period, but it is also an exciting time for progression to the next level for marketing and sales. 

To learn more about the latest online tools for builders, email us to schedule an online demo. Or, catch us in one of our upcoming “live” presentations.

Knowledge is Power – Join Us at Upcoming Educational Programs

Home Builder Digital Marketing Summit

You will not want to miss the Home Builder Digital Marketing Summit, which Outhouse presents with leading digital marketing agency Blue Tangerine. Taking place in October and November over four weeks, the once-a-week two-hour program features an engaging roster of new home sales and marketing experts:

Chris Hartley – K. Hovnanian Homes
Michelle Smallwood – Holiday Builders
Ashley DeYoung – DeYoung Properties
Jimmy Diffee – Bokka Group
Angela McKay – Lasso CRM
Dana Kovach – Kovach Marketing
Spencer Powell – Builder Funnel
Bassam Salem – AtlasRTX
Greg Bray & Erik Martinez – Blue Tangerine
Stuart Platt & Kevin Weitzel – Outhouse, LLC.

TecHome Builder Online Summit

We are also pleased to sponsor the TecHome Builder Online Summit where our VP of Business Development & Sales Kevin Weitzel will be sharing his knowledge on the implementation of virtual tools to grow your market share. His presentation takes place on September 30th.

Pulse - Online Sales and Marketing

Finally, the Do You Convert PULSE event hosted by Mike Lyon and Kevin Oakley comes online October 6th and 7th. Although not speaking, Outhouse is proud to sponsor this program where builders will learn to navigate and leverage the current sales and marketing landscape to boost appointments and conversions

Join us for one or all of these insightful programs designed to help your sales and marketing team grow sales.

Now, a Question for You

What is your preferred length of blog?  The “gold standard” for many years has been 500-800 words. Data is now showing articles with closer to 2,000 words are garnering the most reads, likes, and shares.  This is assuming the content is interesting and educational.  As a reference, this post has around 730 words.  Do you prefer 500, 1,000, 2,000 words? Or a mix?  Please let us know your preference in the comments section. 

Thank you for checking out the OutThink Blog!